Tampa Bay Lightning
11-4-224 PTS3rd in the Atlantic divisionNHL
Playoff odds
97%
Power play
19.4 %
Penalty kill
72.9 %
Goals per game
3.71
Goals against
3.06
Faceoffs
49.2 %
Playoff odds
All 32 teams →Make playoffs
97%
Top 3 in division
89%
Win the division
48%
Projected points
110
100–119
Performance
Actual goals: on pace for 107 pts
Expected goals: on pace for 126 pts
Expected goals are kinder: Tampa Bay Lightning has been unlucky, and that should turn.
Talent (WAR)
Lineup: 33.0 WAR (1st of 32)
- Andrei Vasilevskiy7.7
- Nikita Kucherov5.6
- Dennis Hildeby5.2
- Brandon Hagel3.5
- Jake Guentzel2.8
Injuries
Cost the rest of the way: −0.2 win
- Brayden Point (9 g.)−0.2
Team Pulse · 2026-27
All 32 teams →Team Pulse says which way the team is heading (−100 to +100), first over its last five seasons, then this season. The rating this year, separately, says how good it is right now (0 to 100): an average team can rise fast, an excellent one can decline.
5-year pulse
+2
→ Stable
- RESResults
- →
- OFFOffense
- →
- DEFDefense
- →
- PPPower play
- ↓
- PKPenalty kill
- ↑
- GOALGoaltending
- →
- POSPossession
- →
Rating this year
88/ 100
4 of 32
Changes as the season goes: after 7 games, last season still counts for 74%. It fades with every game.
Pulse this season
+7
→ Stable
- OFFOffense
- 92
- →
- DEFDefense
- 84
- →
- PPPower play
- 35
- →
- PKPenalty kill
- 70
- →
- GOALGoaltending
- 59
- →
- POSPossession
- 91
- →
- ROSTERRoster
- 80
- →
Why Tampa Bay Lightning is stable
- Over 5 years (21-22 to 25-26): index 111.2 → 109.4, stable (+0.3 per season); improving: the penalty kill; slipping: the power play.
- EV xGF/60: 2.74 → 2.95 (↑ 7.8%, better)
- EV xGA/60: 2.33 → 1.98 (↓ 15.2%, better)
- PP xGF/60: 8.06 → 8.63 (↑ 7.1%, better)
- EV xG%: 54.0 % → 59.9 % (↑ 10.9%, better)
- Roster: 6 key players rising, 3 declining, 9 stable.
- The progress comes mostly from defense; the core is stable.
- Early season (7 games): the pulse rests mostly on the roster, and last season still weighs heavily in the rating this year.
See full detailsHide details
Pulse by horizon
| 10 games | Season | 1 year | 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Pulse | — | — | +7 | +8 |
| OFF · Offense | — | — | +7 | +12 |
| DEF · Defense | — | — | +18 | +21 |
| PP · Power play | — | — | -9 | -17 |
| PK · Penalty kill | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| GOAL · Goaltending | — | — | +3 | +3 |
| POS · Possession | — | — | +15 | +18 |
| ROSTER · Roster | — | — | +4 | +4 |
— : not enough games yet for that horizon (last 10 vs previous 10: 20 games; season: 25). The 5- and 10-year horizons will come with past seasons' history.
Roster Trend · +4 (core +9)
| Player | Trend | PAL | WAR/60 | Scoring | Passing | Defense | Skating | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John CarlsonD · 36 · core | ↑ +14 | +2 | +20 | +11 | +2 | +2 | +7 | -30 |
| Jake GuentzelC · 31 · core | → 0 | +2 | -2 | 0 | +2 | +6 | -9 | -15 |
| Nikita KucherovW · 33 · core | → +1 | +1 | +1 | +6 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -30 |
| J.J. MoserD · 26 · core | ↑↑ +33 | +28 | +32 | +7 | +4 | +7 | +8 | 0 |
| Brandon HagelW · 28 · core | → +4 | +2 | +2 | +7 | +2 | -6 | +1 | 0 |
| Anthony CirelliC · 29 · core | → -1 | -4 | +3 | +5 | +6 | -4 | -12 | 0 |
| Yanni GourdeC · 34 | → 0 | -2 | +15 | -6 | -5 | +3 | -6 | -30 |
| Charle-Edouard D'AstousD · 28 | → 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brayden PointC · 30 | ↓ -21 | -12 | -41 | 0 | 0 | +3 | -1 | -15 |
| Ilya MikheyevW · 31 | ↓ -20 | -23 | -11 | -9 | +2 | -8 | +3 | -15 |
| Pontus HolmbergW · 27 | ↑ +14 | +15 | +16 | +5 | -7 | +3 | +1 | 0 |
| Ryan McDonaghD · 37 | ↑ +13 | +5 | +10 | +31 | +1 | +7 | -24 | -30 |
| Erik CernakD · 29 | → -6 | -7 | -7 | +10 | -13 | +2 | 0 | 0 |
| Gage GoncalvesC · 25 | ↑ +29 | +27 | +14 | +6 | +6 | +19 | +2 | +15 |
| Zemgus GirgensonsC · 32 | → -9 | -18 | +1 | +4 | 0 | -2 | -1 | -15 |
| Emil LillebergD · 25 | ↑ +20 | +20 | +22 | +25 | -19 | +9 | -12 | +15 |
| Victor HedmanD · 35 | ↓ -29 | -27 | -27 | -8 | -1 | 0 | -4 | -30 |
| Max CrozierD · 26 | → 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A player's trend compares 2025-26 with 2024-25 (PAL, WAR per 60, SC, PA, DF, SK ratings, in percentile points) and adds age. Roster Trend weights each player by ice time and importance: a rising fourth line doesn't offset a declining top center.
