Can The Lightning Repeat Next Year?

[hip check 0]

"IF" there is a season next year, can the Lightning repeat, or at least put in a strong playoff? Or are they a 'one-hit wonder' similar to the Hurricanes and Ducks?

[Chadd 916]

Calgary is the one hit wonder, Tampa has much more depth and was top in the East last year.

[hip check 0]

There's good reason why I didn't mention Calgary. I like the team, just don't expect another run. They were the Cinderella team for sure! ;)

[kosydar 0]

No, I don't think so. Its just too hard to repeat.

[PH_Hockey2 4]

No, I don't think so. Its just too hard to repeat.

I agree with Kosydar on this one, but i think that Tampa will be a stanley cup contender team for a number of years, Tampa has youth and talent

[kosydar 0]

Even though they finished first in the East this year, I never considered them serious cup contenders, they were too young and inexperienced. They proved me wrong with this, so maybe they'll do the same next year.

[Chadd 916]

The odds of repeating are pretty low. I was referring to them being competitive next year and being a top seed again. They were very healthy this year and played in a bad division. Improvements in Atlanta and Florida as well as any type of injury problems and they could easily drop several places in the standings.

[crosskore 0]

I think Atlanta will have a huge year next year with a healthy Heatly and Kovalchuke.

[kosydar 0]

I don't. Atlanta reminds me of a lesser version of Vancouver. Two superstar wingers who take full responsibility for the teams success. Although Vancouver has much better depth, especially defensively.

[Chadd 916]

I don't. Atlanta reminds me of a lesser version of Vancouver. Two superstar wingers who take full responsibility for the teams success. Although Vancouver has much better depth, especially defensively.

Look how well they played until the injuries hit them. They will have Lehtonen in net and will probably have the defenseman they drafted in the first round last year. If they can add a couple of mid-level free agents, they could be in great shape.

[kosydar 0]

True, they have Coburn, who is amazing, but I would doubt he'd make the jump from the WHL straight to the NHL. Is Lehtonen ready for the NHL full time yet? Don't you think that they played so well in response to what happened with Snyder? Seems as if that served as great motivation for them, but it sort of went away as the season progressed and things returned more towards normal.

[Chadd 916]

They got crushed with injuries after December. Dafoe will not be brought back, Lehtonen and Cartman (Pasi) will be the two goalies next year. Coburn could have made the team last year as a 5 or 6 defenseman but he got more playing time in junior so he went back. If he can crack teh top four, he's going to play in the NHL this year.

[wolveshockey10 0]

NOOOOO! They will not repeat.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I like Atlanta's chances as a growing team, but doubt they will have an impact in the next couple of years. I think injuries hurt them, but I believe 90% of their success was built on Hartley pushing the Snyder tragedy.

I think Tampa's a terrific squad and will do very well next year, however I do not see them repeating as they will not be the "unknown wildcard" they were this year, and I would expect a more difficult road to the finals because I expect they will not repeat as Eastern division champs either.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Unknown wildcard?

They were the Eastern #1 seed!

Doesn't hurt that they play in the Southleast Division either...

[Eazy_b97 1]

Did you really consider them a top flight NHL team before the playoffs?

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Yes...because I had seen them play all year.

Keep in mind they had signs of that level last year...just ran into the Devils in the playoffs.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I thought they were an extremely talented team with great flare, but a lack of intensity and lack of experience was going to kill them, obviously I was wrong. I do consider them a great NHL team now and expect them to do well, but I still considered them an unkown in the playoffs because they hadn't overcome any real adversity or obstacles in the playoffs. The wildcard is because they had the talent to succeed, but they played in a horible division which played into their favour and like I said were pretty well unproven in playoffs.

[Chadd 916]

They did beat Washington last year in the playoffs and the Caps were the division winners.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Wasn't Washington up 2-0 in the series and Tampa won game 3 on a 2 man advantage in overtime to turn the series around? I remembed that series and am not debating on whether Tampa had the potential to do well, just looking at the teams in the playoffs they were a wildcard to me. A high seeding with alot of potential, however very young and inexperienced compared to some of the other teams. I'm sorry, but thats just my opinion.

[kosydar 0]

Yeah but if I remember correctly, didn't Washington blow a 2 games to none lead in the series? I totally see what Eazy is saying. It'd be like if Atlanta won the East next year. Sure they have talent, but its young and pretty much all unproven in the playoffs.

[Chadd 916]

But Atlanta missed the playoffs this year, that's a big difference to me.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Go with Montreal then, they are pretty young with a solid goalie. Say they break out and really win some games this year (the better division would make it tough), but they keep a fairly young group of talented guys together. (I know this is a discussion where nobody is going to jump sides)

[kosydar 0]

Speaking of Montreal and Tampa, Tampa was the first team to ever beat Montreal in the playoffs and win the cup.

[Lightning 0]

For all that say the southeast is a weak division and the Lightning benefited bause of this division are incorrect. True, the divisons other teams had bad records, but the Bolts had better records against the other 2 "tougher" divisions than they did in the Southeast. So I would not point to divisional play as the reason the Bolts made the playoffs, it was there play against the better teams that got them the no.1 seed in the playoffs.

It would be extremely hard for them to repeat next year, with the way the league is setup and with free agency the way it is, it will be hard to tell who will be the winner in a new season. But I will say this, the Bolts will be in the playoffs for years to come and will be a serious contenders for the cup as long as they keep their core together!

Man, Marty is going to get a payraise this year!