Damien Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times announced on Twitter the final players coming to training camp in Tampa and Estero, Florida.
C Tyler Johnson
RW J.T. Wyman
D Mark Barberio
D Radko Gudas
The most notable name not on this list was that RW Brett Connolly was not invited to Tampa Bay Lightning training camp. Not because he doesn’t deserve a spot there, but because he’s getting a lot more playing time with the Syracuse Crunch than he would be with the Lightning. Going into tonight’s game, Connolly was ranked 19th in AHL scoring.
Connolly wasn’t passed over, but is being left to get more experience and ice time as a player. He’s still a valuable piece to the Lightning, but keep in mind that he’s only 20 years old. So while he may or may not see NHL ice time this shortened season – and I’m betting he probably will due to injuries – he will certainly be a key part of this team for many years to come.
Of the guys playing in Syracuse, there were seven with NHL experience: W J.T. Brown, RW Brett Connolly, RW J.T. Wyman, D Keith Aulie, D Evan Oberg, G Dustin Tokarski, G Riku Helenius. Of those guys, only the goalies, Connolly, and Oberg were not invited. Brown is currently recovering from a broken collarbone that required surgery to repair.
