Tampa Bay Lightning prospect forward Cory Conacher led the Syracuse Crunch in Overall Points in the 2016-17 season.
The 2017 NHL Free Agency Period is in full effect and all 31 teams in the National Hockey League have wasted no time in digging in their heels and reaching out to some of the most high-valued Free Agents on the market in an attempt to better their team before the upcoming 2017-18 season.
Thankfully for those of us here in the Bolts Nation, Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman was more than ready to take on the ginormous task before him. In fact, Yzerman got down to business before the doors to the Free Agency Period even opened.
On June 28, two full days before the Free Agency Period began, Steve Yzerman announced via a Press Release on the Lightning’s official site the organization had come to terms with Syracuse Crunch forward Cory Conacher on a new two-year deal. According to the Press Release, the new deal is worth $650,000 per season at the NHL level.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning fans were ecstatic when the news broke around this time last season that Cory Conacher would be returning here to the Bolts Nation. However, the celebration would only last so long for Conacher. Given the short length of his new contract, he would have very little time to make his mark and prove to Yzerman and Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper her deserved to remain here in Tampa Bay.
Cory Conacher spent most of the 2016-17 season with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. In the 56 games he’d play during the regular season, Conacher would bring home 17 goals and 43 assists for a total of 60 points. These numbers would place Conacher in fourth place on the team in goals, second place in assists, and tied with defenseman Matt Taormina for first place on the team in overall points.
The 27-year-old forward’s leading ways would carry on into the postseason. Conacher would play a total of 22 games with the Crunch during their run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. In this amount of time, Conacher would notch 12 goals and 16 assists for a total of 28 points.
These numbers gave a definite bump to Conacher’s stature in the system. Not only did he lead the Syracuse Crunch in both goals and overall points during the Calder Cup Playoffs, he also led the AHL in those respective categories. Needless to say, Conacher has definitely earned his repeat performance here in the Bolts Nation.
If there is anything we can say with one hundred percent certainty, it would be we can’t wait to see what Cory Conacher has in store for us next season. If he can continue on the path he’s currently on, there’s no telling how far the Syracuse Crunch can go next season.
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Also, in the event of an unfortunate injury to a member of the main roster (please, hockey gods, not again…) the Lightning will have one heck of a solid backup ready to make his way here to the Bolts Nation and hold down the fort with excellence. Conacher, we here at Bolts By The Bay are glad to have you back. Here’s to next season!