Their final crusade down the stretch came up just short, but now that the dust has settled, there's little doubt the Lightning would be preparing for a Stanley Cup run if not for an injury that kept Steven Stamkos sidelined for the majority of the season.
Stamkos' knee injury - suffered Nov. 15 - limited him to just 17 games, and while there was growing optimism he could return in the season's final two weeks, it simply wasn't to be as the injury just didn't progress as quickly as expected.
"There was no setback. It just didn't progress as fast as I originally thought," Stamkos said Monday. "I'm confident I'll be (back to) 100 percent. It just takes time ... I have no doubt I'll be feeling good at the end of the summer."
The latter comment is welcome news for the Lightning. As for how the team performed in his absence, Stamkos liked what he saw, especially from his younger teammates.
"We know what they can do at this level now and that will only benefit us in the future," Stamkos said.
Stamkos on Drouin: "He has the ability to be a game-breaker and not too many teams have that kind of guy on the ice."
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With the end of the NHL season, it's time to hand out some awards for the 2016-17 fantasy hockey season. theScore's fantasy department wants YOU, the readers and fantasy players, to vote and decide the winner of each award. When voting, value players relative to standard league scoring:
Skaters
Goalies
Goals
Wins
Assists
SV%
+/-
GAA
PPP
Shutouts
PIMs
SOG
Criteria: The Fantasy Breakout Player of the Year should be awarded to a player who was fantasy irrelevant a year ago, but became one of the best in the game this season. This player was either a final-round flier on draft day or an early season waiver-wire pickup. Factor consistent production, positional eligibility and year-to-year statistical increase into your vote.
Nominee: C/LW/RW Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild
G
A
+/-
PPP
PIM
SOG
26
43
23
20
12
177
The case: Granlund is one of few players who is eligible at all three forward positions. He spent the majority of his first four seasons in the league playing center, but he excelled with a primary move to the wing this year. His career high in goals and assists heading into this season were 13 and 31, respectively.
Nominee: LW/RW Viktor Arvidsson, Nashville Predators
G
A
+/-
PPP
PIM
SOG
31
30
16
9
28
246
The case: Many people had no idea who Arvidsson was heading into this season. He scored just eight goals and added eight assists in 56 games last year. He has excelled as an energetic, high-volume shooter on Nashville's top line alongside C Ryan Johansen and LW/RW Filip Forsberg.
Nominee: RW David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins
G
A
+/-
PPP
PIM
SOG
34
36
11
24
34
262
The case: Pastrnak scored 15 goals a season ago. It was reasonable to expect 20 out of him this year, but I don't think anyone saw this type of year coming so soon. He has been an excellent addition to Boston's top line featuring C Patrice Bergeron and LW Brad Marchand. Pastrnak is a major reason why Marchand is having a breakout year of his own.
The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Charlie McAvoy to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Monday.
The deal comes two weeks after the Bruins signed the 19-year-old to an amateur tryout. In that time, he played four games for the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Providence Bruins, where he picked up two assists.
McAvoy was chosen 14th overall in the 2016 draft and is coming off a career-best season with Boston University, collecting five goals and 26 points in 38 games.
He is expected to join the team for practice Monday.
The two clubs will meet in the first round of the playoffs three years after the Rangers defeated the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals 4-2. The clubs enter the series as the tightest matchup of the eight in the first round, with the Canadiens having finished with just one point more than the Rangers.
Thanks to the current playoff format, the Canadiens were able to secure home ice after claiming the Atlantic Division title.
The Canadiens should head into the series with a sense of swagger after going 3-0-0 against the Rangers during the regular season, outscoring them by an 11-7 margin. However, anything can happen in the playoffs, so let's break this thing down:
Players to watch
Canadiens: Paul Byron
Few people would have predicted at the beginning of the year that the only Canadiens player to reach the 20-goal plateau this year besides captain Max Pacioretty would be Byron, but here we are.
Considering Byron had combined for 24 goals in his previous three seasons combined (166 games), it's safe to say this season was a breakout.
His season is all the more impressive when you add in that he scored 21 of his goals at even-strength and ranked 18th in the league in goals per 60 minutes with a 1.18 mark.
The playoffs usually come down to which team's depth players can rise to the challenge and the Canadiens certainly have an ace in Byron.
Rangers: Michael Grabner
Grabner was a goal away from tying Chris Kreider for the team lead in goals this season. Pretty impressive.
The 29-year-old scored his highest mark since potting a career-high 34 in 2011. In all, he finished with 27 tallies and 40 points and proved that his rough season in Toronto a year ago was a byproduct of playing on a bad team and having some bad luck.
Grabner could be very valuable in this series, not just because he can score, but because of his dynamic speed. It's no secret that the Canadiens elected to sacrifice speed for size and strength at the trade deadline, acquiring the likes of Dwight King, Jordie Benn, Steve Ott, and Andreas Martinsen.
Grabner's speed could give the Canadiens a lot of trouble and could help open things up for his teammates.
Weakest links
Rangers: Shot generation
While the Rangers didn't struggle to score goals this season - finishing with the fourth-highest goals per game - they did struggle to create chances.
