3 Standouts for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022-23

Now that the NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone, the season enters its final stretch. Typically at this point in the season, we see teams clinch their spot in the NHL playoffs like the Boston Bruins did this past weekend. However, this is also when teams fall out of the hunt or simply ride out the remaining games in preparation for the offseason like the Columbus Blue Jackets. Throughout this series, we will look at all 32 NHL team's top three standout players from the season. So, let's keep it going with the Tampa Bay Lightning!

Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Kucherov has been an absolute beast for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. He has 26 goals and 69 assists for 95 points in 67 games this season and currently sits third in the NHL in league scoring. That isn't surprising though, he has been near the top of the NHL scoring in numerous seasons. That includes his 128-point season in 2018-19, where he had 41 goals and 87 assists. It seems year after year, he leads the Lightning in points and puts on a show when the playoffs start. This season, he has also stepped up in other areas, he is on pace to set a career-high in both blocked shots and hits, which always helps the team find a way to win.

Nikita Kucherov with an absolute rocket. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/7B8e2O9GOf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 10, 2023

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Widely considered the best goaltender in the NHL, Andrei Vasilevskiy is a freak of nature. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound netminder, has been one of the most consistent NHL players in the last five years. He has had over 30 wins per season since 2017-18, with the highest being 44 wins in 65 games players. This season, he has 29 wins in 50 games, with a SV% of .914, and a 2.70 GAA. The 28-year-old has a lot of years left in him, and when it is all said and done and he hangs ups the skates, he may be in the conversation with some of the best to ever strap on the pads.

Brayden Point

Brayden Point might be one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He has been overshadowed by the star power in Tampa that includes Victor Hedman, Steven Stamkos, Kucherov, and Vasilevskiy, but it is now his time to shine in the sunshine state. So far this season he has 43 goals and 36 assists for 79 points in 67 games. Not only will he be able to break the 50-goal mark for the first time in his career, but he may also be able to break the 100-point mark, which is amazing considering his injury history, which has kept him from reaching this level of production. His career-high in points in a season is 92 in 2018-19, which was the last season that he was fully healthy, and appeared in more than 70 games in a season. He is on pace to end the campaign with 95-96 points, but one multi-point night could put him over the century mark for the first time.