The Tampa Bay Lightning story
Raised as an expansion franchise and entering the NHL in the 1992–93 season, the club established itself quickly in a nontraditional hockey market. Early growth culminated in a first Stanley Cup in 2004, but it was the sustained run from 2015 onward that defined the modern era: multiple Final appearances, back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021, and a Presidents' Trophy season in 2019 that tied the then-record for wins with 62 in 2018–19.
Today the team plays its home games in Downtown Tampa and has become one of Florida's signature sporting institutions. Ownership under Vinik Sports Group has overseen an organizational commitment to competing at the highest level, with a front office that built a roster capable of deep playoff runs. Long-tenured head coach Jon Cooper has been a steadying presence behind the bench, shaping a culture of resilience and playoff performance that sustains the club's identity.
A handful of figures loom large in the franchise story: on-ice leaders whose names are embedded in Lightning lore and whose numbers have been retired, and executives who guided the club to its championships. Their contributions, from the early breakthrough to the recent dynasty-like stretch, have made the team a perennial contender in the NHL.
Historical facts from Wikipedia and NHL archives; text written by PickALeague.
The franchise
- Founded
- 1991
- Stanley Cups
- 3
- First season
- 1992-93
- City
- Q49255
- Home
- Q940199
- Seats
- 19,204
- Head coach
- Jon Cooper
- Captain
- Victor Hedman
Stanley Cups
- 2003-04
- 2019-20
- 2020-21
Retired numbers
- 4Vincent Lecavalier (1998-13)
- 26Martin St. Louis (2000-14)
Captains
- Victor HedmanOct. 11, 2024 – Present
- Steven StamkosMarch 6, 2014 – April 29, 2024
- Martin St. LouisOct. 3, 2013 – March 4, 2014
- Vincent LecavalierOct. 4, 2008 – April 27, 2013
- (No Captain)Oct. 4, 2007 – April 5, 2008
- Tim TaylorOct. 5, 2006 – April 22, 2007
- (No Captain)Jan. 13 – April 29, 2006
- Dave AndreychukOct. 10, 2002 – Jan. 7, 2006
- (No Captain)April 8, 2001 – April 14, 2002
- Vincent LecavalierOct. 6, 2000 – April 5, 2001
See all 16
- Chris Gratton, Bill Houlder and Vincent Lecavalier (Co-Captains)Oct. 2, 1999 – April 9, 2000
- Rob ZamunerOct. 9, 1998 – April 17, 1999
- Mikael RenbergNov. 19, 1997 – April 18, 1998
- (No Captain)Oct. 29 – Nov. 17, 1997
- Paul YsebaertOct. 7, 1995 – Oct. 26, 1997
- (No Captain)October 7, 1992 – May 3, 1995
Head coaches
- Jon CooperMarch 29, 2013^ – Present
- Guy BoucherOct. 9, 2010 – March 23, 2013
- Rick TocchetNov. 16, 2008 – April 11, 2010
- Barry MelroseOct. 4 – Nov. 13, 2008
- John TortorellaJan. 7, 2001 – April 5, 2008
- Steve LudzikOct. 2, 1999 – Jan. 4, 2001
- Jacques DemersNov. 14, 1997 – April 17, 1999
- Rick PatersonOct. 26 – Nov. 11, 1997
- Terry CrispOct. 7, 1992 – Oct. 24, 1997
- ^ The Lightning hired Cooper on March 25, 2013, but he did not coach his first game until March 29. No interim head coach was used for games on March 24 or March 26.
Fun facts: Tampa Bay Lightning
Do the Tampa Bay Lightning play tonight?
Not today. Their next game is on November 12, 2026, at the Buffalo Sabres, at 7:00 p.m..
What channel is the Tampa Bay Lightning game on?
Their next game is carried by TNT, truTV, HBO MAX.
What is the Tampa Bay Lightning record?
11-4-2, good for 24 points in 17 games, 3rd in the Atlantic division.
Who leads the Tampa Bay Lightning in scoring?
Nikita Kucherov, with 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists).
Where do the Tampa Bay Lightning play?
At Q940199 in Q49255, which seats 19,204.
Who is the Tampa Bay Lightning captain?
Victor Hedman wears the “C”.
Who coaches the Tampa Bay Lightning?
Jon Cooper is the head coach.
How many Stanley Cups have the Tampa Bay Lightning won?
3, the most recent in 2020-21.
Which numbers have the Tampa Bay Lightning retired?
2 : 4 Vincent Lecavalier, 26 Martin St. Louis.
How long have the Tampa Bay Lightning existed?
Their first season in the league was 1992-93.
Who is injured on the Tampa Bay Lightning?
1 : Brayden Point (injured reserve, undisclosed).