Lightning Round: Mid-Summer confidence poll time

There’s not much going on in the hockey world these days. Even less so concerning the Tampa Bay Lightning. One of the drawbacks to following a well-run organization is that they tend to get their stuff done early and it leaves quite a bit of down time. Good for the nerves, but bad for the news cycles.

With the Lightning pretty much maxed out in regards to the salary cap and most of the holes on the roster filled, we have a pretty good idea of what the team will look like in the 2022-23 season. Sure, there may be a spot or two open on the bottom lines, and there will be a bit of a rotation to see who fills Ondrej Palat’s spot on the top line, but for the most part we know what things will look like at Amalie Arena when the puck drops in October.

So with that being said, let’s take a moment to check to see how you fans think the Lightning will do next season. Prognosticating is usually a fool’s errand, especially this far out. Injuries, trades, bad luck, cold streaks, all of that can doom a team that, on paper, should be pretty good.

On the flip side, things could work out great. Nikita Kucherov could put together a full 82-game season and put up an Art Ross kind of season. Corey Perry can hold off Father Time for another season and score close to 20 goals again. Cole Koepke could step into an open spot on the roster and impress. All of those things could happen and there is no way to really know how things will play out until, well, they play out.

Still, with all of the tinkering that Julien BriseBois did this off-season, now seems like a good time to see how we’re all feeling about the team’s chances. So go ahead and vote! Feel free to leave a comment explaining your choice, or offer another potential outcome.

Lightning / NHL News

Lightning need to avoid Chicago’s downward spiral [The Hockey Writers]

The Lightning have the benefit of watching “dynasties” in Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Chicago try to navigate the salary cap world. What can they learn (and thus avoid) from the fall of the best team of the 2010s - the Chicago Blackhawks?

Top 10 plays of 2021-22 - Nikita Kucherov [NHL.com]

They should have called this the top 10 plays from the postseason. Pretty sure only one highlight is from the regular season. Spoiler alert, Kuch walking Aaron Ekblad is number one. But you knew that already, right?

Future Bolts is counting down their top 31 prospects in the Lightning organization. That could be a handy reference tool for next week (ooohhhh foreshadowing!)

Down in Orlando a familiar name will be guarding the pipes. Brad Barone is back for another season with the Solar Bears:

Surveying fan confidence in each NHL team’s front office [The Athletic]

The Athletic is running their annual confidence survey. I would imagine out belief in JBB & Co. is pretty high. This is a link directly to the Google document for non-subscribers.

Is the NHL rigged in favor of your favorite team or against it? [The Athletic]

The NHL hates the ______ because of _______!!!! Every fan base believes it. Much like baseball fans believe Keith Law hates their favorite team’s prospects. Of course, it’s not true, but where is the fun in believing that?

Tampa Bay Lightning

Hey, can you count to six? Are you aware that it’s more than five? Apparently, you’re not a referee in a crucial Stanley Cup Final game with a dynasty on the line.

Verdict: League rigged against you

Borje Salming announces he has ALS [Pension Plan Puppets]

One of the most popular players in Toronto Maple Leafs history announced that he has been dealing with the complications of ALS. Salming, 71, is the all-time Leafs leader in assists and spent 16 seasons with the team.

Results from the World Junior Championship

Sweden 3. Switzerland 2

Canada 5, Latvia 2

Both Jack Thompson (Canada) and Klavs Veinbergs (Latvia) had assists in the game.

Germany 4, Austria 2