3 Dos and Don'ts for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2024-25 season – Hockey Writers – Tampa Bay Lightning

It's a new season of hockey for the Tampa Bay Lightning. They will have a new captain and part of the team will look very different. After last season it is clear that there must be some change if they want to close the competition window. Here's a look at three dos (and don'ts) for the Lightning in 2024-25.

Do: You Must Give Gage Goncalves Ice Time

While there are a few guys in the Lightning program who deserve more NHL time, 2020 second round pick Gage Goncalves stands out the most. The 23-year-old center is coming off his best professional season.

In 69 games with the Lightning's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, Goncalves had 13 goals and 45 assists for 58 points. This performance earned him a spot in the 2024 AHL All-Star Game representing the Crunch and the North Division. He also played well with six points in seven games.

It's time for the Lightning to see what Goncalves can do at the highest level of hockey. He played in two games for the team last year and did not score before returning to Syracuse. But with his low cap hit and lack of lightning depth behind the top line, he can't spend much of his time in the AHL going forward. We are in a new era of Lightning hockey where the next generation must start to get their chance.

So why Goncalves over other guys like Conor Geekie? However, Geekie's place in Sombani's future is very certain. Whether the Lightning need to give ice time to high season acquisitions is not a big deal either. There is a case to be made for calling up defenseman Declan Carlile as the Lightning need defensive depth. Like Goncalves, he is also entering his early 20s and is at risk of becoming spoiled in childhood.

Lastly, I don't think other top picks like Dylan Duke will be a good fit, although their appearance in a Lightning uniform would certainly be welcome. Goncalves just stood out as the most pressing to call. He was the Crunch's best player last season and should step up to Tampa Bay because of it.

Don't: Don't Overuse Andrei Vasilevskiy

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy should absolutely be expected to return to form in 2024-25. However, with back surgery last year and just turning 30, the Lightning need to learn from last season and not overuse their star.

Related: Lightning Valued Near $2 Billion in Ownership Sale

I get why he played as much as he did after the surgery. It was a great opportunity for the team to win games. But it wasn't the best thing for a long time. Vasilevskiy was also very inconsistent, and overuse was undoubtedly a factor.

Fifty-two games, the number he played last year, in a season is fine for 82 games, but not 60. He will also play every playoff game, as he should. Backup Jonas Johnasson isn't as stellar as most backups aren't. But he is good enough to give Vasilevskiy a night off, so he can be ready for the most important games.

If “The Big Cat” suffers another setback or sustains chronic injuries, it may take a long time for the Lightning to return. Workload management is required.

Do: Gotta Get More From Jake Guentzel

In any other year, Lightning fans would have loved this acquisition. Jake Guentzel is a power forward who is coming off his best season to date and will make more noise if he is on the same lineup as Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.

But the context of his arrival comes with a sour context. Many see his arrival as the choice of long-time captain, Steven Stamkos. It is a feeling that has no merit. Stamkos is a future Hall of Famer and was a leader in the locker room. Guentzel also received a $9-million-a-season salary and Stamkos walked. I get it all.

However, Guentzel may receive some unwarranted flack as a result. If he gets off to a slow start, there will be a lot of “Stamkos should be paid” talk.

In his first season with the club, Guentzel needs to turn heads. If he can show some leadership even better. Whatever makes the Lightning return the “In JBB (Julien BriseBois) we hope” narrative. No one should go out and be a Conn Smythe winner, but a strong season will make it easier to live with some of the moves made over the summer.

There are definitely some dos and don'ts. However, these were the three that stood out in particular. If the Lightning sticks to these three specifically, the season will go much better on and off the ice.