As Tampa Bay Lightning fans begin another fantastic day here in the Sunshine State, we take a closer look at some of the top headlines from here and around the NHL.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the Bolts Nation! As we prepare to embark on another amazing day here in Hockey Paradise, we find ourselves one day closer to the moment we have been waiting all off-season for…the start of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2016-17 season.
As most of you know by now, if you haven’t gone completely insane waiting for the new season to start, today is August 11th. This means we are now just 63 days away from the Tampa Bay Lightning Home Opener, which is set to take place on Thursday, October 13th as the Lightning take on a rather familiar foe…the Detroit Red Wings.
The off-season has been a particularly challenging time for Tampa Bay Lightning fans; especially given the amount of contracts that were in need of signing. The only person more stressed out than the fans was Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman. Thankfully, being the skilled General Manager Yzerman is, he was able to get a majority of those contracts signed early on.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Unfortunately, there are still a few contracts lingering out there in limbo land. One of those is the Lightning’s leading point scorer last season, Nikita Kucherov. As time continues to tick off the clock, Tampa Bay Lightning fans grow increasingly concerned that this particular contract may go by the wayside. Yzerman has said he’s been in constant contact with Kucherov’ team, so for now, we will have faith in Yzerman’s abilities.
Before many Tampa Bay Lightning fans head out the door and make their way to work, let’s take a closer look at some of the top Lightning headlines making their way around the Bolts Nation and some of the news from the remainder of the National Hockey League as well.
In any season, there are going to be a number of games that fans just don’t want to miss. A majority of those surround the teams your favorite team has a rivalry with. For Tampa Bay Lightning fans, this would be games like those against the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
As you can imagine, there are quite a few of those aforementioned games strewn throughout the course of the hockey season. Bolts By The Bay Staff Writer William Clewis has taken the time to go over the Lightning’s busy 2016-17 dance card and brought light to some of those encounters you just don’t want to miss. (Bolts By The Bay)
One of the biggest contracts Steve Yzerman had on his desk this off-season was that of Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. When all was said and done, Yzerman was able to secure the captain for another eight years with a $68 million contract extension.
Those who know anything about the amount of cap space the Lightning were left with this season knows this is a pretty hefty sum, despite the fact that Stamkos could have earned far more had he ventured to a new home for the upcoming season. Thankfully for the Lightning, this never came to pass.
Now, there is an even bigger looming question. What kind of play will we see out of Steven Stamkos now that he has his shiny new contract? Bolts By The Bay Staff Writer Austin Howard takes a look at this very subject and breaks down his thoughts on the captain’s new contract and his impending performance. (Bolts By The Bay)
must read: Tampa Bay Lightning Rival Report: Detroit Red Wings
As some of you may know by now, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been running a series where the fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite moments of the 2015-16 season. The competition has been pretty tough; especially considering the kind of season the Bolts had last season.
Well, after a hard-fought battle, the Sweet 16 has been set. Starting today, you can cast your vote for the Tampa Bay Bracket. There are some pretty amazing moments to choose from. There is no doubt this is going to be a tough decision for fans to make. Don’t ponder on it too long, though. You’ve only got until August 12th to vote on this particular bracket. (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Much like the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch are preparing to kick off their 2016-17 season. Of course, there is always one thing you need before you kick off a new season. No…not a new pair of skates, although that would be pretty sweet. You need to have a pre-season.
The Syracuse Crunch have officially announced their preseason schedule for the upcoming 2016-17 season. Unfortunately, unlike their NHL affiliate, the Crunch’s preseason isn’t very long. On the bright side, this means they’re on a slightly faster track to regular season hockey.
There is good news for Crunch season ticket members and 20-game plan members. It seems as if you’ll be receiving a little treat in the mail soon. Want to know what it is? Well, head on over to the Crunch’s page and find out for yourselves! (Syracuse Crunch)
News From Around The National Hockey League
So…speaking of preseason schedules…it seems as if the National Hockey League is ready to kick off the 2016-17 season almost as much as the fans do. The NHL has officially announced the complete preseason schedule for the 2016-17 season.
In this announcement, the NHL has taken the time to break things down a little for fans. One of the biggest breakdowns is the compilation of the games that will be played at neutral locations. It seems as if the T-Mobile Arena, the soon-to-be home of the newly minted Las Vegas franchise, will see a couple preseason games this season. We can’t think of a better way to get things started in Sin City. (NHL.com)
One of the most anticipated games of each season is the Winter Classic. It’s one of the few games where two teams gets to escape the confines of their arena and take their game where it was born, the great outdoors. This season, hockey fans will get to watch the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues.
This is certainly going to be an exciting matchup between two incredibly skilled teams. Unfortunately, according to those who were in attendance at the NHL’s recent press conference regarding the upcoming event fell rather flat, failing to give any real information about the upcoming event. (Blackhawk Up)
must read: Tampa Bay Lightning Year In Review: Vladislav Namestnikov
As we have mentioned before, it is never too early in the off-season to start scouting your opponents. Especially when you share a unique rivalry with said opponent. Of course, the research involved in such an endeavor can be quite time-consuming. This is one of those occasions where you have to work smarter and not harder.
What do we mean by this? Well, how about we let the opponent do it for us? Our friends over at Editor In Leaf have taken a closer look at the season to come and have started making some pretty bold predictions for the upcoming season. While none of these predictions involve a run at the Stanley Cup, there are still some pretty interesting tidbits located within. (Editor In Leaf)
If you are one of those fans who is knowledgeable about the prospects making their way around the NHL, there is no way you have yet to hear the name, Jimmy Vesey. At this particular moment, he is one of the most sought-after NCAA players in the nation.
Just about every team has thrown their hat in the ring to win the Vesey Sweepstakes, but there are very few who actually have a chance at nailing down the country’s most valuable free agent. One of the many teams that hope to sign Vesey to a contract is the Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately, some of their fans feel like they may have dropped out of the Top 3. (Sabre Noise)
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While there are still many days between now and the start of the 2016-17 season, the window to seal the deal with some of the remaining Lightning players without new deals is quickly coming to a close. Hopefully, we will hear something about Nikita Kucherov’ contract sooner rather than later. It would be a shame to break up the chemistry the Triplets have built over their time here in the Bolts Nation.