RALEIGH, NC – JANUARY 22: Teammates celebrate with Cory Conacher #89 of the Tampa Bay Lightning after his first period goal against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on January 22, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Cory Conacher has been the biggest surprise for the Lightning so far in this abbreviated season. Conacher scored the eventual game winner in last night’s (1/22) game against the Hurricanes to bring his points streak to three games. The rookie tallied his first assist, and then his first goal on January 19 versus the rival Capitals, had 2 assists in a 4-3 loss Monday (1/21) against the Islanders, and added a goal yesterday. Playing in the AHL for the Norfolk Admirals, Conacher recorded 39 goals and 41 assists in 75 games while scoring 2 goals and 13 assists in 18 playoff games. This year with the Syracuse Crunch, Conacher tallied 12 goals and 16 assists in 36 games. The experience in the minor league system has paid off so far for him in three games with the Lightning.

Conacher has spent the majority of his time playing with Teddy Purcell and Vincent Lecavalier, but Monday Guy Boucher placed the rookie on a line with Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. The amount of speed on that line is equal to no other, and it nearly led to a 4 goal comeback. Conacher fit in perfectly with veteran St. Louis and superstar Stamkos, which is definitely a good sign. With Boucher coaching the team, lines are never stagnant. Certain players will be mixed and thrown out on the ice with different players in different situations, so it is highly important for every player to be adaptive and for the entire team to have good chemistry with players outside of their usual linemates. Guy Boucher said this on Conacher following the first game on the 19th:

He fits right in. This guy is ready. It’s not a project and he’s ready to go. He’s got speed, he made some terrific plays, scored a goal and deserved it. – Guy Boucher on Cory Conacher

RALEIGH, NC – JANUARY 22: Coach Guy Boucher of the Tampa Bay Lightning talks with his players during a game against the Carolina Hurricanes during play at PNC Arena on January 22, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

Conacher fits right into the system employed with the Lightning by coach Boucher, and this is definitely a good sign for other prospects coming up through the AHL into the NHL. Players like Brett Connolly, Mike Angelidis, J.T. Brown and J.T. Wyman have already made appearances with the Lightning. While they were all sent back down to the AHL, they all made impressive first impressions. Pierre-Cedric Labrie and Keith Aulie also spent time in the AHL during the lockout, and have also performed up to par. With the Admirals ending the season on a phenomenal run eventually winning the Calder Cup, it seems rather obvious now that the Lightning organization has a solid game plan for developing prospects.

(All Syracuse Crunch player stats can be found here.)

Boucher’s comments on Conacher: Cory Conacher: My First Goal

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TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 13 :Fans stand in a line winding by the Phil Esposito statue waiting for the doors to open for Lightning Fan Fest. (Photo by Gabriel Moreta)

I usually don’t go about writing on my personal experiences on the website. For those of you that read my writings, you know my stuff is usually highly professional, with the possibility of some implied humor. During the season, I tend to stick with recaps and analysis of hockey. However, I attended yesterday’s (1/13) Lightning Fan Fest at the Tampa Bay Times Forum last night and was treated with a pleasant surprise. I was able to receive autographs from players Eric Brewer, Keith Aulie, Teddy Purcell, and Marc-Andre Bergeron. With each autograph, I felt a genuine care from the player. It was as if the player was, for that moment, only thinking of satisfying me. I watched the players autograph various Lightning items, and they all had a caring face on display. I was not the only one who received that warm feeling. Each player dedicated the thirty to forty seconds in which the fan was handing items to autographs to making that one fan happy. They could have been arrogant; after all, they are some of the best players in the world earning millions of dollars each year (which should be well known by now.) But each player was genuinely interested in each fan as he or she stepped up for an autograph.

The first player I met with was Eric Brewer. He greeted me, asked how I was doing. I replied in kind, and asked the same of him. He said he was feeling great about being back. Seated next to him was Keith Aulie. The first thing that popped into my mind was the big hits and  fights that Auile seems to always get involved in per game. I told him how excited I was to have the game returning to the ice. I told him it was about time, and Aulie gave a stark smirk and responded “It’s about time for us too.” I wished him good luck, and he gave me his gratitude. Hard to say I expected such a human element from a guy as tough as Aulie. Not to mention he and Brewer were huge.

Next was Teddy Purcell, but I’ll save that experience for last. Marc-Andre Bergeron was seated next to Purcell. I felt a humble vibe from the small defenseman. He didn’t say much, just a simple but sharp smile plus a nod. That immediately gave away that he is in fact from the French-speaking Quebec. But just his smile, and the time he took to nicely autograph my Go Bolts poster was special. It’s something that I don’t really notice in other professional sports. The most heartfelt moment of the day for me however was my moment with Teddy Purcell. As I handed him my poster, I asked him a question: “Hey Teddy, do you have to practice your autograph back at home?” I thought the question was comical, and so did he. He immediately broke into a laugh, and answered:

Well, the team gave us a set of 500 index cards once. I used to practice when I was a kid dreaming of being in the NHL. -Teddy Purcell

WINNIPEG, CANADA – APRIL 7: Teddy Purcell #16 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on April 7, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)

Whether any of that was truth, or just a joke, it showed the true human element in him. I didn’t feel as if I was speaking to a pro hockey player; it seemed as if Teddy was a peer that I would speak to on a daily basis. This speaks to the quality of the Lightning organization. A good organization does not surround just skill on the ice; it also includes personality and community relationships. This is the reason why Lightning fans are so close the the team. This is why the Lightning organization will become a world-class organization.