The Tampa Bay Lightning are on an incredible roll. They are coming off a remarkable come-from-behind 6-5 triumph over the Boston Bruins in the NHL's outdoor game at Raymond James Stadium. That game has already been declared by many observers as the best outdoor game in NHL history because of the Bruins' surge, the epic Lightning comeback, the goalie fight between Andrei Vasilveskiy and Jeremy Swayman and the overall spectacle of the night.
The impact of that game for the Lightning is likely to confirm their status as the NHL's top team. That title had been held by the Colorado Avalanche since the puck dropped this season, but the Avs have been struggling of late. They went through most of the first half of the season with just two regulation losses, but that number has surged to 9 after getting blanked 2-0 at home by the Detroit Red Wings. The Avs are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games, while the Lightning are 17-1-1 in their last 19 games.
Colorado still has a league-best 81 points compared to the Lightning's 74, but the two teams are moving in opposite directions at a shocking pace.
Lightning must continue to improve
As the 3-week Olympic break looms, that does not mean that these two teams will meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. Presidents Trophy winners — the team with the best regular-season record in the NHL — almost never get to the Stanley Cup championship round, let alone win it. The last team to do that was the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks, and that came in a shortened season that was impacted by a work stoppage.
There are no guarantees that the Lightning will remain as hot as they have been since the days before Christmas. Nobody knows that better than head coach Jon Cooper, who may be the best coach in the sport. If the Lightning is not working hard to keep on improving, the opposite is likely.
Even with the presence of Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel and Victor Hedman, the Lightning could use some help. The belief is that a winger who can put the puck in the net would help this team stay on the winning track through the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
The Lightning need to add right wing Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators. On the surface, this does not look like a move that would move the meter in Tampa Bay's favor, but it could turn out to be a huge move. Marchessault has not done much this season as he has scored 9 goals and 14 points in 36 games. However, Marchessault has an impactful track record.
Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the championship run by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 playoffs. The 13-year veteran scored 21 goals and 56 points a year ago. He had 42 goals the season before the Golden Knights.
Marchessault is a proven Stanley Cup performer
Marchessault had a remarkable 13 goals and 25 points during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. He demonstrated the ability to score the most team's most crucial markers as the team earned its first (and only) championship.
If the Lightning made a key trade for Marchessault, they would be getting a player that should fit Cooper's system for multiple seasons. He is earning $5.5 million this season and he is under contract through the 2028-29 season. Playing for a team like the Lightning that certainly has a realistic chance of winning the Stanley Cup should give Marchessault a jolt and raise his performance.
Marchessault could easily fit in as the right wing on the on No. 2 or No. 3 lines of the Lightning. Gage Concalves and Pontus Holmberg occupy those positions, respectively, and Marchessault could replace either one of them.
Stamkos would be an unlikely target
Actually, there's another player on the Predators — 58 points and in 5th place in the Central Division of the Western Conference — that would fit in even better than Marchessault. However, the chances of the Lightning making a trade for the team's former captain Steven Stamkos are almost nil.
Stamkos was a center throughout his 16 years with the Lightning, but he has been playing right wing on the Predators' top line this season. He has already scored 27 goals in 55 games, and the likelihood is that he will get back to the 40-goal level before the end of the season.
He was clearly hurt when the Lightning let him leave via free agency after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, and it took him a while to adjust to the Nashville environment. However, he is thriving in his second season with the team. It would take a major concession by the Lightning to reacquire Stamkos, and it is unlikely that the Predators could be convinced to trade him.
However, Marchessault is the more realistic target and he could pay key dividends for this red-hot team.
