The Tampa Bay Lightning have a goalie problem. All-world netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy will miss approximately two months after having back surgery. That leaves 28-year-old backup Jonas Johansson alone to weather the storm until Vasilevskiy can return.

Johansson's NHL career has not been promising to this point - he owns an .887 save percentage in 35 appearances across four seasons. But it's much less inspiring behind him. There's 22-year-old prospect Hugo Alnefelt and 29-year-old journeyman Matt Tomkins, who've combined to make seven career NHL saves.

The Lightning won't be going big-game hunting to find a Vasilevskiy replacement. The netminder's $9.5-million cap hit can be placed on LTIR while he's out, but the team will need that space for when he's back. So the Bolts, who are extremely close to the cap, will have to scrape the bottom of the bargain bin to find someone to pair with Johansson in the meantime.

The ideal candidate brings NHL experience, the ability to be somewhat competent, and as low a salary as possible - ideally around $1 million or less. Below, we present our 10 most realistic options.

Brian Elliott, free agent

Bringing back Elliott makes sense. He spent the last two seasons as Vasilevskiy's backup, so he'd be a familiar face in the room, and he's familiar with the Lightning's defensive system. The former William M. Jennings Trophy winner also brings 543 games of NHL experience and was a high-level starter earlier in his career. As an unrestricted free agent, the Lightning don't have to give up assets to get him, and he'd likely come in for the league minimum if he's willing to play another year.

On the downside, there's a reason Elliott remains unsigned. He's 38 years old and coming off a down season in which he posted an .891 save percentage in 22 games. It's also unclear what kind of game shape he's in after failing to latch on to an NHL training camp. But it's worth a phone call at the very least.

Jaroslav Halak, free agent

Halak is in a similar situation as Elliott. As a free agent, he'd likely be happy to sign for the league minimum - especially to join a Cup contender. But he's also 38 years old.

While he doesn't share the same familiarity with the organization, he's been a better goalie in recent years. The two-time Jennings winner recorded a .903 save percentage and stopped 4.04 goals above expected in 25 games as Igor Shesterkin's backup with the Rangers a year ago.

Sam Montembeault/Cayden Primeau, Canadiens

Montreal has three intriguing goalies on their roster. Jake Allen is the best of the bunch, but his $3.85-million cap hit is too rich for the Lightning to take on.

However, Montembeault, 26, could be available via trade. He only carries a $1-million cap hit and was stellar for the Habs last season in 40 games. His .901 save percentage wasn't overly pretty, but he stopped 16.78 goals above expected - the 13th-best among NHL goalies.

And then there's Primeau, who has not performed as well in limited NHL opportunities (.871 save percentage in 21 games), but he's only 24 and has been decent in the AHL. And he only carries an $890,000 cap hit for the next two years. If the Habs don't want to carry three goalies, they could risk losing him for nothing on waivers.

Flipping Montembeault or Primeau for a minor asset may be the best option for the rebuilding Canadiens.

Anthony Stolarz, Panthers

Spencer Knight appears ready to return to the NHL after entering the player assistance program last season. With Sergei Bobrovsky still under contract in Florida, Stolarz would be the odd man out. At $1.1 million, the 29-year-old is the highest-paid goalie on this list.

The Panthers likely wouldn't trade him to a division rival, but they'll have to subject him to waivers unless they plan to keep three goalies in the fold. Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad are both likely headed for LTIR to begin the year, so cap room wouldn't be an issue in that decision.

The Lightning are 20th in the NHL's waiver priority order, so there'd be no guarantee Stolarz would make it to them in that circumstance. But the Bolts would likely be thrilled if he did.

Stolarz, who's massive at 6-foot-6 and 243 pounds, has been one of the league's best backups over the last two seasons. With the basement-dwelling Ducks, he posted a .909 save percentage and 6.78 goals saved above expected across 47 games.

Martin Jones, Maple Leafs

Jones' only path to the Leafs' opening night lineup is an injury to either Ilya Samonsov or Joseph Woll. If that duo stays healthy, Jones is likely bound for waivers. As it stands, he's on a one-year deal with a $875,000 cap hit.

The 33-year-old has been one of the NHL's worst goalies in recent years: Jones posted an .886 save percentage in 48 games with the Kraken last year. But, he was once a quality starter with the San Jose Sharks, which could be attractive for the Bolts.

