After witnessing Nikita Kucherov carry the Tampa Bay Lightning on his back last season, the front office made a valiant effort to improve the bottom six this summer. Julien BriseBois signed Cam Atkinson to a one-year deal to mitigate the depth scoring. He will undoubtedly contribute offensively under Jon Cooper this season. With that said, where does he slide in the lineup?
At 35, many believe his best days are behind him due to a riddling injury history. However, after analyzing through a deeper analytical lens, Atkinson is the perfect fit for a third-line right-wing role this season. Furthermore, he can make this contract a bargain for BriseBois and the Lightning.
About Cam Atkinson
Drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets back in 2008, Atkinson was a steal at the 157th overall pick. The Connecticut native would spend a decade in Columbus, even reaching the NHL All-Star Game in 2019. Then, he joined the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for the perennial passer Jakub Voracek. He spent three seasons in Philadelphia but missed the entire 2022-23 season with a neck injury.
Atkinson luckily came back for the 2023-24 season with the Flyers but lost a step in his game. After a rough season, Philadelphia bought out of the final year of his seven-year, $41.3 million contract. He hit the free agent market as an unrestricted free agent, landing in Tampa Bay on a one-year deal with a cap hit of $900,000. While Atkinson won’t score 40 goals like he did twice in his career, he will round out the bottom six and be an impactful player this season.
Atkinson’s Play Style and Archetype
The Lightning added a high-volume shooter in Atkinson this summer. Moreover, he ranked tied for 97th in shots amongst forwards in 2023-24. The 35-year-old finds soft areas in the offensive zone for high-danger shot attempts. The once-speedy forward is excellent at creating space for himself in a scoring position. Plus, Atkinson can distribute the puck if the right shot isn’t available. Corey Sznajder from AllThreeZones ranked Atkinson in the 94th percentile of chance assists per 60 last season.
Whether generating off the cycle or the rush, the veteran winger will find success. While Atkinson isn’t the primary puck carrier when entering the zone, his rush opportunities result in passing plays and scoring chances. Meghan Chayka at Stathletes found that rush opportunities following an offensive-zone pass are more than two times more likely to result in a goal and five times more likely to face a non-set goaltender. His dual-threat play style makes him the perfect third-line right wing this season with two specific linemates.
Potential Linemates
Atkinson can do it all offensively, which makes him the ideal linemate for Nick Paul and Michael Eyssimont this season. Paul provides defensive support along with size and a goal-scoring touch. The 29-year-old posted a career-high 24 goals last season in 82 games played. He prefers to dump the puck and retrieve on the forecheck but can also get involved in the rush if needed.
On the left side, Eyssimont is an up-and-coming workhorse. However, he needs some fine-tuning to his game. Eyssimont is a zone entry machine—the young, speedy forward drives wide and aimlessly shovels pucks on the net from low-danger areas. In addition, his passing game needs to improve significantly. With Atkinson on his line, Eyssimont can set up passing plays to execute high-percentage plays on his zone entries.
Reasonable Expectations for Atkinson
While the microstats and shot volume metrics signal hope, defensive woes and injuries highlight concerns with signing Atkinson. However, the contract is anything but detrimental to the Lightning organization this season. Under one of the best head coaches in the NHL, expect him to have a solid season in Tampa Bay. Anywhere in the 30-40 point range is reasonable for the 35-year-old in the final stages of his professional hockey career. Ultimately, no one should complain about this low-risk, high-reward signing.
