Lightning’s Defense and Power Play Crisis

The Tampa Bay Lightning face critical offseason decisions as they prepare for the 2026-27 season, with defense and the power play at the top of their priority list. With only three defensemen logging 70+ games last year and key players like Darren Raddysh potentially leaving in free agency, adding depth on the blue line is non-negotiable. Their forward-heavy prospect pipeline makes this move even more urgent. Meanwhile, their once-dominant power play has plummeted from first to seventeenth in the league, with just one player hitting double-digit goals last season. Backup goalie Jonas Johansson’s inconsistency and lack of ready alternatives behind Andrei Vasilevskiy add pressure, though that’s a lower-priority fix. If they nail defense and power play upgrades, the Lightning can build a more resilient team primed for another deep playoff run. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a97d5ad806dcc6b3