Like Florida, Toronto probably wouldn't trade their No. 3 goalie to the Lightning to help out a rival, but the Bolts could possibly pluck the veteran netminder off of waivers.

Alex Lyon, Red Wings

The Panthers wouldn't have gone on their improbable Stanley Cup Final run without Lyon. He was lights out down the stretch to get them into the playoffs, starting in the club's final eight games of the regular season to collect a 6-1-1 record and a .943 save percentage.

That's obviously a small sample size, and Lyon came down to earth in the playoffs, allowing Bobrovsky to retain the No. 1 job. The 30-year-old signed a two-year deal with a $900,000 cap hit with Detroit in the offseason, but the Red Wings could expose him to waivers if he loses the backup goalie battle to James Reimer.

Alex Stalock, Ducks

Stalock was one of the NHL's best stories last season. He was limited to just one game across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns due to a myocarditis diagnosis, but he bounced back with a .908 save percentage in 27 games with the lowly Blackhawks a year ago, earning a Bill Masterton Trophy nomination.

The 35-year-old signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with Anaheim over the summer. But if the club wants to keep 23-year-old Lukas Dostal as John Gibson's backup to begin the year, it's possible Stalock could end up on waivers.

Louis Domingue, Rangers

Domingue is best remembered for his spicy pork and broccoli-fueled heroics in Game 1 of Round 1 of the 2022 playoffs. In a relief appearance, he helped the Penguins beat the Rangers by stopping all 17 shots he faced to secure the win in triple OT. But he's a legitimate and familiar option.

The Rangers signed Jonathan Quick to be Shesterkin's backup, so Domingue and his $775,000 cap hit will likely be exposed to waivers.

The 31-year-old spent parts of three seasons in the Lightning organization, serving as Vasilevskiy's primary backup from 2017-19. He owns a respectable .905 save percentage in 142 career NHL games.

Spencer Martin, Canucks

Martin could be a member of the Lightning as early as noon ET on Friday if they want him, as he was placed on waivers by Vancouver on Thursday. He struggled with the Canucks last season, sporting an .871 save percentage in 29 games. But, on the bright side, he's only 28 years old and carries a cap hit below the league minimum at $762,500.

(Cap source: CapFriendly)
(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fresh off the Canucks’ latest preseason game, Matt and Blake go over what went right versus the Oilers, including the PK, goaltender Casey DeSmith and Elias Pettersson’s newest superpower. Cory Schneider stops by to discuss his retirement, how he closed out his career and he relayed some new stories around the infamous “Game 8” vs the Bruins and is old pal Roberto Luongo. Thursday means a visit from Rob Williams as well, with the debate around Luongo’s upcoming ceremony taking centre stage. In particular, can they retire the number 1, with Kirk McLean still in the Ring of Honour? Presented by Applewood Auto Group.

Follow us on social (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok & YouTube). Powered by Go Goat Sports

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winning the Norris Trophy once is extremely difficult. Winning it twice in a row in this day and age is borderline impossible.

We haven't seen a single repeat winner over the past 15 years. The last player to string together back-to-back Norris wins was Nicklas Lidstrom in 2005-08.

Where does the value lie in this year's race? Let's take a closer look.

Rasmus Dahlin (+800)

Dahlin took a massive step forward last season, setting career highs in goals (15) and points (73) while helping the Sabres to their highest win total in more than a decade.

Dahlin wasn't a power-play merchant or an empty-calorie offensive producer who gave it all back at the other end of the ice. He tied for seventh among defensemen in five-on-five points, recording more than stars like Roman Josi, Quinn Hughes, and Miro Heiskanen. Dahlin also drove play at a high level, leading the Sabres in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five.

Really, Dahlin did it all. The only thing lacking was team success to help compensate for the gap in production between him and the winner, Erik Karlsson.

Besides maybe Cale Makar, it's unlikely any blue-liner will finish an obvious tier above the rest in points. If Dahlin can put together another 70-plus-point campaign on a high-flying Sabres team that fights its way back to relevancy, he will garner a lot of attention.

Miro Heiskanen (+1200)

For years, many people - myself included - gushed about Heiskanen's game. His effortless skating, stout defense, and ability to log all the ice time he was given without seeming to tire always stood out. What was missing was the offense. Everyone thought he had the tools to be a prolific point producer, but he had to go out and do it.

