Lightning add Kunitz, Sergachev to healthy Stamkos for playoff push

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is taking a look at where each team stands. Today, the Tampa Bay Lightning:

The Tampa Bay Lightning are hopeful their busy offseason will help fuel a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Lightning finished one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference last season after reaching the conference final the previous season, with inconsistency and injuries playing a part in the regression.
Forward Steven Stamkos missed the final 65 games of the season because of a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. He had surgery in November and was expected to need 4-6 months to recover. He is expected to be fully healthy when training camp starts in September.
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Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, 19, the No. 9 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, was acquired in a trade from the Montreal Canadiens with a conditional second-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft on June 15 for forward Jonathan Drouin and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2018. The Lightning also signed free agent defenseman Dan Girardi to a two-year, $6 million contract July 1.
Left wing Chris Kunitz, a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Anaheim Ducks (2007) and Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017), signed a one-year, $2 million contract July 1, adding experience and depth to the roster.
The Lightning also retained several core players. Center Tyler Johnson, 26, who had 45 points (19 goals, 26 assists) in 66 games last season, signed a seven-year, $35 million contract July 10, and left wing Ondrej Palat, 26, who had 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) in 75 games, signed a five-year contract worth $26.5 million four days later.
Here is what the Lightning look like today:

Key arrivals

Mikhail Sergachev, D: The 19-year-old made the Canadiens roster to start last season but had no points in three games before being returned to Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League. Sergachev had 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) in 50 regular-season OHL games and helped Windsor win the Memorial Cup with four points (one goal, three assists) in four games. ... Chris Kunitz, LW: He had 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 71 games last season, the fewest since he had six points in 21 games as a rookie for the Ducks in 2003-04. Kunitz, who turns 38 on Sept. 26, had 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 20 playoff games and is fourth among active NHL players with 161 postseason games. ... Dan Girardi, D:The 33-year-old had the final three seasons of his six-year, $33 million contract bought out by the New York Rangers on June 14. He had 230 points (46 goals, 184 assists) in 788 games over 11 seasons with the Rangers and 33 points (six goals, 27 assists) in 122 NHL playoff games. Girardi ranks first in the League with 1,691 blocked shots since 2006-07.

Key departures

Jonathan Drouin, F: After he was traded to the Canadiens, Drouin signed a six-year contract worth a reported $33 million. The 22-year-old had an NHL career-high 53 points (21 goals, 32 assists) in 73 games last season. ... Jason Garrison, D: The 32-year-old left-handed defenseman was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft on June 21 after three seasons with the Lightning. He had nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 70 games last season.

Video: Arpon Basu discusses the Jonathan Drouin trade

On the cusp

Yanni Gourde, F:The 25-year-old earned the trust of coach Jon Cooper as a valuable fill-in last season when the Lightning had several key players out because of injuries and had eight points (six goals, two assists) in 20 games. ... Anthony Cirelli, F: The 20-year-old finished third in the OHL playoffs with 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 22 games and helped Erie reach the Memorial Cup championship game with eight points (one goal, seven assists) in five games. … Brett Howden, F: The 27th pick of the 2016 draft, Howden, 19, had 81 points (38 goals, 43 assists) in 58 games as captain for Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League. He also had three goals and an assist in five regular-season games for Syracuse of the American Hockey League, and two assists in three AHL playoff games. ... Taylor Raddysh, F: A second-round pick (No. 58) in 2016, the 19-year-old was second in the OHL with 109 points (42 goals, 67 assists) in 58 games for Erie last season. ... Libor Hajek, D: A second-round pick (No. 37) in 2016, Hajek, 19, had 26 points (four goals, 22 assists) in 65 games for Saskatoon of the WHL and one goal in eight games for Syracuse.

What they still need

Someone to take Drouin's place as playmaker on the power play. Drouin's 17 power-play assists led Lightning forwards, and his 26 power-play points were second behind Nikita Kucherov (32). Tampa Bay also needs more production from its defensemen. Of the nine to play last season, Victor Hedman (16) was the only one to score at least six goals, and Hedman (56) and Anton Stralman (17) were the only two with at least 15 assists.

Pete Jensen's fantasy focus

Hedman and Kucherov played with Stamkos for 17 games last season prior to his injury. Kucherov still finished tied for fifth in the NHL with 85 points (40 goals, 45 assists) in 74 games, and Hedman was second among NHL defensemen with 72 points (16 goals, 56 assists) in 79 games. If Stamkos can stay healthy for anything close to a full season, the sky is the limit for this fantasy trio. Stamkos, even with the injury risk, would be a value pick in the late second or early third round.

Projected lineup

Ondrej Palat -- Tyler Johnson -- Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn -- Steven Stamkos -- Brayden Point
Chris Kunitz -- Vladislav Namestnikov -- Ryan Callahan
Yanni Gourde -- Cedric Paquette -- JT Brown
Victor Hedman -- Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn -- Jake Dotchin
Mikhail Sergachev -- Dan Girardi
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Peter Budaj