Can The Lightning Repeat Next Year?

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

However, Brennan, let's say the Lightning did not have the best record in the East...

Based on them winning the SE they would've been one of the top 3 seeds in the playoffs. That's gotta mean something.

[Cavs019 708]

The lightning can't repeat next year based on the lone fact that its unlikely there will be a next year. They definately have the talent to pull it off, but it's still an extremely difficult feat.

[Eazy_b97 1]

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.

They obviously had to play very well to get the points, I am not taking anything away from them, they had a tremendous year, the best in the NHL. If they are able to keep the same team together or at least the core they will be a major threat for a long time. However having more games against lesser opponents allows for them to take more nights off and have a chance at winning those as opposed to other divisions where they could only play a period or two and end up getting killed. Not to say that certain teams are pushovers and don't need effort, but certain teams are obviously more difficult and playing them on such a consistant basis will wear down a team over time. Thus they aren't injured and are able to focus in on games vs. tougher opponents. There is no question the Bolts would've made the playoffs and really gave a run for the cup if they were in a tougher division, it's just whether it would've been as easy.

[Chadd 916]

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.

The fact they didn't take advantage of the other bad teams in the SE as much as they should have isn't an overly positive sign. It's also part of the reason a lot of people didn't take them seriously.

The Atlantic was pretty bad this year with Pittsburgh and the Rangers, as was the Central with Chicago and Columbus. That said, no dicision was as weak as the southleast with Atlanta, Florida, Washington and Carolina all being fairly bad teams.