It was indeed a move that was stunning for the faithful of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The team let Steven Stamkos sign with the Nashville Predators in NHL Free Agency over the summer. Stamkos spent 16 years in central Florida, winning two Stanley Cups with the franchise. He left behind an incredible legacy. The team was left in the hands of Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and their newest acquisition, Jake Guentzel.
One of the biggest questions coming into the season was whether acquiring Guentzel would allow Kucherov to be as successful as he had been with Stamkos. Coming into the Saturday (March 29) game against the New York Islanders, the question has all but been answered.
Despite seeing a small decline in offensive production, Kucherov has played at an MVP level this season. Coming into Saturday’s game, he has 105 points on 32 goals and 73 assists in 68 games. He has recorded his third-straight 100-plus point campaign, and has also surpassed the 30-goal mark for the third consecutive season.
In doing so, Kucherov continues to reach some impressive milestones.
Kucherov Continues to Set Records
In the Lightning’s 6-1 defeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (March 26), Kucherov had a goal and two assists to pass 100 points on the season. He reached 100 points for the third straight season and fifth time in his 11 NHL seasons.
In doing this, Kucherov surpassed Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin for the most by a Russian-born player. He became the 10th player in NHL history to record three straight 70-assist seasons, joining Connor McDavid as the only active players.
In the Lightning’s dismantling of the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday (March 27), he had a goal and two assists, giving him 104 career games with three points, making him the Lightning’s franchise leader for three-point games, surpassing Stamkos. The records keep coming.
Guentzel Continues to be Productive
Guentzel has played a major role in Kucherov’s outstanding play. It was a risky move to let a fan favorite leave and bring in a new player, but for the time being, the move has paid off for the Lightning.
Guentzel scored twice in Thursday’s win. He has six points, including three goals, and 11 shots across his last four games and 36 goals overall this season. He has put up four straight 70-point seasons (84, 73, 77 and 70). His 36 goals are the second-most for a Lightning player in his first season with the franchise, trailing only Brian Bradley (42 in 1992-93).
Meanwhile, Stamkos struggles in Nashville. But to be fair, just about everyone who has donned a Predators jersey this season has struggled. Still, the risky move made by general manager Julien BriseBois is paying off.
Can the Lightning Capture the Stanley Cup?
The main motivation for letting Stamkos go and bringing in Guentzel was the belief that the Lightning needed to be a little better at 5-on-5 play, which was an area that Guentzel had excelled in previous seasons. He proved to be a standout in previous seasons, scoring the winning goal in Game 1 and Game 2 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final against the Predators to help the Penguins become the first repeat champion in 19 years.
Now, Guentzel, Kucherov and the rest of the core are starting to kick things into gear at the right time. The team is starting to gel, and it is apparent that the season spent together is paying dividends for Kucherov, Guentzel and the Lightning.
The Lightning are hoping to continue their strong play to win for the fifth time in their last seven games. They are firing on all cylinders ahead of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If this momentum carries over, Tampa will be a tough out once the puck drops on the postseason.
