Tampa Bay Lightning's fourth straight first-round exit

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2025-26 season came to a frustrating end with a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.[1] It marks the fourth consecutive playoff campaign where the Bolts have failed to advance past the opening round, a stark contrast to their three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2020 to 2022. Every game in the series was decided by one goal, with four going to overtime, underscoring the razor-thin margins.[2]

Despite a dominant regular season and flashes of brilliance, Tampa Bay couldn’t overcome Montreal’s resilience and goaltending. The Canadiens advance to face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, while the Lightning head into an uncertain offseason.Jakub Dobes’ performance in Game 7, including a confident chirp toward Nikita Kucherov, capped their stunning upset.

A series of heartbreakers

The Lightning-Canadiens matchup was a playoff classic, tied 3-3 heading into Game 7 after Tampa forced overtime in Game 6 with a 1-0 shutout win.[3] All seven games were one-goal affairs, testing the nerves of fans on both sides. The road team won five times, including Montreal’s three victories in Tampa.

In Game 7 at Amalie Arena, Nick Suzuki opened scoring late in the first on a redirection, tying at 1-1 on Conor James’ power-play goal in the second. Alex Newhook sealed it in the third, batting in a rebound off the end boards.[1] The Habs managed just nine shots total—zero in the second period—yet prevailed thanks to stellar netminding.

Tampa silenced Montreal’s offense for stretches, holding them shotless for nearly 27 minutes. Coach Jon Cooper called it their best game of the series, but it wasn’t enough.The stakes couldn’t have been higher, as detailed in pre-game analysis.

Bad bounces plagued the Bolts, with both Habs goals involving deflections and fluky caroms. Cooper noted, “The winning team would likely get the most breaks.”[2]

Power play woes hurt too: after starting 2-for-5, Tampa went 3-for-24 the rest of the way. Home ice, expected to be an advantage, became a curse with three losses in four tries.

What went wrong for Tampa Bay

Goaltending was a mixed bag. Andrei Vasilevskiy posted a 2.18 GAA and .897 save percentage, outdueled by Montreal’s Jakub Dobes (2.03 GAA, .923 SV%). Dobes made 28 saves on ~29 shots in Game 7 alone.[1]

Vasilevskiy rolled his eyes at Cooper’s post-game assessment but agreed on “bad bounces,” especially Newhook’s winner off his back. The Big Cat stopped 7 of 9 but couldn’t bail out the team on flukes.[4]

Scoring dried up from stars. Nikita Kucherov managed one goal in the series and just two over 23 playoff games in four years, despite 21 assists lifetime in that span. He had zero points in Games 5-7, as did much of the core late.[2]

Jake Guentzel, Brandon Hagel, and Brayden Point combined for minimal production in the final three games. Only one Lightning player scored more than twice against Montreal.

Defensively, Tampa limited chances but faltered at home: 2-12 in their last 14 playoff home games, eliminated on home ice in four of five recent series. Depth issues surfaced without enough secondary scoring.

A tougher first-round matchup didn’t help, but regular-season seeding might have positioned them better. Still, little progress after four early exits.

Key offseason priorities

Pending UFAs loom large. Defenseman Darren Raddysh headlines after a breakout: 22 goals, 70 points in 73 games on a $975,000 cap hit.Puckpedia details his value, projecting a massive raise at age 30.[5]

Others include forwards Oliver Bjorkstrand, Corey Perry, Mitchell Chaffee, and Scott Sabourin. Perry’s veteran presence expires, as does Bjorkstrand’s deal.

Here’s a quick look at key UFAs:

• Darren Raddysh (D): 22G-48A-70P; needs extension.
• Oliver Bjorkstrand (F): Depth scorer, contract up.
• Corey Perry (F): Leadership, one-year wonder?
• Mitchell Chaffee (F): Bottom-six option.

GM Julien BriseBois dismissed talk of firing Jon Cooper after his 14th season. Cooper’s tenure includes two Cups, but recent playoffs raise eyebrows. BriseBois backed his coach firmly.[2]

Draft picks and cap space offer flexibility, but retooling around Kucherov, Point, and Vasilevskiy is key. Raddysh’s retention is urgent.

Is the Lightning’s window closing?

Four straight first-round flops signal potential decline for a once-dominant core. Vasilevskiy turns 32 soon, Hedman 36, McDonagh 37. Stars must heat up in playoffs.[2]

Yet Tampa’s regular-season success—top Atlantic contender—shows talent remains. Addressing UFAs and goaltending edges could reignite contention.

Brandon Hagel summed up the pain: “You’re going to win 99 percent of those games… But lose three at home, you’re probably not going to win.”[1] BriseBois has work ahead to break the cycle.

The Bolts aren’t rebuilding, but tweaks are essential. With smart moves, Tampa could return to contender status next spring—what it means for the Atlantic is anyone’s guess.