Tampa Bay Lightning: 2 Players Who Will Bounce Back Next Season

With the off-season starting to slow down a bit, we now have a better idea of every team's roster going into next season. Of course there will be other moves, but the craziness from the Expansion Draft and first day of free agency is officially done.

In this segment, we will be taking a look at two players from each NHL team who are set to bounce back next season. Sometimes players will have down seasons, but end up completely turning it around in the following one. This will inevitably happen for this upcoming year, too.

In this piece, we will be looking at the Tampa Bay Lightning. They are coming off a second straight Stanley Cup, so it is rather difficult to find any player who struggled significantly. However, there is one player from last season's roster who should be able to produce a bit more on the scoresheet. The other candidate is a recently signed veteran.

Ryan McDonagh D: After a 46-point campaign with the Lightning during 2018-19 season, Ryan McDonagh's point totals have dropped off noticeably. Even if he's been solid defensively, it is still worth paying attention to. Over the past two seasons, his production has been identical. In 50 games each season, he registered 12 points. That is a bit low for a player of his offensive ability, so it would not be surprising to see his numbers go up a bit next season. In a full 82-game schedule, he normally is good for at least 30 points.

Brian Elliott G: Brian Elliott should be able to have a better season this year, as he will playing on a much stronger Lighting team. In 30 games this past season with the Philadelphia Flyers, he had a 15-9-2 record, but an immensely low .889 SV%. The Lightning have a deep blueline, so he will have more support. Even as a 36-year-old veteran, this should be enough for him to at least get back up to a .900 SV%.