On June 29, 2024, Mikhail Sergachev was swept up in the biggest trade of the NHL Draft at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
The following Friday, he was introduced by general manager Bill Armstrong and head coach Andre Tourigny at Delta Center.
Now, he will be able to face his former team in another uniform.
Just three years removed from winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, head coach Jon Cooper will enter his 11th season -- the longest-tenured head coach in the league -- will a markedly different roster.
Gone are Sergachev and Steven Stamkos, and entering are Ryan McDonagh and Jake Guentzel.
However, one of the names that have flown under the radar is Nick Paul, who was acquired from Ottawa in 2022.
Paul has turned into one of the best defensive forwards in the league, and his scoring ability has proven vital to the regular-season and playoff success of the Lightning since his acquisition.
While his addition may not have turned into the new version of the Grind Line, Paul has proven to be an irreplaceable part of the bottom six for Tampa Bay.
The defence core for Tampa Bay is also still anchored by Conn Smythe winner Victor Hedman, and Nick Perbix and Darren Raddysh have carved out their own niches to deepen the pool even more.
And there's still Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy, too.
So, yes, this won't be the Tampa Bay most people remember, but they are still deadly enough to cause havoc in the Eastern Conference.
And yes, Utah will nearly have to play perfect to beat the Lightning, but with how loose they tend to play against great teams, there's no reason they won't keep it close.
