Four games is a small sample size, but several intriguing storylines are emerging around the Tampa Bay Lightning just one week into the 2026-27 season.
Here’s a look at what’s caught my eye, and perhaps yours, in this edition of the FourCheck ahead of the Bolts’ fifth game of the season Saturday against the New York Islanders:
1. Hildeby impressing more than just Bolts fans
Dennis Hildeby stood strong in his first start with the Lightning on Thursday, making 34 saves in a 3-1 win over the Minnesota Wild. And who’s better than Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy to tell us what stood out?
The Big Cat was more than impressed with his new goalie partner’s debut.
“He was unreal,” Vasilevskiy said of Hildeby. “It’s tough being on a new team, new organization, new atmosphere for him. I know as a goalie it's hard to start your first game in a season, but then also to do it in a different organization, it's hard. He did extremely well and had a bunch of great stops.”
Hildeby was particularly impressive late in Thursday’s win, denying multiple game-tying efforts. He stopped all 15 shots faced in the third period, the highest single-period total for the Bolts this season.
The 25-year-old goalie made one of the better first impressions in team history. His 34 saves tied Dwayne Roloson and Louis Domingue for eighth-most in any goaltender’s Lightning debut, and his .944 save percentage tied for 12th-highest.
“He’s a great young talent and he’s always working hard in practice,” Vasilevskiy said of Hildeby. “He’s humble, doesn't ask a lot of questions. He’d rather just work hard than ask a bunch of questions. I love that mentality.”
There were hints at that mentality after Thursday’s impressive win. Hildeby was quick to say he could have been better despite what ended as one of the better debuts in team history.
His first showing was a good place to start, and there’s more to come from Hildeby this season.
“It's a very good group of guys here who are great at integrating new guys into the team, so that's helped a lot,” Hildeby said. “Obviously system-wise I’m getting used to it, but at the end of the day my job is pretty similar no matter where I am. It's about stopping the puck. But it's been a great start so far. I’ve had a lot of fun.”
2. James heads to Syracuse, for now
Fans have been clamoring to see 24-year-old forward Dominic James’ return after he missed training camp with a broken hand. That could be just around the corner after a transaction on Friday.
James was assigned to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch Friday morning and could play his first game of the season as soon as tonight when the Crunch visit the Rochester Americans.
James’ assignment is part of his recovery plan, according to assistant coach Rob Zettler.
“He hasn’t played, that was it,” Zettler said of the assignment. “He hasn’t played in a while, he missed all of training camp. When you miss camp, your timing, the pace, the physicality, all of it. We’ve had three pretty decent games, and Dominic is certainly part of our plans. It wasn't a knock, it was just a chance for us to get him some hockey games and to get him back up to speed.”
James’ AHL visit won’t be longterm.
Scheduling could align in Tampa Bay’s favor—the Crunch will also be in New York this weekend, starting with a road matchup against the Rochester Americans tonight before a home game in Syracuse on Saturday.
The Lightning are in New York for the next five days, visiting the Islanders and then the Rangers on Tuesday. Could James be back in the Lightning locker room as soon as this two-game trip?
We shall see.
Kucherov also didn’t skate on Friday, but Zettler said his absence was for body maintenance and the reigning MVP will be available tomorrow. Forward Scott Sabourin, who didn’t skate Friday due to an appointment, is also good to go for Saturday.
3. Mikheyev a natural fit alongside Girgensons and Holmberg
If you haven’t been impressed by Tampa Bay’s forward combination of Ilya Mikheyev, Zemgus Girgensons and Pontus Holmberg, go rewatch Monday’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
It really was that good.
Holmberg scored the game-winning goal on a 3-on-1 rush a mere 17 seconds after the puck dropped on the second period. He then set up the insurance goal in the game’s closing minutes by intercepting a pass and pulling out a deke-of-the-year candidate before finding Mikheyev for the wraparound 3-1 goal.
