Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Lightning vs Stars: Which Team is Best-Poised to Return to the Finals?

09/23/2020 at 10:34am EDT

A tumultuous season finally concludes with the help of Toronto and Edmonton staging exemplary bubbled-off Stanley Cup playoffs. The campaign ended with the showcase of a Western Conference underdog squaring off against an Eastern Conference favourite, but making it to the Finals is often bittersweet.

For those who come up second best, a new hunger is ignited to return to the top in the following season and claim the crown that they missed by such a fine margin in the season prior. For the winners, there’s a need to build on the greatest success in the league with an unprecedented back-to-back triumph, which has only been achieved three times in the last 30 years.

So, which of this year’s finalists, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars, appear to be in the best position to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2021?

Bolts could return with an even better team

The Tampa Bay Lightning have looked poised for a run at the Stanley Cup for the last few seasons, with the meticulously constructed roster filled with top-class players at each position. While last season was a complete flop, the Bolts lived up to expectations to conquer the Eastern Conference this season, and they did it all without their talisman, Steven Stamkos, who missed all of the postseason following surgery, per The Atlantic.

With a bit of luck, the Lightning will be able to charge into the playoffs with their captain at the helm. Looking at their cap situation, Stamkos should be surrounded by the team’s current key players. Among the forwards, Anthony Cirelli is the only main expiree, but as an RFA, shouldn’t be too much trouble. On defense, however, Mikhail Sergachev (RFA), Erik Cernak (RFA), Luke Schenn (UFA), Kevin Shattenkirk (UFA), and Zach Bogosian (UFA) are all out of contract at the end of the season.

However, those three UFAs will almost certainly be able to command a raise on each of their sub-$2m contracts of this season, with each of them being 30 or 31-years-old. With a stacked defense of veterans and elite young talents, the Bolts stood as one of the leading contenders to win the 2020 Stanley Cup in the odds online at Space Casino at 10/11, and will be up there for next season. In the offseason, however, they’re likely going to need to find another two or three veterans to fill out the defensive lines. Luckily, the anticipated free agent pool looks stacked with defensemen, making it a buyers’ market.

Stars coming back with a mighty defense

The Dallas Stars built their success on their rock-solid defense and remarkably strong goaltending tandem. Both Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin put up a sub-2.50 GAA and save percentages of at least .920. Still, in the postseason, Khudobin emerged as the starter, landing 18 of the 21 starts running to the Finals with a .920 save percentage and 2.62 GAA. However, it’s the Kazakhstan-native who’ll be out of contract at 34-years-old, and while he’ll be looking to get paid, the Stars should look to keep their two-headed monster, as explained by NBC Sports.

Along with Khudobin, 34-year-old Andrej Sekera, 35-year-old Corey Perry, and Mattias Janmark are set to become unrestricted free agents. Sekera will likely be the priority of the three, having cemented himself for the Stars as a solid shutdown defenseman and a vital part of the short-handed units. Perry and Janmark can be easily replaced in the free agency, should there be cash after RFAs Radek Faksa, Mattias Janmark, and Denis Gurianov get deals.

Of the Lightning and the Stars, it’s Tampa Bay that looks the best-equipped to mount another challenge of the Stanley Cup in 2021. Dallas’ hopes could depend on them keeping their elite-level netminder tandem, assuming that they continue to play well, while adding some scoring to the forward ranks would greatly help their hopes to repeat a deep run next season.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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