On Tuesday (April 22), the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Florida Panthers in the first round of the 2025 NHL Playoffs. This matchup has added significance because the previous five Stanley Cup Finals have featured consecutive appearances from either the Panthers or the Lightning. Recent history suggests the stakes remain sky-high for the 2025 iteration of the “Battle for Florida”.
If the Lightning want to avoid another exit in the first round, many things are going to have to be different for this year’s squad than what they displayed against the Panthers in last year’s playoffs.
The good news is that the Lightning are coming into these playoffs having a much better 2024-25 season than last year. After a so-so 2023-24, they have returned to their former place as one of the league’s most dangerous squads. The Lightning enter the postseason with the NHL’s most prolific offense, and they have been just as good on the defensive side.
With all of this going in their favor, they will need significant contributions from these three players.
Anthony Cirelli
In the 2023-24 season, Cirelli logged a career high in ice time per game, playing a stout 18:31 while contributing 20 goals and 25 assists. However, he was only able to muster two assists in the five-game series. This season, while playing almost the same number of minutes per game, he scored 27 goals and added 32 assists, taking on a larger offensive role following the departure of Steven Stamkos in the offseason.
What Cirelli can do for the Lightning in these playoffs should not be taken for granted. He has shown himself to be a workhorse with an incredible work ethic. While he may not be the flashiest player on the ice, he will undoubtedly be the hardest-working. He played a critical role in the Lightning’s previous playoff successes, and that needs to continue if the Bolts want to move past the first round.
Brandon Hagel
Remember the raised eyebrows people had when Team Canada named Brandon Hagel to their team for the 4 Nations Face-Off?
That changed very quickly when the Saskatoon native stood out as Canada’s X-factor game after game by displaying persistent forechecking, winning races to areas and pucks, and his willingness to dig in on any battle while helping out on the scoresheet.
It seems reasonable that the 26-year-old will bring these same qualities to these playoffs. What we probably won’t see, like we saw in the first USA-Canada game, is when, within seconds of the opening drop of the puck, his gloves were off and he was exchanging a flurry of punches with Matthew Tkachuk.
If the Lightning can get past the Panthers, they will also need to see some of Hagel’s improved offensive skills. This season, he set new career highs in goals (35), assists (55), points (90), and plus/minus rating (plus-33). He also made some history in the process. According to NHL Public Relations, he set a single-season NHL record by scoring 32 goals before getting his first power-play goal.
There’s no doubt that every aspect of Hagel’s game will be needed for the Lightning to move on.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
After what would be considered a down year for Vasilevskiy during the 2023-24 season, the Lightning netminder was once again towards the top of the league’s charts this season. His 2.18 goals-against average was a career best, and his .921 save percentage ranked fourth in the NHL. His save percentage is the best he has posted in four years, and the third-best mark he’s ever put up.
Vasilevskiy missed the first quarter of last season recovering from back surgery. When he returned, he was not the same, posting a career-worst save percentage (.900) and goals-against average (2.90). This also carried over into the playoffs, posting a .897 save percentage and a 3.22 goals-against average.
Now, a fully healthy Vasilevskiy looks like the all-world goaltender of past years, leading his peers to vote him the best overall goaltender in the league.
The Lightning kick off their playoff series against the Panthers on Tuesday, April 22. It will be a series for fans to watch, as both teams have plenty of stars, skill, and an intense rivalry. This will make the games even more entertaining as the teams compete to see who comes out on top in the Battle of Florida.