“It feels good,” Holmberg said of playing with his linemates. “I played with Girgy the whole season last year, so I think we have pretty good chemistry. And Mikky comes in and does great, plays a good forecheck and he’s easy to play with.”
Mikheyev and Holmberg each had a goal and assist on Monday while Girgensons assisted on the Holmberg goal, laid a team-high four hits and blocked two Philadelphia shot attempts in the 4-1 win.
It was an all-around effort, and the instant chemistry for the trio stands out. Mikheyev has three points in four games, while Girgensons’ 13 hits are second-most of any Bolt. Holmberg’s highlight reel goal against the Flyers garnered highlights and teammate praise.
The line was impressive on offense, but they were repeatedly forcing Flyers turnovers and jumped in to engage physically, too. They’ve frequently been tasked with playing against opposing teams’ top players so far this season.
“They just know one way,” head coach Jon Cooper said of the trio postgame. “They have an extreme will. They all can skate. They all get around the ice, they all can control the puck, control the play. You’re happy when they make plays like they did tonight.”
When it was announced that Yanni Gourde wouldn’t be available until December due to offseason hip surgery, his place next to Girgensons and Holmberg was another for the coaching staff to fill.
Mikheyev’s transition to that spot has been seamless after playing alongside Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point in the season opener.
“I can play with everybody, but these two guys are hard workers,” Mikheyev said. “It makes the game easy when you play this way and you’re all on the same page.”
The line has been one of the team’s steadiest combinations so far this season, one Cooper referred to as “fearless” earlier this season. Those in the Lightning locker room will tell you they’ve made the rest of the team better, and it’s only been a few games.
“They’re excellent at checking, and you can see what they can do in the offensive zone. I really like them together,” Brayden Point said. “They’ve got a lot of speed, a lot of size, and it seems like they have the puck a lot.”
The ‘hounds’ line—as it’s affectionately been called in the past—has a new look to start the year, but its effectiveness and relentless play?
That hasn’t skipped a beat.
4. How about that response?
The last three games have shown a different Lightning team than the one that opened the season with a 5-1 loss to the Rangers on Oct. 1.
There’s been an uptick in pace, and Tampa Bay’s physicality returned as the team quickly snapped back to form. Since its loss, the Lightning have won three straight games and outscored opponents 10-4.
Following an 0-for-14 start that included an 0-for-7 performance in the season opener, Tampa Bay’s power play also scored its first goal of the season Thursday on a John Carlson slap shot.
Tampa Bay is now winning individual battles and games.
“It was just compete level,” defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous said of the turnaround. I feel like in the first game we were just out there and not competing. We weren’t physical, we were just playing. I feel like these last few games we’ve come into the game, and everyone’s giving their max.”
Fellow defenseman Max Crozier said that difference can be seen—and felt—during a game.
“I think you can see it pretty plainly, but more importantly, you can feel it,” Crozier said. “You feel that we have possession of the puck in all three zones. We're winning our battles, and you can feel the momentum when you're out there for sure.”
Crozier’s note on possession is backed by data, too.
One standout aspect in Tampa Bay’s victories has been puck possession and getting the puck up the ice, as the Lightning have spent just 37.7% of games in the defensive end, fifth-fewest in the league.
Analytics can be a complicated study, but this thought is simple—if the puck isn’t in your own end, it’s hard for the other team to score.
The Lightning have a chance to push their win streak to four on Saturday, and then they’ll get a second crack at the Rangers next Tuesday. Maintaining their increased compete level would go a long way in an early-season revenge victory.
“The difference between game one and games two, three and four was giant,” Zettler said.
“When you watch our compete, when you watch our forecheck, we really made it hard for them to make plays coming out of their end and we kind of smothered them a little bit. That's why we had a lot of zone time, we had a lot of chances. We ended up with a lot of shots in the last few games as opposed to game one. But to me, it all came down to when there was a battle between the opponent and our guys for the puck, we won a majority of them, and that's what it was, simply put.”
