By By Ken Filler | Tampa Bay Sports Journal
TAMPA — The jerseys have come back out. The anticipation has returned. And across Tampa Bay, the same question follows the Lightning into another season.
Does this group have another championship run in it?
We won’t get that answer Thursday. But we will get our first meaningful look when the Lightning open the 2026-27 season against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the home opener against Washington following Saturday.
For a franchise that has given this community so many unforgettable spring nights, getting hockey back isn’t the main course. We want to see a team building toward something.
The Lightning went 50-26-6 last season and finished second in the Atlantic Division before another first-round playoff exit.
There is enough talent here to expect more, and yet there are also enough unknowns to make this opener worth watching well beyond the scoreboard.
Here are five things I’ll be looking for in the opener against the Rangers.
1. Does Victor Hedman look comfortable controlling the game?
A productive season from Victor Hedman would change the possibilities for this team.
The veteran enters this season after injuries and a personal leave interrupted his 2025-26 campaign.
His return lets Tampa Bay regain enormous influence on both ends of the ice.
Can he close the gap on an attacking forward without backing into his goaltender?
Can he retrieve a puck, turn away from pressure, and send Tampa Bay moving up the ice? When an opportunity opens, does he join the attack confidently?
Those are the plays that would tell me Hedman is back.
A goal would be wonderful.
Repeatedly putting the Lightning in a better position with his skating and decisions would mean more.
We know what Hedman can look like when he dictates the pace. He makes the ice feel smaller for opponents and opens it up for his teammates.
Nobody needs him to prove an entire season’s worth of health and effectiveness in one evening.
But seeing him play comfortably, with purpose, would be one of the best developments Tampa Bay could bring home from New York.
2. What does John Carlson add to the blue line?
John Carlson arrives with a substantial résumé and a significant role to fill.
He recorded 60 points in 71 games between Washington and Anaheim last season.
The Lightning signed him after Darren Raddysh’s departure, adding an experienced right-handed defenseman capable of contributing offensively.
Carlson has been skating alongside JJ Moser during camp.
My first question is how efficiently that duo moves the puck.
Watch Carlson’s first pass after a retrieval. Does it reach a forward in stride?
Does he recognize when there is room to carry the puck and when the smart play is to move it immediately?
A clean exit can create an offensive opportunity before the opponent gets organized.
An unnecessary extra touch can leave everyone defending for another 30 seconds.
Carlson also needs to choose his opportunities carefully.
Joining the rush can help Tampa Bay overwhelm a defense. Getting caught above the puck can create trouble in the other direction.
The opener should give us a sense of his timing with his new teammates. That connection will take work, but sound decisions can make the adjustment easier from the first shift.
3. Can Conor Geekie and the supporting forwards earn more responsibility?
Yanni Gourde and Dominic James are unavailable for opening night because of injuries. Conor Geekie made the season-opening roster, while Benjamin Rautiainen was loaned back to Tappara in Finland.
For Geekie, the challenge now is turning an NHL roster spot into a dependable NHL role.
He produced 59 points in 57 games with Syracuse last season.
That is encouraging evidence of offensive ability, but the next step is making useful plays when the time and space disappear.
“I’m just trying to put my best foot forward every night,” Geekie told the team’s website.
Wednesday’s practice had Geekie with Anthony Cirelli and Gage Goncalves, though combinations remain subject to change.
Watch whether he gets involved early. Does he protect the puck along the boards? Shoot when the lane is available? Get back into position after an offensive chance breaks down?
Those details help a young player earn another shift in a close game.
The same standard applies throughout the supporting cast.
The Lightning need shifts that sustain pressure, force defensive work, and give the next line something to build on.
A depth forward can have an excellent opener without scoring. The Lightning need those contributions to become routine.
4. Does the power play create pressure with a purpose?
With Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel among the available offensive weapons, expectations are high.
Carlson adds another option at the point.
The interesting part is how Tampa Bay uses those pieces to move defenders and open shooting lanes.
I’ll be watching what happens before the shot.
Can the Lightning enter the zone cleanly? Recover a loose puck after the first attempt? Move a penalty killer far enough out of position to create a dangerous opportunity?
A power play can look busy without doing much damage. Passing around the outside only helps if it eventually changes the defense.
Tampa Bay should make the Rangers protect the middle, respect the point, and account for someone near the crease.
And when a good shooting opportunity appears, take it.
There is nothing wrong with a rebound goal. There is nothing wrong with a screened shot finding its way through traffic. They count just as much as the beautiful passing sequence.
An effective power play can settle a team into its opener. A careless one can hand momentum away.
5. How much help does Andrei Vasilevskiy get?
Vasilevskiy enters the season as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner. His presence gives Tampa Bay a reason to believe it can win on any given night.
The players in front of him still have work to do.
Who takes away the pass through the slot? Who finds the trailing attacker? Who clears the rebound while an opponent is reaching for a second chance?
Those are the defensive details I want to see Thursday.
Shot totals alone won’t tell the story. There is a considerable difference between allowing an outside attempt with a clear sightline and letting a shooter walk into the middle untouched.
The forwards matter here, too. A committed backcheck can prevent an odd-man rush. A strong play along the wall can get the puck out. A sensible decision near the offensive blue line can keep a promising shift from becoming a scramble.
The Lightning should expect big saves from its goaltender. It should also make enough responsible plays that every mistake doesn’t require one.
Opening night won’t settle the Lightning’s season. But it can set expectations for how this group intends to play.
Give us a confident Hedman. Give us useful contributions throughout the lineup. Give us a team willing to do the difficult work between the highlights.
Then bring two points back to Tampa.
That would be a good way to get started.
