Amid the shortcomings of the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, their greatest perceived weakness was the blue-line. The Lightning’s defense core was not as strong as in year’s past and it was undeniable and led to a up-and-down season. A bright spot on the season however was the emergence of two young defensemen in Nick Perbix and Darren Raddysh, who can strengthen the Lightning defense as a whole.
For both players, it was their first season seeing regular action in the NHL. For Perbix, it was even his first full pro season. Both players ended up exceeding expectations as the Lightning found themselves with two solid defensemen on their hands that might even be better than initially thought.