The Tampa Bay Lightning took the Montreal Canadiens to seven games in a series that saw every game decided by one goal or fewer, both teams winning two games in overtime, and just great hockey overall.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were unable to get the job done, but they many players still showed why Tampa fans have no reason to worry. Their core is locked up for many years, and one of their most impressive players was a rookie.

The main priority for the Tampa Bay Lightning this offseason is re-signing Darren Raddysh. For a team that has struggled to score in big games, his lethal right-sided one-timer paired with Nikita Kucherov’s passing is a weapon that can’t be given up.

Player for player, they have… pic.twitter.com/Pt38Z3LEMQ

— Sam Len (@SamLenSports) May 4, 2026

May 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel (38) shoves Montreal Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson (53) during the third period in game seven of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark…