Tampa Bay Lightning Headlines And News From Around The NHL
As the sun rises once again here in the Bolts Nation, we take a closer look at some of the top Tampa Bay Lightning headlines and other news from around the NHL.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the Bolts Nation. The sun is about to rise once again here in the Sunshine State, which means we are one day closer to the first official puck drop of the 2016-17 season.
For those of you keeping count, we are now just 60 days away from the Tampa Bay Lightning taking the ice once again. That’s right…we are officially two months away from the Tampa Bay Lightning Home Opener, which is scheduled for October 13th, where the Lightning will take on the Detroit Red Wings.
Unfortunately, Kucherov Watch is still in full effect. Two months shy of the start of the regular season and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s leading goal scorer in the 2015-16 season has yet to sign a new contract with the team. What does this say about the future of Nikita Kucherov? Maybe nothing at all. After all, look how long it took the Bolts to get Lightning captain Steven Stamkos secured in his new eight-year contract extension.
Tampa Bay Lightning
While there may only be two months between now and the first puck drop of the regular season, it’s still plenty of time for Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman to work his magic and get the 23-year-old Lightning winger signed up for another couple seasons here in the Bolts Nation.
In the meantime, why don’t we all sit back and take a closer look at some of the top Tampa Bay Lightning headlines making their way around the Bolts Nation and some of the other happenings around the National Hockey League today?
Aside from signing Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos to an eight-year contract extension, one of the biggest deals Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman has made over the course of the off-season is signing Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman to an eight-year extension of his own.
In a recent poll, Victor Hedman was ranked in fifth place among defensemen in the National Hockey League. Bolts By The Bay Staff Writer William Clewis takes a closer look at the Swedish defenseman and discusses the leaps and bounds Hedman has made on his way to becoming one of the league’s premiere defensemen. (Bolts By The Bay)
Every season when Tampa Bay Lightning fans make their way to the Amalie Arena to watch their boys and blue take the ice and face down their toughest opponents, one of the first things they see is the Grand Entrance. While we have always been pretty big fans of the upgrades to the Arena, there is another part of the Lightning’s game day experience we see before we make our way inside.
Before each game, we get a performance from the beautiful and talented Lightning Girls. As most of you know by now, it was a matter of weeks ago when the Lightning Girls held their auditions for the 2016-17 season. Now, the Lightning Girls have finally announced their new lineup for the upcoming season. (Tampa Bay Lightning)
We have mentioned this one before, but there are some things that bear repeating. On Monday, August 16th, the Tampa Bay Lightning, along with the Amalie Arena, will be hosting a part-time job fair. Both the team and the arena are looking for dedicated people who wish to fill positions during various arena events, including Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Storm games.
As you can imagine, there is a lot of preparation that goes into game day. This means there is something for people of all skill sets and desires. Want more information on the event? Well, head on over to the Lightning’s official site and see for yourselves. (Tampa Bay Lightning)
The off-season means many different things to many different people. For fans, it is the agonizing time when there is no hockey being played and they have to sit idly by and wait for their favorite players to hit the ice once again. For players, it is a time to relax, rehab their bodies, and spend time with their families and friends.
Then, there are some who have special occasions that fall within that particular time of the year. August 13th just happens to be one of those aforementioned special occasions. Yesterday marks the 23rd birthday of Tampa Bay Lightning center Cedric Paquette. Join us in wishing him a very Happy Birthday. (Bolts By The Bay)
News From Around the National Hockey League
One of the hottest topics in the sports world right now are the events taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. While the name Michael Phelps is the name people have heard the most, he’s not the only person to dominate in the pool this year.
Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky not only set a new World Record, but she went on to break said record in the same Olympic Games. We would be willing to venture you have not heard the last of Ledecky. The question you’re probably asking yourself now is, “What in the world does this have to do with hockey?”
Well, the answer is quite simple. It seems as if Ted Leonsis, the owner of the Washington Capitals, has known Katie Ledecky since she was a small child and the two share a pretty tight bond between them. NHL.com Staff Writer Cristina Ledra takes a closer look at the longtime relationship that dates back to the days when the only thing she wanted to do in the pool is splash around. (NHL.com)
One of the most eligible Free Agents in the National Hockey League without a home right now is former Arizona Coyotes center Antoine Vermette. Since having his contract bought out by the Coyotes, which came as one of the biggest surprises of the off-season, Vermette has received plenty of offers from other teams.
According to our friends over at FanSided, it seems Vermette is almost ready to make his decision and unveil to the rest of the world where he will make his new home when the 2016-17 season kicks off in October. There are five teams vying for contention. The question now is, which one will it be? (FanSided)
The Toronto Maple Leafs underwent some of the most dramatic changes over the course of the off-season. Their drastic drop in cap space probably had a lot to do with their hopes of luring hometown hero Steven Stamkos to their organization. Even though they weren’t successful in the Stamkos Sweepstakes, the Maple Leafs have definitely found themselves in a better position than they did in the previous season.
Tim Chiasson, Editor with our friends over at Editor In Leaf, takes a closer look at the team’s prospect pool and where the Maple Leafs really stand in terms of their rebuilding phase and what we can look for from the team in the upcoming season. (Editor In Leaf)
There are many facets to a professional hockey team being successful, it is some of the simplest ones that can make or break a game. One of those aforementioned facets is the faceoff circle. One team in the National Hockey League who has continued to struggle in this arena is the New Jersey Devils.
The 2016-17 season is going to bring many changes for many different teams in the league. According to our friends over at Pucks and Pitchforks, the faceoff circle is one of the places fans can expect some real changes in the upcoming season. (Pucks and Pitchforks)
Next: Tampa Bay Lightning Ranks Highly in New Poll
The start of the 2016-17 season is just around the corner. Before we know it, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be lacing up their skates and taking the ice to fight for their chance to play for the greatest trophy in all professional sports, the Stanley Cup.