Heiskanen finally made that leap last year, piling up 73 points in 79 games for a very strong Stars team. That wasn't enough to make him a Norris finalist, but he was on the radar, finishing one voting point outside of the top six.

Heiskanen is one of the best defenders in the sport. If he can replicate that sort of production, he'll get a lot of votes as a dominant two-way force.

Evan Bouchard (+3500)

My true wild card is Bouchard. He put up 40 points last season while playing second fiddle to Tyson Barrie on the Oilers' power play for much of the year.

With Barrie out of the picture and Darnell Nurse somewhat limited in his playmaking abilities, Bouchard should be Edmonton's full-time power play quarterback in 2023-24. That carries a ton of weight.

It's no exaggeration to say the Oilers are one of the best power-play teams I've ever seen. They are historically dominant and will remain so as long as they have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at the peak of their powers.

Simply sharing the ice with those two means Bouchard will be out there for a ton of goals and will enjoy an abundance of opportunities to collect points.

Bouchard isn't a matchup defenseman like Heiskanen, so he needs outrageous offensive outputs to give him a fighting chance. Given his situation, I think it's possible, even if it may not be likely. At +3500, Bouchard is a worthwhile flier.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Stone doesn't expect to see Hayden Hodgson any time soon after the Los Angeles Kings winger ignited Wednesday's preseason clash with a gigantic hit on the Vegas Golden Knights captain.

Hodgson caught Stone near the end boards as the latter reached for a loose puck. A lengthy skirmish erupted in the aftermath as Vegas came to the defense of its leader.

Stone didn't mince words after the contest, which ended in a 4-3 overtime win for the Kings.

"That's probably the last time I'll ever play against that guy," Stone told reporters, including FOX 5 Vegas' Vince Sapienza. "Not really much of a player, so I'll leave it at that."

Hodgson has seven NHL games under his belt, each coming with the Philadelphia Flyers over the past two seasons. He's primarily been an ECHL player. The 27-year-old was traded to the Kings in June as part of the three-way trade that sent Cal Petersen and Sean Walker to Philadelphia.

Wednesday's clash was Stone's preseason debut. The veteran winger finished his 2022-23 campaign with a dominant playoff run, collecting 24 points in 22 games as the Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup.

Vegas and Los Angeles will meet once more in the preseason (Oct. 7) before their regular-season tilt on Oct. 28.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the new NHL season approaches, we've already put together power rankings, offseason grades, and even team rankings by tiers. But what about assessing the clubs purely from an entertainment standpoint?

That's the goal of this exercise, which, as always, is entirely about how watchable each squad will be, regardless of how well they actually perform. It could be a superstar or two (or more), a high-flying style of play, or a promising young core that might make you want to check out these squads.

However, we begin the countdown by looking at the lower half of the league and the teams lacking that absolute must-see quality for one reason or another.

Here are the 16 clubs we foresee being the least watchable in the upcoming season:

32. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks were a bottom-feeder in 2022-23, and then they traded Erik Karlsson for an underwhelming return in August. Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl aren't bad players, but there's really no good reason to flip over to a San Jose game now that the reigning Norris Trophy winner and potent forward Timo Meier are gone.

31. Philadelphia Flyers

John Tortorella's club hasn't been very entertaining (intentionally, anyway) since he took the reins, and we don't see that changing anytime soon. The Flyers aren't completely devoid of talent, but they're still recovering from inept former general manager Chuck Fletcher wreaking havoc on the roster. "I've got to get home to catch the Flyers tonight" isn't a phrase we expect to hear fans utter often, if at all, this season.

30. Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield was on a 46-goal pace before a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery ended his season 46 games in. It'll be worth watching the diminutive dynamo to see if he can pick up where he left off. But aside from that, the Canadiens are well into their rebuilding phase. Only Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky stand out as other Habs to keep tabs on.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets weren't going to be very watchable under Mike Babcock, even with Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine in the fold. Now, they're free from Babcock's clutches (and phone inspections), so they might play with a little more spirit under Pascal Vincent. Youngsters Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli could also impress, but that won't entice throngs of casual fans to tune in regularly.

