For us writers here at Last Word, we present readers with yet another of league’s individual award finalists. The Ted Lindsay Award is presented to the Most Outstanding Player as voted by the NHLPA. Many of us may remember it by its former name, the Lester B. Pearson Award. This is a very high honour, as it is voted by your peers. Only three players have won the award more than three times, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Connor McDavid. Yes, that’s right McDavid, who was only 26 years old when he won last year. However, the Edmonton Oiler superstar will not be adding a fifth claim to the t ..read more

Depth forward price tags are one of the most overlooked aspects of team-building in the National Hockey League. Previous Stanley Cup winners rely on cheap depth options to round out their roster behind their superstars. The Tampa Bay Lightning have always found affordable bottom-six options to complement roster players with high salaries like Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy. For the upcoming 2024-25 season, who are potential players who can emerge to help fill the bottom six at a cost-effective price?  Three Young Depth Forward Options for the Tampa Bay Lightning H ..read more

It’s time for the NHL to name some more silverware finalists and this time it’s the Hart Memorial Trophy. The Hart is awarded to the player who is most valuable to their team, which player most elevates his total team’s performance. It is the highest honour an individual can get and always taken with the utmost of respect. This year’s nominees are among the best the league has had to offer in a long time it seems for the Hart Trophy. Furthermore, it kind of follows an unwritten rule, that it goes to the best player in the NHL on the season. That’s why McDavid is a three-time recipient of the ..read more

It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. Some series have already been decided and that means questions about the uncertain future of teams will come to a head. There are a number of unrestricted free agents that could move on. However, these free agents have been fixtures for their respective teams for a number of seasons. Today’s edition of NHL rumours focuses on the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals. All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change. NHL Rumours Tampa Bay Lightning Rumour: Elliotte Friedman was on the Jeff Marek Show on Sportsnet 590 ..read more

Heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning operated as the league’s best power play (28.6%). With the Bolts outmatched at even strength against the Florida Panthers, capitalizing on special teams was critical to taking down the top seed in the Atlantic Division. However, the power play struggled in vital situations against the Panthers. The off-season is officially underway for Tampa Bay following their series loss to Florida on Monday night. Let’s analyze what went wrong on the power play and how the top unit may be in store for a drastic change next season ..read more

The 2023-24 season is officially complete for the Tampa Bay Lightning. This past season, the Bolts experienced many milestones and some rough patches. Following the conclusion of round one against the Florida Panthers, the Lightning have decisions to make this summer. The franchise icon, Captain Steven Stamkos, needs a new contract. Furthermore, trade deadline acquisitions Anthony Duclair and Matt Dumba are unrestricted free agents. Tampa Bay is tight against the salary cap, and the club must make roster moves to remain competitive next season. Let’s analyze three potential off-seas ..read more

The Battle of Florida is finally over. The Florida Panthers closed the series on Monday night in game five against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In previous years, the Lightning always ended the Panthers’ season in the playoffs. However, in the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, Florida flipped the script in a dominant series win. At Last Word, we will comment on all the playoff first-round series at their conclusion. After trailing three games to none, the Lightning captured an emotional win on home ice in game four. Star defender Mikhail Sergachev returned to the lineup after suf ..read more

The Battle of Florida hasn’t been a close one. The Florida Panthers are up three games to none over the Tampa Bay Lightning. In previous years, the Lightning dominated the Panthers in the playoffs. However, the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs appear to have flipped the script. Here at Last Word, we will comment on all the playoff first-round series at their mid-points. While many anticipated this season to be the end of the road for this Lightning core, no one expected the Panthers to dominate so convincingly. After a glimpse of promise on home ice in the second period of game three, the Lightn ..read more

A few Tampa Bay Lightning players stepped up yesterday in game two. However, the Lightning fell to the Florida Panthers by a score of 3-2 in overtime to continue their 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff run. Today, we will look at three standout players from the previous game for the Bolts. Minimal players stood out in an underwhelming effort for the Bolts. Three Standout Performers for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game One Andrei Vasilevskiy (G) Andrei Vasilevskiy was head and shoulders the first star for the Lightning. The team left him out to dry, allowing the Panthers to domin ..read more

A few Tampa Bay Lightning players stepped up yesterday in game one. However, the Lightning fell to the Florida Panthers by a score of 3-2 to start round one of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Today, we will look at three standout players from the previous game for the Bolts. We have two popular selections and one surprise selection in our analysis. Three Standout Performers for the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game One Anthony Cirelli (C) To open our three stars of the night for Tampa Bay, Anthony Cirelli established his impactful two-way presence against the Panthers. The defensive-minded centr ..read more