Gather round all you Lightning faithful. For it is time to make up some season-long predictions about our favorite hockey team. Will we hold ourselves accountable for these bold guesses at future events? Sure, in so much that we’ll write a follow-up post in the summer laughing at how bad we did (future content!). If anyone has been around these parts for a few years, you will know that I, your faithful and grammatically inconsistent managing editor is notoriously bad at this. That doesn’t stop me from trying (although it does keep from gambling…much).
The Lightning enter the 2025-26 a little short-handed thanks to injuries and a suspension, but still widely regarded as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Some folks have predicted that they will win the Atlantic Division, with others proclaiming Stanley Cup glory for them.
Prediction Number 1:
The Tampa Bay Lightning win the Atlantic Division with 109 points. In fact, we’ll go a step father and give you the entire finishing order for the Atlantic (with bonus predictions!):
Tampa Bay Lightning – Everyone stays healthy, especially Andrei Vasilevskiy and a hot streak just prior to the Olympics puts them comfortably in first place allowing Jon Cooper to manage his line-up down the stretch.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Willy Nylander goes off in the absence of Mitch Marner. Auston Matthews is over whatever mystery injury bothered him last season and he scores 55 goals.
Montreal Canadiens – The young players gel while Sammy Montembeault has a Vezina-worthy campaign. A surprise acquisition at the trade deadline helps them eliminate Toronto in the first round of the playoffs.
Florida Panthers (yup, hello first round match-up) – They struggle through much of the early part of the season. Get just enough of a boost after the Olympics when gold-medal winning Matthew Tkachuk returns to the line-up.
Boston Bruins – They start slowly, come on like gangbusters at the end of the season, but just miss out. Tanner Jeannot has at least three games worth of suspensions. Mikey Eyssimont is traded at the deadline.
Detroit Red Wings – The Yzerplan spends another season in limbo.
Ottawa Senators – They finish bunched up with the Bruins and Red Wings, but fade after they fail to make a trade deadline impact.
Buffalo Sabres – Once again, goaltending (or lack there of) is their undoing.
Prediction Number 2:
The Lightning fall to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals. Yes, I joined the stat nerds in saying that this year is the year Carolina actually remembers how to play hockey in the playoffs. Really, we mean it. It’s their year.
On the 20th anniversary of their first meeting in the Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton finally gets their revenge as they take down the Hurricanes in 7 games.
Prediction Number 3:
Nikita Kucherov (994 points) records his 1,000th point on Monday October 13 in Boston. It’s on a Victor Hedman power play goal in the….second period. He sets a personal record by uttering 16 words in the post-game press conference.
Prediction Number 4:
Kucherov makes it three Art Ross Trophies in a row as he plays in 82 games and puts up 121 points. He once again finishes second in the Hart Trophy race.
Prediction Number 5:
Jack Finley becomes the 322nd different player to score a goal for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Prediction Number 6:
The Pittsburgh Penguins finish with the third worst record in the NHL, but win the Draft Lottery. Congratulations on winning the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes.
Prediction Number 7:
Steven Stamkos has a rebound season in Nashville, scoring 30 goals. They still struggle this season and trade him to the Montreal Canadiens at the deadline.
Prediction Number 8:
The first meeting between the Lightning and the Panthers on November 15 is a relatively tame affair. J.J. Moser fights A.J. Greer in the first period and both teams agree that all debts have been settled. The NHL forces them to hug it out after the game.
Prediction Number 9:
The Syracuse Crunch start off slowly, but finish second in the North Division as Brandon Halverson posts five shutouts on the season. Niko Huuhtanen recovers from his early season injury to lead them in goals with 25. Dylan Duke is on pace for a 50-point season before getting recalled in late February. Wojciech Stachowiak ends up leading the team in points.
Prediction Number 10:
The biggest name traded at the deadline is Jason Robertson. He goes from Dallas to the Chicago Blackhawks in a shocking divisional trade. Chicago makes the playoffs as the eighth seed with his help. He then faces the Stars in the first round of the playoffs.
Alright, it’s your turn. What do you foresee happening this season?
