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NHL division previews: 2017-18 Atlantic Division

By Nic Hendrickson

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 08: Montreal Canadiens center Alex Galchenyuk (27) gets congratulated on his game winning goal in overtime during the NHL hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings on April 8, 2017, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 08: Montreal Canadiens center Alex Galchenyuk (27) gets congratulated on his game winning goal in overtime during the NHL hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings on April 8, 2017, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 22: Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) congratulates Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) after his 1st period goal during the NHL preseason game between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning on September 22, 2017, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 22: Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) congratulates Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman (77) after his 1st period goal during the NHL preseason game between the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning on September 22, 2017, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3rd in 2017-18 Atlantic Division – Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are primed for a bounce-back season after missing the playoffs last season. Heading into the season with a fully healthy Steven Stamkos is a big reason why. And with young goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy showing a good deal of promise, this may be a conservative projection of where they’ll finish in the division.

The forward corps comes back strong again this season, and with the addition of Stamkos they have a very potent top six. Even without arguably one of the best centers in the league, when he’s healthy, last season they finished 13th in goals for with 234. Add in a player who is sporting a shooting percentage of 17.1% and you have the recipe for a top ten offense.

Looking at the back-end is almost just as promising as looking at the forwards. Being led by one of the top five defensemen in the league in Victor Hedman, followed by Anton Stralman, Andrej Sustr, Dan Girardi, Bradyon Coburn and adding in young defensemen in Slater Koekkoek and Jake Dotchin makes for a defense that is far from a liability.

Add in a goaltender with a very high ceiling in Vasilevskiy and you have a dark horse in the Eastern Conference. If Vasilevskiy can perform like many believe he can, this would be the least surprising selection to be wrong.

Watch out for the Lightning. If Stamkos can stay healthy and Vasilevskiy can hold up his end of the deal in stopping pucks, Tampa Bay might very well be a dark horse to win the Atlantic and to make a deep run in the Eastern Conference during the playoffs.

Player to watch in 2017-18: Jake Dotchin. A relatively unknown commodity outside of the bay area, Dotchin looks set to take on top four defensmen type minutes in 2017-18. Look for him to slot in with either Sustr on the second pairing, and maybe even get minutes on the top pairing at times with Hedman.