Blueline Bolstered: Deep Lightning 'D' Ready for Anything Thrown Their Way

Riley Gillespie-Wilson | Thunderstruck Sports

Photo Credit: Alyssa Shimko | Thunderstruck Sports

The 2025-26 NHL campaign has been a rollercoaster of highs, lows, injuries and everything in between for the Tampa Bay Lightning blueline. It's been the same story unfortunately for a key component of not only the back-end, but the locker room, city and community. Victor Hedman has played in just 33 of the Bolts' 71 games.

How have the Lightning been able to stay afloat amidst all the chaos? The answer lies within it's defensive depth, next-man-up mentality, and resolve in the face of adversity.

Now, yes, it's clear Tampa has had an up-and-down year in every sense, not excluding their defense which has at times looked porous and turned the puck over. That being said, this is a group that is most definitely deeper than most teams can boast.

Who Do We Have to Thank?

The obvious pieces that have played huge roles, like your 20-goal scorer Darren Raddysh, and the unexpected but cherished play of Charle-Edouard D'Astous only begin to tell the story.

Probing further, individual stats prove a handful of candidates have upped their game this season to create the stability this D group craves night in and night out.

Steady 'Mo'

Maybe not jumping off the page in terms of offence like Raddysh, a critical cog on the Tampa Bay blueline has been JJ Moser.

Moser has been a plus/minus god. He clocks in at +44 on the season, an incredible mark to jumpstart the Bolts' D. He adds a respectable 27 points on the campaign in 69 games played.

It can't be overstated what the steady presence of Moser brings to this group. He was rewarded with an 8-year, $54 million contract in December.

Emil Emerging

Having just returned to the rotating cast of Tampa Bay D-men is Emil Lilleberg. Say what you will about him, Lilleberg has seen marked improvements from a year ago. The Norwegian is above the ledger line at +9 for the first time in his career.

Lilleberg is filling a role beneath Raddysh and the veterans, and he's been doing so handsomely of late. He's also been limiting turnovers far better than in his younger years.

The play of Lilleberg shouldn't go unnoticed in nicely rounding out this D corps.

The Youth

It would be a shame not to properly give flowers to Charle-Edouard D'Astous for his breakout year. While the numbers are a work in progress, and the former ECHL journeyman is still guilty of the odd turnover, he has been a huge boost for the Bolts.

Beyond D'Astous, when called upon, Declan Carlile has been great, actually a +5 in his 38 contests.

Even Steven Santini has held his own, tallying a point in ten games and garnering a +1 rating.

All in the Name of Balance

As the dominos fell into place throughout the Lightning season, one thing has been a huge aid - and that's been steady, and more consistent play from pretty much everyone mentioned in this article.

As Victor Hedman steps aside to tend to personal matters, it has to feel good that this back-end is still in excellent hands.

While consistency (and stopping teams off the rush) are still being searched for to a degree down the stretch, one thing is for sure: these youngsters, and developing D alike - they've still got some rock solid leadership to lean on.

Mac Truck and Cernak Lead the Way

Two bodies now both healthy at the same time are being leaned upon in this defensive group. You didn't think you'd get through this article without mention of the vets, did you?

While McDonagh, like Hedman, has missed some time due to injuries of his own, he and Erik Cernak both being back and playing simultaneously is always an absolute gift. They're the perfect mix of defensive prowess, experience and sandpaper to lead a young blueline.

Making Sense of it All

It's been a rotating cast of blue and white jerseys all season, undoubtedly. That has been a theme up front, but man-games aside, it just felt like it hindered the back-end more, did it not?

Trying to pin down exactly what makes this group successful may be a fool's game this year. It sometimes feels like there's no rhyme nor reason to this team.

There are a few certainties, though. The healthier they are, the better. More bodies equals more options. More options usually equals more success.

There are plenty of theories floating around whether the Bolts defend better without Hedman, and many fans have their own takes on individual player motivation depending on the circumstance.

Primed for a Run

If you're Jon Cooper, Assistant Coach Rob Zettler or anyone involved with coaching the Lightning defense, you've got to roll with the cards you're dealt and make the best possible decisions to get your team moving in the right direction.

This Tampa Bay group, though? They're tough as nails, they're deep, and with 'Coop' at the helm, you know they'll battle until the bitter end.

With less than a month until the playoffs, defense is at a premium. All we can really do is sit back, and enjoy the ride.