Heading into the off-season the Tampa Bay Lightning immediately set out positioning themselves to have the best chance of winning in the 2014-15 campaign. There’s been a lot of talk about improvement in the organization and what a great group of young players they have. The kids are more than alright, but GM Steve Yzerman added grit and much needed veteran leadership this summer. That leadership could become a vital role in transforming the Lightning from a team full of promise to one that delivers.
After losing Martin St. Louis at March’s trade deadline, Steven Stamkos assumed the captaincy. He’s been in the league for six years and it’s easy to forget that he’s still only 24 years old. Stammer may be one of the most seasoned of the youthful core of the team, but he had to learn about captaining a playoff bound team on the fly in the latter part of the season. That’s about to change in a big way as the locker room will now have three former NHL captains who can provide guidance on and off the ice.
Everyone knows that Ryan Callahan acted as captain of the New York Rangers from 2011 until his trade this spring. New acquisition Brenden Morrow brings a wealth of leadership experience as he captained the Dallas Stars from 2006-2012. Defenseman Eric Brewer often gets forgotten unless he’s drawing the ire of some fans. Brewer wore the “C” for the St. Louis Blues from February 2008 until his trade to Tampa Bay in 2011. Stamkos won’t be shouldering all of that responsibility at once and without guidance. He expressed this to beat writer Bryan Burns:
“ I’ve been a leader on this team for a while. I’ve been able to learn from past guys that I played with at various times in my career. We have a great leadership group in here. It’s pretty easy coming in and sharing that load with all those guys.”
Leadership isn’t just an individual endeavor. The team dynamic demands a group effort in many areas including the locker room. It’s not just guys who have worn letters on their chests that will help contribute. New additions like Anton Stralman, Brian Boyle, Evgeni Nabokov and Jason Garrison bring a wealth of knowledge that the rest of the roster can learn from.
As a whole the Bolts are still a very young team. They gained much needed experience on the NHL level last season and in their brief trip to the playoffs. The question heading into next year is what’s next? Can this group become the contenders many smart hockey people seem to think they are? Adding veterans who are hungry to win can only help their chances on the ice and in grooming young players for long, successful NHL careers.
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