Following the first practice of training camp Thursday, Lightning coach Jon Cooper quickly set the record straight.
Jake Guentzel is not here to replace Steven Stamkos.
Guentzel, the Lightning’s top offseason acquisition, will slide into the left-wing spot on the top line that frequently had been occupied by Stamkos. He’ll also be on the top power-play unit.
But the two players are considerably different. They shoot from different sides and create their scoring chances in different ways. And even though the Lightning expect big things from Guentzel and will give him every chance to succeed, the early characterization of him as Stamkos’ successor, Cooper said, is unfair.
“Let’s cut this off right away,” Cooper said. “Nobody’s replacing Stammer, all right? He’s created this legacy here in what he’s done. ... Jake’s coming here to create his legacy. Stammer paved a path for himself here that may never be matched. … Stammer should be celebrated for everything he’s done here.
“But any other player who comes in here … you can’t compare him to the legend (Stamkos) was here. We’re the Tampa Bay Lightning of 2024-25, and this is the group we have. Super, super excited about it, and I know the players are, and we’re just going to look forward and move on.”
Guentzel seems to fit in well on the top line alongside center Brayden Point and right wing Nikita Kucherov, particularly in half-ice puck battle and possession drills, which were a noticeable focus of the first day.
“I’ve just been on the ice for one practice, but it’s eye-opening to see how good he was and his hockey sense and where he knew how to be,” Cooper said. “And he’s playing with a couple good players and, quite frankly, it’s hard to play with really good players at times, and you can tell he’s done that.
“… It’s the first day of training camp. You’ve got to put guys somewhere. Who knows how everything’s going to play out when we play Carolina in our first game? But you can tell he’s got some special skills, and he’s got a special mind.”
It’s too early to look too deeply into the Lightning’s future after just one practice. But preseason games are only a few days away — Tuesday marks the first of four in a five-day stretch — and those will reveal more about how the team will take shape.
Here are other takeaways from Day 1 of training camp.
A top-six forward spot is Atkinson’s to win
The first forward lines of camp had newcomer Cam Atkinson on the right side of the second line alongside left wing Brandon Hagel and center Anthony Cirelli, so it appears Atkinson will have an opportunity to earn a top-six role over others such as Mitchell Chaffee and Conor Sheary.
Atkinson is 35 and entering his 13th season in the NHL (he missed all of 2022-23 due to injury). The Flyers bought out the final year of his contract after he was in and out of the lineup last season, but Atkinson’s strength might be his motor. Playing alongside a pair of puckhounds who play a relentless two-way game and focus on locking down an opponent’s top line might be the right fit for a career renaissance.
“Cam, he works just as hard as me and Tony,” Hagel said. “So, I really enjoy it and would like to see what we can do out there together.”
Moser’s move to the right side is no surprise
JJ Moser emerged as a top left-shot defenseman last season with Arizona but practiced on the right side in the top pairing with Victor Hedman. It was nothing new for Moser, the 24-year-old acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev trade. When Arizona had a surplus of left-shot defensemen two seasons ago, Moser shifted to the right side and played well, recording career highs in goals (7), points (31) and average ice time (21:03).
“It’s just about adjusting,” Moser said. “But I don’t really have one side that I say, ‘Yeah, I feel way more comfortable on that side.’ It’s just having a little bit different mindset.”
Finding Hedman a partner who can play big minutes is key, and Moser has shown he can do that. The bigger adjustment is learning to anticipate when Hedman will jump up in a play and provide him protection.
McDonagh, Cernak is an exciting reunion
The Lightning weren’t the same team defensively after they dealt Ryan McDonagh to Nashville after the 2021-22 season, and the first move general manager Julien BriseBois made this offseason to make the Lightning a better defensive team was reacquiring McDonagh from the Predators.
Now, McDonagh is back with his old partner, right-shot defenseman Erik Cernak. They formed a formidable pair during the Lightning’s run to three straight Stanley Cup finals, including back-to-back championships, with their physicality and stinginess in the defensive end.
“He listens really well,” McDonagh said of Cernak. “He communicates really well. He’s open to talking things through and just wants to get on the same page with his partner.”
Said Cernak, “It felt like nothing changed. We always had great reads when we were on the ice with each other. Obviously, it was just the first practice, and during games it will be a little different, but I really feel like nothing has changed. It’s so easy to play with him.”
The player you might not know now but could later
Fourth-line center Luke Glendening opened camp with a red no-contact jersey and will be eased into full participation. With Glendening not taking line rushes, forward Logan Brown, who is in camp on a professional tryout, stood out on the fourth line alongside fellow newcomers Zemgus Girgensons and Jesse Ylonen.
Brown signed with the Lightning as a free agent in July 2023 but spent all of last season on long-term injured reserve. Healthy again, he is looking to win a roster spot. His size (6-feet-7, 229 pounds) stands out, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility for a player on a PTO to earn a roster spot out of training camp, as veteran forward Austin Watson showed last season.
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