(Photos taken by Tampa Bay Lightning)
By Jake Ricker
The 2022-2023 season has come to a close, and the Tampa Bay Lightning 2023 exit interviews have now been completed. While the interviews may have come too soon, there were a lot of interesting takeaways from everyone's comments. In this article, we will break down the most important things that were said and what it all means moving forward.
Julien BriseBois
JBB started his press conference by saying that he thought this season was a "missed opportunity" for the Lightning, but every move made between now and the next season will be to make sure the Bolt's Stanley Cup window is here to stay.
Things won't be easy for JBB with just about eight million in cap space and eight UFA/RFA players to sign. One of the more prominent names is Alex Killorn, who JBB admitted would be a challenge to bring back, but it does help knowing Alex Killorn loves playing in Tampa and wants to stay.
Alex Killorn
Killorn had a personal record-breaking season with the most goals (27), assists (37), and points (64) in his career. When asked whether or not Killorn wants to leave Tampa, this is what he had to say, "No. I love playing here. I love everything about Tampa. I don't want to leave. It's just you have to look at all the angles for sure to make sure you make the right decision."
Killorn said he was thinking about a possible extension during the season. He understands things will be difficult but hopes something can be worked out. Killorn has made an impact on and off the ice for the Lightning and is a big part of this team. According to Killorn, his agent and JBB are already in the early stages of working on an extension.
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Vasilevskiy had what many would consider a down season for his standards. Vasy echoed this in his exit interview, saying that this is a glorious opportunity to take time and rest, and he wants to use it to get better for next year.
The most surprising part from Vasilevskiy's comments was about how he felt during the season. The Vezina trophy winner talked about how he did not feel like he was on the same page as his body after the first 35 games. He also said he was dealing with many little injuries and pushed himself past his limit. Vasy told reporters that this was a learning experience for him to take into next season.
Brian Elliott is a UFA next season, but whoever the backup goaltender is could see an increased role to help Vasilevskiy keep a good pace in the 23-24 season.
Steven Stamkos
Steven Stamkos had several things to say during his interview, and all of them should be very reassuring to Lightning fans. When the captain was asked about heading into the final year of his contract, he responded by talking about how much he loves Tampa and, in his eyes, the Lightning jersey is the only one he will ever want to wear.
When asked about the potential benefit of a long offseason, Stammer said that he wished they were still playing but acknowledged the potential benefits for a team that has grown accustomed to playing so deep into the postseason. He also talked about how he thought the Lightning played well for 95% of the first round and echoed JBB when saying this was a missed opportunity for the team.
Brayden Point
During JBB's interview, it was revealed that Brayden Point suffered a fractured rib cage during game three against Toronto. Point was asked about the play and had this to say, "I didn't think there was any intention on that at all. Like, you have a bunch of times in games you kind of try to feel that guy on your back & I just lost my footing & went in. But I didn't think it was a really bad play at all. Just unfortunate."
Point said the hardest part for him in the first round was knowing he didn't produce. Point finished round one with two goals and two assists in six games played. While it wasn't his most productive playoff performance, it's hard to blame him, considering he suffered a fractured rib cage in game three.
Victor Hedman
Victor Hedman, who suffered a hip impingement injury, confirmed that it happened in game one and was a new injury. The All-Star defenseman did say he was able to get things going in game three and didn't feel like it hindered him too much.
Hedman also spoke on potentially losing Alex Killorn, saying it was something he didn't even want to think about. The super Swede had some high praise for Killorn, saying, "He does a lot in the community. Influencer. For us, it would be devastating."
Mikhail Sergachev
Segachev saw an increased role with the departure of Ryan McDonagh before the season. And for the most part, the 24-year-old rose to the challenge. Sergachev said he felt like he did improve overall this season but said he still has a lot of room to grow next year. Sergachev also talked about the team's future, saying there is a reason you sign an 8-year deal. "I believe in this team and this organization. I think we're going to be set up for the next couple years to win more Cups."
Corey Perry
Corey Perry had a very impressive postseason finishing with two goals and three assists. He was a menace and made an impact each time he was on the ice. Perry will become a UFA this season but made it clear in his interview that he thinks he still has that drive to win a Stanley Cup. The veteran forward said that he believes in the Lightning locker room and hopes he can be a part of it.
Pierre-Édouard Bellemare
Bellemare battled through a lot of adversity this season with things like the unfortunate passing of his mom. Bellemare addressed the situation, saying that he started to find his game late in the season and wished he had another month to show everyone what he could do.
When asked if he wanted to continue to play hockey, Bellemare responded with, "In my mind, I love the game way too much. I can't quit now. I haven't had the Cup yet. "He also said he hopes he has done enough to show his value on the Lightning, but if not, "the sun will be up in the morning, and my kids will be up in the morning too."
Jon Cooper
Cooper talked a lot about what it felt like losing in the first round. He mentioned that because the standard is so high, losing so early doesn't feel good, and this is not how the team has rolled in the last decade. Coop also said he could see an empty feeling in the players and that it showed that they cared. He thought the team cared enough to win but couldn't get it done.
Cooper also had some high praises for Sergachev, saying he hopes people will push for him in the Norris conversation. "To me, it's going to be up to him, but he’s got superstar written all over him."
Closing Thoughts
It was disappointing for the Lightning after losing to the Leafs in round one. However, after listening to the comments of everyone, it is clear they will once again be ready to make another run next year. Perhaps the best part about though, was seeing the Lightning have truly built a world-class organization with so many players giving praise and indicating they want to stay with the team.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter so you don't miss out on any of our off-season coverage. The next step for the Lightning and JBB will be preparing for free agency, which will come with some tough decisions.
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