Despite losing to the Minnesota Wild in regulation on Thursday night (Oct. 24), there are plenty of reasons for Tampa Bay Lightning fans to remain optimistic in the early stages of the 2024-25 season. For starters, the team is massively improved at five-on-five, a weak point of last season’s team that relied heavily on the power play to score goals.
Related: Tampa Bay Lightning Place Conor Sheary on Waivers
While many new players are still adjusting to a new environment, some returning players have made strides in their development over the offseason from last year’s Lightning squad. One of those players is Michigan-born winger Mitchell Chaffee, who’s looked much better this season.
Chaffee Returns With Solid Start to Sophomore Season
Arguably the most-improved player on the roster relative to last season, the undrafted product out of the depths of the Wild organization cracked Tampa Bay’s roster halfway through the 2023-24 season. In his first NHL season, Chaffee recorded four goals and three assists for seven points in 30 games. The winger was a decent two-way presence and went hard on the forecheck, but there was still work to be an effective NHL player. So far this season, Chaffee has looked excellent for the Lightning in a third-line role.
In the first seven games of the season, Chaffee has a goal and two assists for three points, which puts him on pace for 35 points. Furthermore, he even got minutes on the second-line right wing alongside Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, but the Lightning have elected to put players like Nick Paul and Conor Geekie in that spot. The difference in Chaffee’s game compared to last season is his improved speed and puck-handling abilities. The 26-year-old is carrying the puck confidence in transition, and the microstats back this claim up.
Microstats Point to Chaffee as an Effective Puck Carrier For Tampa Bay
For some quick background, I plan to hand-track microstats for the Lightning throughout the 2024-25 season. This dataset will include data points such as passes, zone entries, and additional stats the NHL doesn’t cover. I will continue to share my findings throughout the season, so stay tuned for updates.
One of the main game aspects I want to emphasize this season while covering the Lightning is zone entries and exits, otherwise known as “transition” in broad terms. Teams that can quickly and efficiently transition up and down the ice are much more…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…