After Stamkos and Hedman are both gone, I’d bet money the next captain is Point. Not that Cirelli isn’t a leader but Point seems to be the future of the team.

I honestly can't find words to describe how proud I am of this team. They went from getting swept by the #8 seed in the first round (after having a ridiculous regular season no less) to winning the Cup in the bubble in 2020 (without Stammer no less), then winning a second straight Cup in 2021. The memories from those two years are unreal.

2020: The acquiring of Goodrow and Coleman to form the death line of Gourderowman. Point's 5OT winner in Game 1 against Columbus. Point's series-winning OT winner in Game 5. Diving-Bogosian to Diving-Coleman against the Bruins. Palat's OT winner in Game 3. Hedman's series-winning OT winner in Game 5. The McDonagh-to-Kucherov game-winner with 7.8 seconds left in Game 2 against the Isles. The Cirelli series-winning OT winner (off a ridiculously underrated pass from Goodrow that never gets talked about) in Game 6 to send them to the Cup. The beautiful Point goal in Game 4 in the SCF, followed by Shattenkirk's PP OT winner. Point and Coleman with the goals in Game 6, Vasi gets the first of his series-winning shutouts. Lightning, 2020 Stanley Cup Champions. (Conn Smythe: Victor Hedman.)

2021: That ridiculous Game 1 against Florida (Kuch with 2 goals in his return, Pointer ties it late on the PP, then Pointer with a late breakaway forehand-backhand-five-hole winner for the ages off a terrific stretch pass from McDonagh to win it 5-4). Pointer's making a pylon out of Weegar in Game 6 with a highlight-reel goal, Killorn with the empty-netter (2nd of the game), Vasi with another series-winning shutout. Goodrow with the Game 1 winner late against the Canes. Cirelli with the Game 2 winner late. That crazy Game 4 and the Lightning's shelling of Mrazek (Stammer with 2 goals, Kuch and Palat 2-on-1 seals it late). Point with the ridiculous backhand-forehand-backhand opening goal in Game 5 off the pass from Killorn. Colton seals it late. Vasi with ANOTHER series clinching shutout. The amazing Round 3 against the Isles, from Point scoring while getting face-planted into the ice in Game 3, McDonagh getting robbed by a diving Pulock in Game 4, to the Game 5 8-0 blowout win, to Beauvillier keeping the Isles alive in Game 6, to the incredible Game 7 1-0 win on the Gourde SHG (first Game 7 in league history to end 1-0 on a SHG). Vasi with ANOTHER series clinching shutout. Cernak with the beautiful Cup-opening goal in Game 1 against the Habs. The ridiculous Goodrow-to-Coleman diving-one-handed-goal-to-beat-the-clock in the 2nd period of Game 2. Tyler Johnson coming up clutch with 2 goals in Game 3. The Colton Cup-winning goal from Savard in Game 5 for the 1-0 win. Vasi with HIS 5TH CONSECUTIVE series-winning shutout. Lightning, 2021 Stanley Cup Champions. (Conn Smythe: Andrei Vasilevskiy.)

2022: And now this year. Getting rocked in Game 1 against the Leafs. Winning Game 2. Losing Game 3. Blowing them out to even it up in Game 4. Losing a heartbreaking Game 5. Down 3-2 after 40 minutes in Game 6. Tying it up on the 5-on-3. Point's OT winner sends it to a Game 7. Nick Paul (trade deadline acquisition GOAT, who they MUST re-sign) with the incredible 2 goals to win Game 7 2-1, onto Round 2. The Game 1 win. The Game 2 winner in the dying seconds from Colton. Wins in Amalie in Games 3 and 4 for the sweep, Vasi with a total of 3 goals allowed in 4 games against the highest-scoring offense in the league, onto Round 3. Getting shellacked in Game 1, losing Game 2, down 2-0 to the Rangers coming back to Amalie, and down 2-0 halfway through Game 3. Coming back to tie it. Palat with the late game-winner, back in the series. Game 4 win, series even. Game 5 and clutch Sergachev (Palat? Still can't tell) to take a 3-2 series lead, and then the Game 6 goals from Stammer to win it 2-1 and take the series. Back to the Cup.
But as Cooper said, they weren't playing a bunch of "powder puffs" in the Avs, and they had to do it without Brayden Point. And STILL, 3 out of their 4 losses were by 1 goal, all without Pointer (save for the first 2 games where he wasn't close to 100%). Avs win the Cup in 6, congrats to them. They're a heck of a group.

But still, what an incredible job by this team. And hey, the dynasty's not over! They should be in contention next year again, hopefully-there's work to do in the offseason (moving McDonagh/Killorn, re-signing-Paul/Palat/Rutta), but they can do it. Here's to the 4th Stanley Cup win in Lightning history come 2023. #GoBolts