This will be the last week of Tampa Bay Lightning hockey we’ll see for a little bit as the original Olympic break has only been sparsely populated with games (three, in fact) over its 20 day hiatus.
After Tuesday’s home game with the San Jose Sharks on Feb 1st, the Lightning won’t see AMALIE Arena again until the 23rd when the Edmonton Oilers come to town. In between those 22 days will be a back-to-back in Colorado and Arizona, and another game in New Jersey the following week.
All-in-all, it’ll be a good chance for the Lightning to rest, get healthy, and prepare for the 15-game March and 16-game April headed towards the team before the May playoffs. Yeah, it’s a dense schedule of 31 games in only 61 days. Don’t ask me why some of the load couldn’t have been split with February, it is what it is.
If there are things you’d like us to write about during these long spans of no games, let us know in the comments! Our Lightning Rounds should continue to be full of content from the All-Star weekend, Olympics, and the usual hockey shenanigans that make up a season.
Lightning / NHL Links
Pat Maroon isn’t going to lead the league in scoring any time soon (although he did score 27 goals one year with Edmonton) but he provides the spark that will light the fire that will burn down the First Order I mean the spark that gets the Lightning going.
“He’s a selfless guy, brings the team together, and he’ll stand up for anyone out there,” Ross Colton said of fellow Lightning forward Pat Maroon. “He’s not afraid to mix it up.”https://t.co/FYFJh77yq2
— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) January 30, 2022
Canada’s Men’s Olympic team have lost their head coach, Claude Julien, to fractured ribs after slipping on the ice in Switzerland where the team is practicing ahead of the flight to Beijing. Julien has coached the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens for a long time, but was let go by Marc Bergevin and the Habs last season. Former Chicago head coach Jeremy Colliton takes over.
Hockey Canada says Claude Julien slipped on ice during team building activities in Switzerland, fractured ribs, and will be unable to fly to Beijing on advice of doctors. Jeremy Colliton takes over as head coach of Team Canada at #Beijing2022. https://t.co/4bMHOCZoqi
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 30, 2022
The Vegas Golden Knights signed three players yesterday to extensions. McNabb makes $2.85 million in his contract, while Amadio and Thompson are on (almost) league-min deals.
✍️ THREE SIGNINGS TO ANNOUNCE! 🚨
🚜 Brayden McNabb has signed a three-year extension
🙂 Michael Amadio has signed a two-year extension
🐺 Logan Thompson has signed a three-year extensionFull details 👇 #VegasBorn https://t.co/TjZOHrGrVO
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) January 30, 2022
It was the PHF All-Star Weekend yesterday, and we got to see a goalie-on-goalie shootout goal. Carly Jackson of the Buffalo Beauts, take it away.
This should be allowed in regular season games 😂
(🎥: @PHF) pic.twitter.com/DcMy05ScDf
— BarDown (@BarDown) January 30, 2022
Edmonton Oilers fans are at a major crossroads with Evander Kane. [Copper N Blue]
“In the department of something everyone could see coming, the Edmonton Oilers decision to sign Evander Kane has left most of its fanbase in one of two groups. There are those who wanted no part of seeing the talented winger make his way to the Alberta capital and those that are 100% behind whatever decision the organization makes and will hear nothing pertaining to issues that arose during his three previous NHL stops or any off ice troubles. Expecting either side to budge is unrealistic but nonetheless, it will be an interesting situation to watch unfold over the coming months.”
And lastly, here’s defenseman K’Andre Miller coming in the clutch and beating the Seattle Kraken with just over 30 seconds left on the clock.
With ~33 seconds to go in regulation, K’Andre Miller pulls the #NYR ahead 3-2 pic.twitter.com/IifKCZsqvb
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) January 30, 2022
