Quick Strikes: What are the insiders saying about Brayden Point’s contract?

The Bolts

Bob McKenzie of TSN went on the radio and outlined the broad-stroke arguments being made for and against all three of Brayden Point, Mikko Rantanen, and Mitch Marner. For the Tampa Bay Lightning, they might not be able to afford a long-term contract, so his deal could be a bridge. Also, Bob broke down the arguments for and against Marner getting paid more or less than Point. [TSN OverDrive]

The Winnipeg Jets have a summer free agency shopping list. Their list is pretty good and Tampa Bay Lightning fans would do well to take a peak and see which players might appeal to them. Yes, I’m talking about Jake Gardiner. [Arctic Ice Hockey]

TSN published their top 25 UFA listing recently. Glancing at a list like this as a fan brings up feelings of dread and excitement. Dread if your team is facing the almost certain loss of one of your top players. Excitement dreaming of how certain UFA’s would look wearing your team’s jersey next season. The list of Jets UFA’s is well known to fans of the team, and the general consensus is pretty neutral.

The Prospects

The Syracuse Crunch are going to start their annual tradition of auctioning off their jerseys. Everything must go!

A few days after the auction gets underway, the Crunch will also be selling off all their equipment from the past year. There’s a lot of great stuff to be had early on if you’re fast enough to snatch them.

The Game

The Boston Bruins are probably going to win the Stanley Cup this year. Ugh. Ugh. Argh. UGh. [Cane’s Country]

After losing both games at TD Garden, the Carolina Hurricanes came home on Tuesday in hopes of getting back into this best-of-seven Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t in the cards for Carolina, whose loss on Tuesday put them down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Final and on the brink of elimination from the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The New York Rangers fans are catching the Kappo Kakko fever and there’s no cure. [Blueshirt Breakaway]

Joe and Mike sink their teeth into the Kaapo Kakko show (aka the 2019 IIHF Men’s World Championship) and discuss why so many Rangers fans seem to be dreading “ending up” with Jack Hughes. As Tom wrote earlier this week, there’s no bad scenario for the Rangers if they can come away with either Kakko or Hughes. It’s a win-win.

Former Bolt Slater Koekkoek was re-signed by the Chicago Blackhawks. [Second City Hockey]

The 25-year-old Koekkoek was the only Chicago defenseman on the ice for more shot attempts, shots on net, goals, scoring chances and high-danger chances than against, according to Natural Stat Trick. He had the best high-danger chances allowed rate among Blackhawks defenseman, second best Corsi-For rate at 52-percent and joined Henri Jokiharju as the only defenseman that was one the ice for more scoring chances for than against.

Highlight of the Night: Gritty won a Webby!