Lightning make logical choice with lineup vs Kraken after James, Lilleberg return

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper announced that Dominic James and Emil Lilleberg will return to the lineup against the Seattle Kraken. James is set to make his season debut after recovering from a broken hand, while Lilleberg returns after missing time since the win against the Washington Capitals. In corresponding moves, Gage Goncalves and Charle-Eduord D'Astous will be out of the lineup.

Bolts by the Bay argues that keeping an 11-forward, seven-defenseman lineup structure makes sense because the setup has resulted in four victories this season. Lilleberg is projected as the seventh defenseman alongside a Victor Hedman and Max Crozier pairing, while James is expected to center a bottom line with Conor Geekie.