Quick Strikes: Checking in on Jacob Trouba’s arbitration hearing just...because
News...there’s not much
The Bolts
We reached #16 in our Top 25 Under 25 yesterday and Geo broke down Jake Dotchin’s tenuous spot in the organization. [Raw Charge]
When the team needed a right-handed defenseman to step into the lineup, the coaching staff turned to veteran Andrej Sustr. While Sustr was not stellar, he was more disciplined than Dotchin on the ice. However, with Sustr gone, Rick Bowness moving on, and Todd Richards taking over for the defensive staff, this could be an opportunity for Dotchin to reassert himself. A lot of it will depend on what kind of game Richards wants the defensemen to play for the Lightning. But it’s also going to depend on what other moves the Lightning may make before training camp.
And that’s...pretty much it for Lightning coverage. It’s getting real thin out there. I’m starting to wonder how we’re going to survive the next six weeks.
The Prospects
In sad news, former Syracuse Crunch player John Vigilante passed away at the far too young age of 33.
We are saddened to lose another member of the #CrunchFamily. Former #SyrCrunch forward John Vigilante has passed away at age 33.
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) July 20, 2018
We send our sincerest condolences to John's family and friends. pic.twitter.com/aqXLeElwHW
The Game
The biggest news happening around the league is arbitration hearings for restricted free agents. The Lightning already re-signed all of their RFAs but other teams are engaged in ongoing negotiations.
The Flames went so far as to put one of their players on waivers to try to push down his value. Brett Kulak cleared today and the team will try to use that as leverage. [Flames Nation]
If you’re looking for something to distract yourself from the Erik Karlsson pipe dream, how about a Jacob Trouba pipe dream? He had his arbitration hearing with the Jets yesterday. The player and team now have 48 hours to negotiate a deal before arbitrator submits his ruling. If the Jets for some reason decide that they would rather trade Trouba either because they don’t want to pay him long term or because he isn’t willing to stay long term, he would fit quite nicely on the right side of the Lightning defense.
The Jets almost certainly won’t trade Trouba. They’re looking to compete for a Cup and they still have two more full seasons to try to convince him to stay in Winnipeg. But hey, what else are we gonna due on July 21st if we can’t speculate wildly? [Jets Nation]
With Canada and some US states taking a more progressive approach to marijuana policy, the NHL may follow and reconsider their policies. Katie Strang does an excellent job of examining the issue in this piece behind the paywall at The Athletic. [The Athletic]
This Day in Lightning History
(via Pro Sports Transactions)
July 21st, 1992 - Signed free agent and soon-to-be Lightning legend Chris Kontos
July 21st, 1993 - Signed free agent and soon(ish)-to-be Vegas Golden Knights legend Gerard Gallant
July 21st, 2009 - Traded Radim Vrbata for Todd Fedoruk and David Hale
July 21st, 2015 - Signed unrestricted free agent Tye McGinn
Comments ()