Championship tiers, baby.
The 2021-22 NHL season is upon us, so it's time to slot teams in an inflexible position through a totally arbitrary tier system.
Remember: these positions are binding, people.
The standard
By any other measure, the Tampa Bay Lightning had a disastrous offseason. They not only lost three incredibly important players, but each piece from a line that did something for the team that no other combination could. Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman, and Barclay Goodrow were a problem for opponents, bringing a measure of completeness to a roster that was only then prepared to achieve its potential: back-to-back Stanley Cups.