The Tampa Bay Lightning advanced to three straight Stanley Cup Finals from 2020-22, but were ousted in the first round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Just days before the 2023-24 season, the news broke that superstar goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy would be out of the lineup on a month-to-month basis to recover from back surgery.

Already strapped tight to the salary cap, that put Tampa in a very difficult position to start the campaign. The front office made it clear that no help was coming right away, leaving career backup Jonas Johansson to assume the role of starting goaltender on opening night. The Bolts are 1-2 through one week, and have given up a staggering 14 goals in the process. Johansson was sharp in his Lightning regular-season debut, making 28-of-31 saves en route to a 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators in the first game of the new campaign.

But it's been all downhill since. Tampa Bay lost back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators, giving up six and five goals in each of the two, respectively. It was a tough end to the week after a promising start for a team that still has Stanley Cup aspirations. The ultimate question is: Can Jonas Johansson keep this team afloat for the next two-plus months?

Lightning, Hugo Alnefelt, Jonas Johansson, Matt Tomkins, Andrei Vasilevskiy

Jonas Johansson's first taste of starter duties

Johansson was only in goal for the opening set of a back-to-back, a 6-4 loss in Michigan on Saturday night. Although the 28-year-old gave up five goals in the contest, he still made 36 saves. And the Wings can be given a lot of credit; they looked excellent, especially the top line of Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Despite the loss, it's very early in the season, and Johansson will have many chances to bounce back as the year rolls along.

Despite the Lightning's struggles to start the year, Johansson is still a prime breakout candidate — at least for the first half of the season. He played just three games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022-23, but put together a very respectable 2.10 goals against average and .932 save percentage. With Vasilevskiy on the shelf, Johansson is primed to play most of the team's games, with Matt Tomkins as the backup.

A former third-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft, Johansson has never played more than nine games in a season between the Sabres, Avalanche and Florida Panthers. But he's now thrown into an opportunity that could greatly benefit him. Regardless of how long Vasilevskiy takes to return from injury, the team will exercise extreme caution with their star netminder. That means that Johansson will play a ton this season, giving him an excellent opportunity to break out. And if that happens, he could improve on the two-year, $1.55 million contract he was given by the Lightning in free agency.

Jonas Johansson is a prime breakout candidate and a fantasy hockey sleeper for leagues that value starts and saves. But who could be in line for a big season up front?

Nick Paul primed for positive season

Lightning, Nick Paul, Avalanche, Stanley Cup Final, Lightning Avalanche

Despite the poor start, one of the best offensive players for Tampa Bay this season has been Nick Paul. The 28-year-old played his first full 82-game slate in 2022-23, scoring 17 goals and 32 points in 80 games in a bottom-six role. He started the season in electric fashion, scoring two goals and adding an assist in last Tuesday's victory over the Preds.

The main reason Paul has breakout potential in 2023-24 is due to his increased usage on the powerplay. In fact, the former Ottawa Senator is currently getting looks on the top powerplay unit, alongside one of the best PP groups in all of hockey. Paul is being utilized in front of the net, while Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman sling the puck around. I was a bit surprised to see Brandon Hagel on PP2 after the Lightning gave him the bag this offseason, and it isn't a certainty that Paul will remain on the top unit all season long. But with Alex Killorn gone to the Anaheim Ducks, he fits the need of a big body to screen the goalie with the man advantage. For that reason, he has continued scoring upside on a top-heavy Tampa Bay offense.

The play of Jonas Johansson in between the pipes will go a long way in shaping this team's record when Andrei Vasilevskiy is ready to return. But there is still a ton of firepower up front, and if the offense can keep pace, the Lightning should still be a shoo-in for the postseason.