On April 3rd when it was announced that Steven Stamkos had a blood clot and would miss significant time I went into a depression. When it was announced I basically wrote off the season in all honesty. I was hoping we'd put up a valiant fight in the playoffs, inevitably succumb to a healthier team, and go get 'em next year. Despite this I am not shocked that the Bolts are where they are today, halfway to a Stanley Cup. Even without Stamkos I knew the Bolts were a better team than Detroit, and they made quick work of them. What I am totally shocked at is the quick work they made of the Islanders. I thought maybe they could scratch and claw to a seven game series win over the Isles, but never in five games with two of the four wins barely needing to crack a sweat. And it is because of that quick work that the stars may be aligning perfectly for a Stanley cup parade this year in Tampa, whether Stamkos comes back or not.
Last year the Bolts needed 20 games to win their first three rounds, and it was pretty clear they simply had absolutely nothing left in the tank as a result by game four against Chicago and lost those final three games with little to no offensive threat. But over the past ten years teams who have made it to the third round in ten games or less (as the Bolts have this year) are 7-1 in the conference finals. Even with that said whoever comes out of the Pittsburgh-Washington series is going to be a clear favorite against the Bolts, even if Stamkos plays. But the added rest will make the series a complete coin flip in my opinion, and I'll take my chances on that coin flip.
So what if the Bolts make to the cup finals again? Well here is where the stars really align. The best team in the West that matches up well against the Bolts is definitely St Louis. But guess what? They are about to play their second straight seven games series. 14 games through 2 rounds? That will definitely come back to haunt them if they play Tampa in the final. Nashville is also about to play their 14th game through two rounds, and in my opinion if the Preds have the good fortune of making it the Bolts will make easy work of them. With both second round western conference series heading to seven games, there is a 100% chance that the Lightning will be way better rested than any team they may face in the finals. Stars aligning indeed.
I'll also take this opportunity to say something I have said a few times, but now is showing itself to be true. I'm not alone in this belief, but I have been saying for quite awhile the Lightning are at worst just as good, but maybe even better, without Steven Stamkos. I got depressed when he was out simply because of fear that maybe I was wrong and we would fold without our leading scorer, but I am happy that I was right about this. Since breaking his leg in 2013 Stamkos simply has not been the same player he was before the injury. The only thing he contributes is scoring goals, and he doesnt even do that as well as he used to. A playmaker who can set up other teammates for goals? hardly. good defense? forget about it. Stamkos is a free agent this summer and to me it is a no brainer to no sign him back. If they do he will hamper the team financially and between Kucherov, Bishop, Palat, Johnson, and Drouin the Bolts will need to get rid of two of them just to keep Stammer. Let Stamkos walk and keep them all. I know which option I'd choose.
Anyway, right now the Bolts rest and await their ECF opponent. After last years grueling first two rounds, rest sure is nice.
