Tampa Bay Lightning fantasy projections for 2024-25
Tampa Bay Lightning fantasy projections for 2024-25
Kucherov, Point have 100-point production potential
© Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images
As part of NHL.com’s 32 in 32 series, the fantasy hockey staff has ranked the top 5 players on the Tampa Bay Lightning and identified other preseason draft targets with point and win projections for the 2024-25 season.
1. Nikita Kucherov, F
NHL.com point projection: 125
Kucherov led the League in scoring with 144 points and 53 power-play points in 81 games. He was also tied with Connor McDavid for the most assists in the League (100). Kucherov had career highs in goals, assists, points, power-play points and shots on goal (306). Kucherov could challenge the 130 point-mark again this season and should be considered a top five overall option in fantasy drafts.
TOR@TBL: Kucherov sets up Point for 100th assist
2. Brayden Point, F
NHL.com point projection: 101
Point led the Lightning with 46 goals, including 15 on the man-advantage, and was second in scoring with 90 points behind Kucherov. His 97 goals over the past two seasons are tied with Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche for third in the NHL in that span. For the second consecutive season Point scored at least 46 goals with a shooting percentage above 20 (20.3). He should be considered a top 30 overall player in fantasy drafts.
NYR@TBL: Point earns hat trick with three nasty floaters
3. Jake Guentzel, F
NHL.com point projection: 91
Despite missing 15 games last season, Guentzel still scored 30 goals and set an NHL career high with 47 assists in 67 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes. He added nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 postseason games with Carolina. He will slot onto the Lightning’s top line and first power play with Kucherov and Point and could easily challenge his career high of 40 goals and 11 power-play goals.
4. Victor Hedman, D
NHL.com point projection: 78
Hedman’s 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games was a bounce-back season after a having 49 points in 76 games during 2022-23. He remains one of the most productive fantasy defensemen in the League and opens the season as a top five player at the position. His 63 assists were fourth among NHL defensemen and was top 10 among all skaters last season. With the addition of Guentzel to the offense, he should challenge a point-per-game and 30 power-play points again this season.
5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G
NHL.com win projection: 37
Vasilevskiy struggled to regain his all-star form after missing the first six weeks of last season recovering from back surgery. He recorded 30 wins for the seventh consecutive season and got stronger as the season progressed, including an 8-1-1 stretch with a 2.39 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 10 games in March. Vasilevskiy is a lock as a top 10 goalie option in fantasy drafts.
TBL@TOR: Vasilevskiy denies Bertuzzi on the doorstep
Other TBL players on preseason draft lists:
– Top 100 overall fantasy draft option:
Brandon Hagel, F (NHL.com point projection: 70)
Deep sleeper candidates:
– Anthony Cirelli, F (NHL.com point projection: 55)
– Nicholas Paul, F (NHL.com point projection: 50)
Breakout candidate:
– J.J. Moser, D (NHL.com point projection: 40)
