Quick Strikes for Thursday, April 23

• “Stamkos vows to be better in Game 4” Sounds like a pretty straight piece from one of the Tampa Bay dailies or with a Lightning slant, right? Wrong. Perhaps there’s a bit of trepidation? [Detroit Red Wings]
• On the local end, Tom Jones doesn’t invoke wariness; it’s time for Steven to step up. [Tampa Bay Times]
• Jonathan Drouin: Still waiting. [Tampa Tribune]
• Play-by-play man Rick Peckham talked with Sports Talk Florida about something – assertion – the Bolts need to do better Thursday night. You can find an audio embed on the article for more from Peckham. [Sports Talk Florida]
• Lindsay Kramer lays out some things the Syracuse Crunch are gonna have to do to win games and advance in the AHL playoffs. [The Post-Standard]
• Haven’t heard much about goalie Adam Wilcox since he signed his contract with the Lightning and joined the Syracuse Crunch. He’s had his starts with Syracuse, but he’s adjusting to the pro game. Jeremy Hoghtaling sat down with him for a little chat. [Bolt Prospects]
• An aspect about the 2015 NHL playoffs that hasn’t gotten much attention is the Atlanta Thrashers* playing in their second playoff series all time. Winnipeg’s revelry and reaction to the Jets playoffs… Well, try looking at it as a fan back in Atlanta. [SB Nation]
• Note to the Islanders – don’t get lost in seeking revenge and fighting to get even; get faster. [Islander Analytics]
• “Guy Boucher might be just the guy the Flyers need”… I’m sorry, I’m a little dumbstruck. Remember, Guy Boucher’s 1-3-1 was the bane of hockey and the Flyers “stood up” to it. I won’t bring up the pro-Philly reaction pieces for their turtle effort that faithful November night. [Broad Street Hockey]
• The NHL enforcer is a dying breed in part because of the advanced-stats/analytical movement in the NHL… Keep the knucklers or trust the numbers? [Grantland]
• The Selke Award nominees (best defensive forward) were announced yesterday: Patrice Bergeron, Anze Kopitar, and Jonathan Toews. No surprises here; we’ll see if any of the TKO Trio got voter recognition after the winner is announced in June. [USA Today]

Meanwhile, in the dregs of Edmonton…

• Could true changes, not just changing the curtains, be in store for the Oilers? Recently fired Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has been contacted by the organization. [The Copper & Blue]
• This one’s about Connor McDavid. It’s a movie comparison/analogy… and it’s so fitting! [The Copper & Blue]
• Hoopla and praise what Connor McDavid can do, there is an argument to make about moving the #1 selection in the 2015 NHL draft, y’know. [The Copper & Blue]

Who is the Tampa Bay Lightning regular-season MVP for 2014-15?