from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic,

So if we were going read between the lines here, I suspect the Lightning will try to hang in there for now with what they have in net, but if they need to re-visit that before Vasilevskiy returns, they certainly have the cap flexibility to do so.

The most important factor is that the Lightning don’t want to dig a hole early. Having a good start to the season is paramount.

“We need to bank points early,” BriseBois said. “To set ourselves up to, at some point, try to secure a playoff spot. That’s first and foremost. We need a good start.”

And if the Lightning can do that, they hope to be in a position to add closer to the trade deadline.

In the meantime, and no doubt influenced by the Vasilevksiy injury to some degree, the Lightning have been a fashionable pick by some pundits to slide right out of a playoff spot. Some see their window closing.

I asked BriseBois if his team had taken notice of those takes.

“I think ultimately it’s irrelevant whether people pick us to win the Stanley Cup or pick us to miss the playoffs,” he said.

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