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Regardless of the numbers General Manager Julien Brisebois presents, the Tampa Bay Lightning need to add an offensive piece at the deadline (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Lightning & Crunch Partnership Creates Best NHL/AHL Postseason Run

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Jim Bay | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 9:15 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch have each qualified for the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons. That is the longest active run by any NHL organization in which both its NHL and American Hockey League (AHL) teams have qualified for the playoffs.

The Lightning take the streak from the Boston Bruins, which had qualified for the postseason at both levels for the previous 11 seasons before missing out this season. The Colorado Avalanche are the next closest organization with five straight seasons of both NHL and AHL postseason showings.

Lightning vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois credited the success in part to the organization’s focus on establishing its culture at both levels.

“We take a lot of pride in what goes on in Syracuse. We invest a lot of resources there, we make sure we have really good people, we’ve had really good coaching staff over the years and invested in good coaching staffs. Right now, we’re fortunate enough that (Crunch head coach) Joel Bouchard and his assistants are overseeing the day to day operations there and doing a great job helping players realize their individual potential, and also the team realizing its collective potential.”

Success Without a Deep Prospect Pool

One of the more interesting facts about this postseason run is that the Lightning organization has routinely had its prospect pool ranked among the worst in the NHL. In winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021, along with the 146 playoff games played since the 2014-15 season, the Lightning have traded away many of their higher draft picks to achieve this playoff success.

To keep talent coming to the Lightning, the team must rely on making wise selections in the middle and later rounds of the draft, in addition to finding and signing undrafted talent. Then, they have developed their talent, with many of their prospects spending time in Syracuse. Among current Lightning stars who developed in Syracuse are Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“I’m grateful,” BriseBois said, “because the quality of the work that takes place in Syracuse eventually translates into us having the ability to continue to compete at the NHL level and continue to chase championships in Tampa.”

This season’s success in Syracuse was even more impressive because the team had to overcome more injuries than in any season prior, BriseBois said. He credited general manager Stacy Roest as well as Bouchard and a pair of first-year staff members, such as athletic trainer Alex Maring and physical therapist Tyler Bacarro, for working through those injuries.

Crunch Also Face Rival in First Round

Much like their parent organization, which is facing its in-state rival, the Crunch will face their in-state rival, the Rochester Americans, in the best-of-five North Division Semifinals. Like the playoff familiarity between the Lightning and Florida Panthers, the Crunch and Americans have had three straight playoff matchups between the clubs.

The Crunch have played in the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the previous four seasons and have qualified each year from 2017 to 2019. There was no Calder Cup postseason in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so those seasons are omitted league-wide.

Success in Syracuse also helps the Lightning. The Lightning saw numerous players recalled from their AHL affiliate to play during the 2024-25 regular season, and some earned first NHL appearances and goals along the way, such as Conor Geekie and Dylan Duke.

DYLAN DUKE! FIRST NHL GOAL!

He scores in his first NHL game in the state where he played college hockey with his family in attendance!

: ABC & @ESPNPlus https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/L0c9jlWa2B
— NHL (@NHL) February 8, 2025

“It really is a collective success,” Brisebois said. “A lot of people contribute. It starts with our scouts who find really good players for our organization, and then the development staff and Bouchard’s staff take over from there. It’s very important, and the fact we’ve made the playoffs every year is important for us, because I think it provides the right environment for our players to grow and develop.”

The Lightning opened their series last night (April 22), hosting the Florida Panthers at Amalie Arena, while the Crunch will play Game 1 of their series on Friday, traveling to Rochester.