The Bolts
Everything’s way too melancholy lately, so here is this iconic photo of Vasy with a kitten:
Okay, on to the news.
Jake Dotchin making most of his first NHL chance. “A former sixth round pick in the 2012 draft, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound defenseman, the 22-year-old is in his third year since turning pro. After 155 games with Syracuse in the American Hockey League, Dotchin was recalled to join the team on the West Coast on Jan. 16.” [Lightning Insider, subscription]
Ben Bishop may be open to trade by Lightning: report. “Obviously we have a great team, a great organization and great place to play,” Bishop told the Tampa Bay Times. “Obviously the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. You want to win where you are. You don’t really think about next year, or anything but the next game. But we’ll see where it takes us. That’s my feeling. But at the same time, I want to play too.” [NHL]
Lightning to hold Heart Health Awareness Night. “All fans will receive a special “I Heart Bolts” T-shirt. The Florida Hospital team will be present to educate Bolts fans about simple ways to ensure cardiovascular health. The two organizations are committed to partnering on additional health and wellness initiatives throughout the year.” [Tampa Bay Lightning]
Lightning, Bruins to play alumni game on Feb. 18. “The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the third-annual Hockey Day in Tampa Bay on Saturday, February 18 at AMALIE Arena. The day will be highlighted by an alumni game between the Lightning and Boston Bruins, presented by the Jason Ritchie Hockey Foundation; with puck drop scheduled for 5 p.m.” [Tampa Bay Lightning]
Solutions to slump elude Lightning. Boyle said players are “banging our heads against the wall. You’re up at night, can’t go to sleep. It’s driving us all crazy,” he said. “There’s no potion, like, ‘We’ll have that attitude and maybe we’ll start getting some bounces.’ We’ve got to work for it.'” [Tampa Bay Times]
TBL’s 15 greatest players. “The Top 15 Tampa Bay Lightning players are…Steven Stamkos, Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Fredrik Modin, Vinny Prospal, Brian Bradley, Daren Puppa, Ben Bishop, Pavel Kubina, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Dave Andreychuk, Dan Boyle, Brad Richards and Nikolai Khabibulin.” [Lightning Shout]
The League
Should NHL referees be able to curse at coaches, players? “By definition, a referee in all sports is considered professional and unbiased. Even though referees are human, L’Ecuyer’s choice of words prompted the debate — how impartial can a referee be while verbally insulting players and coaches?” [CBC]
Jarome Iginla hopes to be traded by Avalanche: report. “Iginla, 39, is in the final season of a three-year, $16 million contract he signed July 1, 2014, and could become an unrestricted free agent this July 1. The contract contains a no-trade clause, which he reportedly is willing to waive.” [NHL]
NHL players divided on Super Bowl pick. “Patriots,” Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price said succinctly. “Because of Bill Belichick.” [NHL]
Trump’s pick for Army Secretary drops out. “In a statement, [Vincent] Viola said he was “deeply honored” to be nominated for the post, but concluded that he would not be able to successfully navigate the confirmation process.” [Military Times]
Deja vu? Coyotes’ future in doubt once again. “Arizona State University has pulled out of a deal with the Arizona Coyotes to build a new arena in Tempe, leaving the NHL franchise’s future in limbo yet again.” Oof. [CBC]
Hartford makes pitch for New York Islanders. “Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin sent a letter to the Islanders ownership imploring them to take a look at the XL Center in downtown Hartford for their “interim use” and potentially as a “long-term solution” for the team if it needs to find a home.” [Puck Daddy]
And those two stories above combined explains this tweet from the Lighthouse Hockey editor:
cc @GovMalloyOffice @Hartford https://t.co/SAsqRCvv26
— Dan Saraceni (@cultureoflosing) February 4, 2017
Lol, Dan.