The team finished with the 22nd-most shots per game, generating an average of 29.7 per contest. At 5-on-5, they had the sixth-worst Corsi For percentage behind the likes of Detroit and Colorado.
If scoring chances are going to be limited - on Carey Price for that matter - that could make for a dramatic drop in goals for the Rangers.
Canadiens: Goal scoring
Speaking of goal scoring, as mentioned above, just Pacioretty and Byron hit the 20-goal mark for the Canadiens this season.
The Canadiens finished in the middle of the pack in scoring, ranking 15th with 2.72 goals per game. Not terrible, but certainly not ideal.
A specific area of concern is with their expected big guns, Alex Galchenyuk, Tomas Plekanec, and Brendan Gallagher, who collectively scored just 37 goals after combining for 63 one season ago.
It's simple: These three must be better.
Prediction
In all likelihood, this series will go six or seven games. As mentioned off the top, these are two fairly even teams.
In saying that, it's safe to assume that - as with most playoff hockey - things are going to get really tight out there and scoring will be limited. It's for that reason that the Canadiens get the edge.
If games come down to one or two goals you have to give the advantage to the best goalie in the world in Price. He's had small dips in form during the regular season, but overall has been his same stellar self, especially of late. In 22 career games against the Rangers Price boasts a 15-5-1 record with a .940 save percentage, a 1.82 goals-against average, and seven shutouts.
Meanwhile, Henrik Lunqvist has put up career-worst numbers this season. Anything can happen, but as they say, defense wins championships.
You know what they say: Look good, feel good, play good. Thanks to outstanding flows, the following five players have been looking good all season long:
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Jaromir Jagr, Panthers
Ah, Jagr. The god of hockey hair. There are so many reasons why Jagr playing into his mid-40s is awesome, but the fact that he grew back his signature mullet is definitely near the top of the list. This list easily could have just been a photo gallery of Jagr's legendary flow.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Carl Hagelin, Penguins
It just wouldn't be a "best hockey hair" list without some traditional Swedish gold locks. Isn't it luscious? Though this picture was taken during last year's Stanley Cup Final, Hagelin has continued to sport this fantastic flow. There are few things better in life than seeing Hagelin's hair flowing through the air while he blazes down the left wing.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Victor Hedman, Lightning
Hedman makes it two Swedes in a row. What he may lack in gold shine and front door curtains like Hagelin, he more than makes up for with outstanding lettuce. If he ever decides hockey isn't for him, grocery stores across the globe would gladly take him with open arms as the face of their produce section.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Braden Holtby, Capitals
It's a shame Holtby's great flow is usually hidden behind his goalie mask. The water bottle spray only adds to its greasiness (in a good way) and allure.
(Photo courtesy: @Capitals/Twitter)
Justin Williams, Andre Burakovsky, Capitals
What Williams and Burakovsky sported on Washington's photo day may not be classified as "flow," but it was far too amazing to leave off this list. Did they use hair spray to keep the hair pushed up? Maybe they'll go down as trendsetters.
"Sooner or later, everything old is new again." - Stephen King.
This quote perfectly sums up the Florida Panthers' most recent move. The club has named Dale Tallon as its general manager, replacing Tom Rowe.
Tallon, of course, was the team's general manager from May 17, 2010 to Jan. 1, 2016. He wasn't fired as the club's GM, but was instead promoted to President of Hockey Operations. Tallon will still hold that title, along with his role as general manager.
Rowe, who served as the club's GM and interim head coach this past season, will stay with the organization as Special Advisor to Tallon.
Not only will his team be hitting the links early, but he also missed out on quite a hefty paycheck.
Eichel would have received a $2-million performance bonus had he finished in the NHL's top 10 in points-per-game, according to Cap Friendly, but he finished 11th - by 0.01 point.
Had Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl not capped his season with a two-point night against the Canucks, Eichel would be a very rich man. Eichel finished the season with 0.93 points-per-game, while Draisaitl finished with 0.94.
Luckily for Eichel, players of his caliber usually get a set-for-life type of contract extension before they hit the open market. His pay day will come, it just won't be today.
The Detroit Red Wings bid farewell to Joe Louis Arena in style on Sunday.
Home to the red and white since December 1979, the Wings won their final game in the old barn, a 4-1 decision over the New Jersey Devils.
Legends were in tow, as were octopuses. It was also captain Henrik Zetterberg's 1,000th regular-season game. Best of all, Riley Sheahan snapped a 79-game goalless skid, scoring the opening tally of the game and the final goal in the history of the building. How's that for timing?
All in all, a special night, and an occasion worth celebrating despite the end of Detroit's magical 25-season playoff streak.
Here are some of the best photos from a night to remember in downtown Detroit:
Zetterberg, of course, scored in his 1,000th game.
Despite PETA's concerns, octopuses were all over the building Sunday. Tradition dies hard.
Steve Yzerman is the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning now, but he'll always be a Red Wing.
The Joe, as it's known, was named after former heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis.
Everyone had a good time but the Devils.
History.
Those steps are special to Red Wings supporters, a right of passage.
Sheahan will go down in history for all the best reasons.
