3 questions facing Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1. How does Tampa Bay measure up against Florida?

Like it or not, the Lightning will be judged in part by how they fare against the Florida Panthers, especially if they play the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a third straight season.

The rivalry in the Sunshine State has evolved into one of the best in the League, and the Panthers have owned a significant edge the past two seasons, defeating the Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round and needing just five games each time.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said his biggest concern is always how his team handles the regular season because it knows expectations are to get to the playoffs and see how it stacks up from there. The Lightning can't take the regular season for granted, but every time they play the Panthers it will be an event, and once again there's a reasonable chance for them to meet in the playoffs.

The road to the Stanley Cup has gone through the state of Florida every year dating to 2020, and there's a good chance it could happen again.

2. Can the Lightning maintain their high level of offense?

With their top 11 scorers returning, plus forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde starting with the Lightning on Day 1 (they were acquired before the NHL Trade Deadline last season), they are built to maintain their identity as a high-octane offensive team backed by elite goaltending.

But they set the bar high last season and have a lot to live up to after leading the NHL with 3.56 goals per game, four players with 35 or more goals and two who reached 40 in forwards Brayden Point (42) and Jake Guentzel (41).

No other team had more than two players with at least 35 goals. There were only eight 40-goal scorers.

In addition, forward Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer for a second straight season. He had 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists) in 78 games.

3. Will Conor Geekie emerge as a regular?

Tampa Bay's depth scoring, already expected to be among the best in the NHL, will improve if Geekie becomes a reliable consistent threat.

The 21-year-old forward is considered the Lightning’s best young player and would be their top prospect had he not played 52 games last season.

He had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 49 games before he was sent to Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Feb. 4. Geekie stayed there until he was recalled late in the regular season after injuries to Bjorkstrand and Luke Glendening left Tampa Bay short-handed up front. He scored two goals in the last three games of the regular season and had an assist in four playoff games.

The Lightning are already loaded at forward with Kucherov, Point, Guentzel, Brandon Hagel, Bjorkstrand, Gourde, Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul, but a strong training camp could land Geekie a role on one of the top three lines. If not, he could start the season in the AHL.