Tampa Bay Lightning 2026/27 Season Predictions

I believe the Lightning are going to be an 100-point team again. Last season they dealt with numerous injuries, and they still managed to finish as one of the NHL's best teams. With much of the same guys returning and growth anticipated from guys like Dominic James and Conor Geekie, it is easy to anticipate another successful season.

• Beyond the simple facts, the Tampa Bay Lightning added Dennis Hildeby to the crease. He is going to be an immense upgrade from Jonas Johansson, and one that can help Tampa stay afloat on nights Vasilevskiy is given off. A record better than the 1 game above .500 that Johansson was can easily boost Tampa in the standings.

• John Carlson will do fine replacing Darren Raddysh. Raddysh's breakout season was a huge part of Tampa's success, but Tampa replaced him with a proven veteran, a skilled playmaker, and a strong defender. Carlson is going to thrive next to Nikita Kucherov and company, and will be a huge addition.

• Bounce Backs, Improvements, and Proven Presences: The Tampa Bay Lightning are expecting a bounce back from Brayden Point, they have Brandon Hagel, they have Jake Guentzel, they have promising young players, and they get their captain Victor Hedman back. When you take all these things into account, on top of the fact that they have three of the best assets in the entire sport --Kucherov, Cooper, and Vasilevskiy-- there is no surprise they remain a powerhouse.

I will confidently predict that Tampa wins a playoff series this year and fully anticipate a Panthers Lightning playoff series.

Bold Prediction: Tampa wins the Atlantic and hoists the Stanley Cup Trophy

Now hear from others here OnSi.

David Eversole

"If you looked at just postseason accolades without knowing the final standings, you would think the Lightning won the Stanley Cup. Jon cooper won COTY, Nikita Kucherov MVP, and Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina. None of that mattered as the Lightning were once again bounced in the first round of the playoffs, having not made it past the opening set since their Stanley Cup run in 2021. Four teams in the Atlantic besides Tampa finished with over 100 points last year, and the Panthers will be back in the mix again. That being said, I believe Tampa has enough, especially with the addition of defenseman John Carlson to make a deeper run in the playoffs.

Bold prediction: Tampa loses in the Eastern Conference finals"

Ethan J. Skolnick

It feels like the Lightning missed an opportunity last season, with the Panthers saddled with injuries -- and Carolina being the team to emerge as the conference's representative and champion. And now the team that beat Tampa Bay, the Canadiens, are even more seasoned. So the road to a top seed is challenging, and even if the Lightning get home ice, it won't guarantee anything. The Kucherov negotiations also project as a potential distraction.

But the talent on this roster is there, from the net on out, and Victor Hedman's return lends necessary experience. That will need to make up for some of the backline punch that was provided by the departed Darren Raddysh, even as John Carlson arrives.

Expect another solid regular season, but it's hard to give the Lightning a pass to the second round until they actually prove it.

Bold prediction: Finish 1st in the Atlantic Division, just ahead of Florida and Montreal, and then lose to Buffalo in the first round.