5 possible landing spots for Mike Babcock in 2020-21

3. Tampa Bay Lightning

Speaking of underachieving NHL teams so far this season, here are the Lightning. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy with an NHL record-tying 62 points last season, they appear to not have recovered from a shocking first-round playoff exit as they sit toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 20 points so far this season. They have played a league-low 18 games though, while most other teams have played at least 20, so there’s a bit of extra time for coach Jon Cooper to get things rolling, if he can.

Now into his seventh full season as coach, it’s possible Cooper’s message and tactics no longer resonate with his team. With the expectations that were inherent entering this season, as the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup, the Lightning appear to be wilting. The cliché of not being able to fire the players applies to some degree here, and if the team continues to fall short, questions about Cooper’s job security will naturally ramp up.

After his long, successful tenure in Detroit and his time in Toronto, high expectations and pressure will be nothing new to Babcock in his next landing spot. Comparatively speaking, he may actually welcome what qualifies as high expectations and a lot of pressure in Tampa Bay.