At this point, about 20 per cent of the NHL's regular season is in the books. And, I don't think there's been a quieter story than the surge of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic division -- currently sitting at 12-4-0, the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Tampa's always been a team with equal parts talent and questions. It was just three years ago that the Bolts were one of the more dominant forces in the Eastern Conference. Since then, the team's play has deteriorated, particularly on the defensive and between the pipes.
Now, with newly-minted goaltender Ben Bishop (acquired from Ottawa last season) turning aside shots at an impressive rate (.927 SV%), and a revamped system giving up far less shot attempts than in years past, the Tampa Bay Lightning suddenly look like a team cut from the contender cloth.
But, as is the case with most any team that hasn't made a post-season appearance in a couple of consecutive years, questions will ultimately linger about whether the team can sustain their current run of success through the duration of the regular season.
I don't think there's any indication that the likes of Steven Stamkos (14G/9A) or Martin St. Louis (7G/9A) are slowing down anytime soon, and as the triggermen behind the NHL's sixth-best offense in the league, it's probably a decent bet to assume that this team will continue to score at an impressive rate.
So, is there any area where Tampa Bay should be particularly concerned? I think some will hold reservations about the goaltending until the current corps can achieve success over a full year. But, I think the more pressing issue with this team right now -- if any -- is that they're still being out-shot by a bit, and are letting their impressive collection of shooters offset the average or substandard shot margins they're carrying throughout the year.
Either way, they're definitely the big surprise of the year so far, and are doing so in the tougher division of the two in the Eastern Conference. Five playoff hopefuls -- Boston, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Detroit -- are likely now aware that there's a sixth contender in the mix, and that one of them could very well be on the outside looking in come game eighty-three.
So, the Q: are you buying or selling the Tampa Bay Lightning as playoff contenders through sixteen games? (For the record, I'm buying.)
Thanks for reading!