5 reasons why Tampa Bay Lightning will win Stanley Cup
By C.L. Kohuss
2. They’re experienced
There is much to be said about having experience in the NHL playoffs. A seven-game series is a grind, not befitting mere mortals or guys who’ve never seen time in the chase.
Back in 2015, the Lightning lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks. It was a tough pill, and the season throughout was much like this year’s for Tampa Bay. They totaled 108 points, good enough for second in the Atlantic, they scored over three goals a game and were only allowing about two and a half into their own net. It’s even more bitter when the pieces seem to be there, only to find that some other team out there had it just a tad more right than you.
That’s why we’re banking on this season being different. Different meaning this isn’t a year they blow it. They went through that already, there’s no need to repeat the process. Yet, it wouldn’t be much use though if the roster had seen mass turnover following 2015.
It didn’t. Their key guys are all still here. Kucherov, Stamkos, Hedman, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Palat. Vasilevskiy even saw time on that run behind Ben Bishop. And they didn’t rest on “good enough” either or become complacent. This club actually got better. It’s been brought up already in regards to Brayden Point, Miller and Gourde, but how about Chris Kunitz? Don’t overstate how valuable it is to bring a dude like Kunitz into the locker room on a playoff run. He’s won four (!) Stanley Cups, one with the Ducks and three in Pittsburgh.