November Preview & A Great Start for Jonas Johansson
Welcome to the THW Tampa Bay Lightning Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Lightning writers.
In today’s edition, we have a preview for the month of November, a great start for Jonas Johansson, and more.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Lightning Substack with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Lightning’s November Features Their First Look at Connor Bedard
November 1, 2023 by Jim Bay
After going through some ups and downs through the first month of the season, the Tampa Bay Lightning head into the month of November having earned 11 points, which still keeps them in a solid position to qualify for this year’s playoffs. Looking ahead at their schedule reveals some key matchups against teams expected to challenge the Lightning for a playoff spot, as well as getting a first look at a predicted generational talent.
NHL schedulers were not exactly kind to the Lightning, as the team will only see six of their 15 November games take place at Amalie Arena. Also, ten of those contests are against teams considered serious contenders for playoff spots this season. Even though this is early in the season, November will be a very interesting month for the Lightning for various reasons.
Lightning’s Jonas Johansson Off to Shockingly Good Start
November 1, 2023 by Joel Enns
When news broke that Andrei Vasilevskiy would start the year on the injured reserve, the outlook for the Tampa Bay Lightning season looked grim. Rumors started to swirl about Tampa Bay potentially picking up a goalie on waivers or even making a trade with their limited capital.
In the end, though, it was Jonas Johansson who got the nod to start for the Lightning. Heading into the season, the goalie’s NHL resume was sparse, and one pundit had even called him the worst goalie in the league. So far, Johansson has silenced the doubters and then some. Not only has he been able to hold down the fort in Vasilevskiy’s absence, but it now appears that Tampa has a reliable backup for the first time in years.
Tampa Bay Lightning Jersey History
July 8, 2023 by Eugene Helfrick
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the envy of the National Hockey League. They’ve got a phenomenal owner in Jeff Vinik, who put the brakes on disaster and painstakingly rebuilt the organization from the inside out. A former investment wizard, Vinik managed to strike the optimal balance between the fanatical micromanagement of some of his peers, and the utter apathy of others. As a result, the Lightning have been consistently competitive on the ice, and are community fixtures off it.
Their hockey operations are solid, too. Former general manager Steve Yzerman built a strong foundation which current general manager Julien BriseBois continued to build upon. By re-signing star players, making smart trades and finding success at the draft, the Lightning have been able to build one of the best rosters in the NHL.