Bolts Open Training Camp With Renewed Hopes, Fast Pace, and Surprise Injuries
By Mike Smith | Thunderstruck Sports
The Tampa Bay Lightning opened the 2026-27 season with an invigorating first day of training camp Thursday. As 67 players ran drills and shook off the rust, the Bolts entered the Brandon TGH Ice Plex with renewed hope that the playoff demon that has plagued them for the past four seasons could be exorcised this year.
“Today is always the happiest day of the year," Head Coach Jon Cooper said Thursday after Day One of camp. "Everybody's coming in. The team's not picked. There's no fighting for ice time. Nobody's getting scratched. It is just the best day, and everybody's so gung-ho. I would sit here and say, like, it was really fast-paced, but maybe that could be because I haven't run a practice in a while, but the boys are humming … it was pretty impressive."
After four straight first-round exits, the Lightning are looking to rebound and make a deep run in 2026-27. That run begins this week in training camp.
"I think it's going to be important to start well, and certainly that starts in training camp," New defensive addition John Carlson said. "So I think that is probably what everyone is thinking about maximizing right now, getting as many reps with the team as possible."
“Everybody’s hungry in the gym, on the ice, working hard, and ready for day one here," Bolts D Ryan McDonagh said.
With the new collective bargaining agreement and the addition of two regular season games, training camp will be limited to 13 days and only four preseason games. Veterans with at least 100 games played in the NHL (or dressed as a goaltender) will play no more than two of those preseason games. On-ice activities during the first four days of training camp are capped at 1.75 hours per day.
That means things will be fast-paced and hectic this year.
“It's definitely a challenge," Cooper said. "Now you just have to fast-track everything you’re doing."
There was speculation that the team would not invite as many players as they have in the past to try out with the new timelines in place; however, by the time the roster was announced, 67 players (37 forwards, 23 defensemen, and seven goalies) were given the chance to compete for a roster spot.
They are all expected to hit the ice at breakneck speed.
“You like to sit here and say, well, we got a veteran group of guys. (and) yeah, we have some guys that’ve been here before, but we have a lot of guys that haven’t been here before,” Cooper said. “It’s getting them up to speed, so you’re just accelerating it. You have to impress upon the guys (that) it’s go time here, fellas. We don’t have time to screw around.”
“There is going to be competition for ice time. That is for sure," Captain Victor Hedman said of the defense. "That’s a good thing. You are going to need all of us and, then, probably some more throughout the whole year. It’s good to have competition, and those guys played great. We’re lucky to have them, so it’s exciting times for all of us heading into camp. We are going to fight for ice time and be ready to go.”
With the new format, those new players and prospects hoping to make the team roster will have less time to impress the coaches and front office staff. Cooper traveled to North Carolina earlier in the week to watch the Prospects Showcase hosted by Carolina.
“For all intents and purposes, that’s kind of the training camp for some of those guys, to get in some of those games because there’s so few (preseason) games,” Cooper said. “Players that normally have been in games in years past won’t get in games this year. So that was why I thought it was pivotal to go and watch on the weekend, which was great to see some of these players.”
Camp Opens With Positive Mindset
As training camp began, thoughts of the recent past lingered in the hallways and locker room as the Lightning look to shake off the sting of four straight first-round playoff exits.
Lightning Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was very vocal at the end of last year about how the team underperformed in recent playoff appearances. His outlook coming into the new season was much more lighthearted.
“I am excited to be here once again," Vasilevskiy said. "A lot of positive emotions so far, and we'll see at the end of the season if those emotions will stay positive.”
The team is looking for a fresh start this year, and that's become the priority since the offseason began. To shed their tainted past, the Bolts know they must start over and work hard.
"It's a new year, and you've got to put things behind you," forward Bradon Hagel said. "Our team got better! We have some of the best players in the entire league. This year we have to come in, and we have to prove that!"
"Enough is enough, and if you ask everyone, they are going to say the same thing."
With Hagel as the heart and emotion of the Lightning organization, McDonagh pointed out the grit needed to stay focused as a new year begins.
“It’s been the theme for our group and myself the last couple of years; it definitely tests you mentally, how you’ve got to start from scratch,” McDonagh said.
Cooper emphasized to his team the expectations he has for them, as well as the ones they have set for themselves.
“The guys know we have a standard here, and it's been pretty impressive to watch this group over the past decade and make the playoffs every single year except for one. You can't take that for granted," Cooper said. "You can't just sit here and say, ‘Oh, you're throwing a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform on, and you're making the playoffs.’ You have to work your way to get there."
"There's two more games this season. It's a little bit longer now, but you start to identify some reasons why we haven't advanced, and I think there were some points there that we want to build on this year to make sure that we not only make the playoffs but we make a run.”
Surprise Injuries Result in Potential Opportunities
Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois announced Wednesday that Yanni Gourde will miss the first few months of the regular season after hip surgery over the summer. BriseBois hinted at the end of last season that a player needed evaluation for possible surgery, and that player was Gourde.
Bolts F Dominic James will also miss the start of the regular season with an upper-body injury.
The key injuries forced Brisebois and the Bolts to look for potential replacements as the season gets underway in October.
Former Bolts F Luke Glendening joined the team this week on a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO) to potentially replace the ailing Gourde. Glendening spent two seasons with Tampa Bay before splitting the 2025-26 season with the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers.
In his two seasons with the Lightning from 2023-25, Glendening scored 14 goals and four assists for 18 points in 158 regular-season affairs, adding two points in 10 postseason games.
Glendening was home playing with his children when he received a call from the Lightning with the PTO offer.
"For 10 days I've been playing dress up and Barbie dolls with the girls, and I got a call Tuesday night," said Glendening, referring to his children. "I get the situation, and I am fully aware. But I'm just so thankful to be here."
"Any day at the rink is a blessing, and man, if you had told me in 2012 that in 2026 I'd be in an NHL training camp, I would have never believed you. So I'm just thankful and grateful."
Glendening won a spot on the Devils' roster last year on a PTO and will face stiff competition to fill the void left by the injuries.
Lightning prospects Sam O'Reilly and Benjamin Rautianen also have opportunities to earn an early spot on the bench as the season gets underway.
Gourde is already back on skates, working out, and is expected to return to the lineup in December.
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