Lightning News
Lightning cut 22 players [Raw Charge]
With the days left until the season starts time is running short on deciding who is going to make the team. The organization whittled down the camp numbers by 22 yesterday as a mass of players were sent to Syracuse. Four more players cleared waivers. One of few surprises left in camp might be free agent signee Simon Ryfors.
Top 25 Under 25: #3 Erik Cernak [Raw Charge]
The big fella on the blue line is part of the top three. He’s come a long way in a short time and is one of the few defensive prospects the organization can claim to have developed. With the way he plays, it’s hard to believe he’s only 24-years-old.
Victor Hedman will play for Sweden in the Olympics [Tampa Bay Times]
The international teams are starting to announce some of the obvious names that will play for their national pride at the upcoming Olympics. Big Vic Hedman will represent Sweden as he has a chance to add a gold medal to all of the other hardware he has picked up over the last couple of years.
The 2020 Stanley Cup enters the Hall of Fame [Instagram]
Since 2007, every Stanley Cup-winning team has created an extra ring that is sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto to go on display. The impressive collection of gems and metal that was the Lightning’s 2020 ring was added to the collection. The institution goes over the details of the ring one more time before locking it into the display case.
The battle for the final spots on the roster [The Athletic – subscription required]
My math was a little off yesterday as, according to Joe Smith, the Lightning will most likely carry 21 players (salary cap reasons). That trims down the open spots on the roster to just two – both on the forward lines. Smith breaks down the chances of the players remaining in camp.
The Lightning are the chameleons of the NHL [Toronto Star]
Damien Cox says some nice things about the Lightning (and takes a shot at the Rays) as he reminds people how difficult it is to win in the league. If the Bolts do three-peat, they will have to be talked about among the greats.
NHL releases Stadium Series Logo [NHL.com]
The Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning will be playing hockey outside on February 26th. The league just released the logo for the Stadium Series game on Monday. No, there is no ticket information yet.
NHL News
NHL teams (including the Lightning) had some fun on Twitter [Twitter]
What did you do during those beautiful hours when Facebook and Instagram were down? The social media teams of a few NHL teams (Carolina, Nashville, Tampa Bay) had some fun with memes on Twitter.
Former Lightning coach Todd Richards recovering from heart attack [The Tennessean]
Richards, who was an assistant coach for the Lightning from 2016-20, is said to be recovering after suffering a heart attack and is expected to make a full recovery. On behalf of the entire Raw Charge community, we send our well wishes to Todd and his family as he recovers.
Flyers Alain Vigneault responds to Robin Lehner’s accusations [ESPN]
If you missed it, Robin Lehner went on a bit of a Twitter thread the other day in regards to his experiences with teams handing out subscription-strength drugs to their players for pain control. During it, he took a shot at Vigneault and the Philadelphia Flyers in the way they dealt with some of their medical issues. The Flyers head coach responded with a denial and disappointment. The NHLPA is speaking with Lehner about the accusations.
