
With that said, I really do not see any young players in this system making the jump next season, but definitely keep your eye on Tampa's most-recent first-round selection in Isaac Howard, who was selected with the second-last pick of this year's first round. The Lightning's front office deserves a lot of credit for its ability to build and maintain a winner over the last handful of seasons, but that has cost the Bolts in the future talent department. Ready for Full Time – With two brand-new Cup banners hanging from the rafters at Amalie Arena, it really comes as no surprise that the talent pipeline in Tampa is running a bit dry on intriguing, impact-ready prospects. This team is still for real, fantasy or otherwise. If you're expecting a step back from the Bolts this season on any front, you might want to check yourself and think again. With that said, expect more of the same from the likes of such fantasy studs as Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, and arguably the top fantasy goalie option in Andrei Vasilevskiy. That's good news for fantasy owners, as this squad will once again be very much in the mix for the Eastern Conference crown with eyes on yet another deep Stanley Cup run.Īdditions of Namestnikov up front and Cole and Myers on the backend should offset any potential loss from the departure of the aforementioned trio of veterans. An organization that has been the definition of consistent over the past five or six seasons remained consistently quiet this summer – for the most part.Īside from the clutch depth scoring provided by Ondrej Palat (now with the New Jersey Devils) and the steadying veteran presence of Ryan McDonagh (departed via trade to the Nashville Predators) and Jan Rutta (signed a three-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins) this Lightning group is returning basically the exact same crew. Impact of Changes – When it comes to a team remaining basically the same over the offseason in terms of the makeup of its roster, none fit that bill potentially any more than the Tampa Bay Lightning. Incoming – Vladislav Namestnikov, Ian Cole, Haydn Fleury, Philippe Myers Gone – Ondrej Palat, Ryan McDonagh, Jan Rutta *** Be sure to purchase your copy of the 2022-23 Dobber Hockey Fantasy Guide! *** Offensively, will the team perform? Are there plenty of depth options worthy of owning in keeper leagues? What about over the next two or three years? These questions are what I take into consideration when looking at the depth chart and the player potential on that depth chart. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey both for the season ahead as well as the foreseeable future. The 20 th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer/fall. Playoff Draft List Downloadable interactive spreadsheet.