28. St. Louis Blues

The Blues clearly aren't what they once were - a perennially competitive Stanley Cup contender. St. Louis ranked 27th in expected goals for percentage and 26th in scoring chances for at five-on-five in 2022-23. The team also shipped out past core members Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko in February. As legendary bluesman B.B. King would say, the thrill is gone.

27. Nashville Predators

The Predators had a weird offseason, and their roster now leaves something to be desired aside from their three stars. Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, and Juuse Saros are great players, but Nashville ranked 28th in goals per game last season. And it did that with leading scorer Matt Duchene, who it replaced with Ryan O'Reilly. Granted, Forsberg and Josi missed time due to injuries, but this Preds squad won't be on too many PVRs this time around.

26. Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes uncharacteristically acquired some talent in the summer, bringing in Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba, and Sean Durzi. They also feature underrated star Clayton Keller, the NHL's 2022-23 rookie points per game leader Matias Maccelli, and promising newcomer Logan Cooley, who scored an incredible goal in his preseason debut. But this is still the Coyotes we're talking about. While there's more to like about the team now, Arizona still isn't worth planning your TV-watching schedule around on a regular basis.

25. Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record is really the only reason to watch the Capitals these days. It's a decent reason, and the 38-year-old can still take over a game from time to time. However, the rest of Washington's core isn't aging as gracefully, and the Caps' days as a can't-miss club are now a thing of the past.

24. Detroit Red Wings

Alex DeBrincat was reportedly unhappy that he wasn't a first-liner in Ottawa, and it looks like he'll get that opportunity with his hometown Red Wings. Putting the two-time 41-goal scorer next to Dylan Larkin could generate some highlights, but the rest of Detroit's roster is riddled with mediocre players possessing little upside.

23. Anaheim Ducks

Trevor Zegras is a threat to produce a viral highlight at any given time - assuming the restricted free agent eventually re-signs. Troy Terry, Mason McTavish, and 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson are also interesting. The Ducks still need to produce more consistently, but they should be a little more compelling than last season when they finished with the NHL's worst record.

22. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks didn't control play at five-on-five last campaign, ranking near the bottom of the NHL in xGF% in those situations. But Vancouver did have a good power play, sitting 11th in the league in that department. Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are bona fide stars, but the Canucks won't be consistently watchable until they can roll their success with the man advantage over to even-strength play.

21. New York Islanders

The Islanders always seem to be a better team than they are a watchable one. The defense-first club ranked 22nd in goals per game in all situations and 20th in xGF% at five-on-five in 2022-23. That should improve with midseason trade acquisition Bo Horvat in the lineup for the balance of the upcoming campaign. Mathew Barzal is no slouch, either. But this club doesn't exactly boast a thrilling style of play, and it's been that way for years.

20. Calgary Flames

The Flames were the third-best possession team in the league last season, but having the most overtime or shootout losses in the NHL caused them to miss the playoffs by two points. Darryl Sutter's gone, but so is the team's 2022-23 leading scorer, Tyler Toffoli, who Calgary traded to the New Jersey Devils in June. While the Flames should play more freely under Ryan Huska, they won't have as much punch on offense as they did a season ago.

19. Winnipeg Jets

The Jets seem destined to be less exciting this campaign, even though they're not planning to trade Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck for now. Winnipeg ranked 21st in goals per game in 2022-23, and it's hard to see that improving after trading Pierre-Luc Dubois and buying out Blake Wheeler. Gabe Vilardi has upside, but Alex Iafallo and Rasmus Kupari are basically replacement-level players. Even if Winnipeg makes the playoffs, it likely won't be among the most electric teams in the league.

18. Minnesota Wild

The Wild are similar to the Jets in terms of being a solid defensive team that doesn't produce enough offense. Minnesota was even worse than Winnipeg in the goal-scoring department (23rd) last season but made the playoffs mostly because it allowed the sixth-fewest goals against. Kirill Kaprizov buried 40 in 67 games the previous campaign, and Matt Boldy notched 31. But that's it when it comes to thrilling members of the Wild.

17. Ottawa Senators

The Senators are more entertaining than their record and statistics as a team have shown of late. Ottawa is just outside the upper echelon of watchable squads but has assembled a plucky core led by Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. The Sens didn't score enough or control the possession game last season, but they generated the seventh-most shots on goal. If more of those attempts start going in, Ottawa will be higher on this list and many others next year.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.