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Quick Strikes: Connor Ingram and Eddie Pasquale leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning

Posted on by Igor Nikonov

The Bolts

It was a a busy day in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization yesterday. It all stared early in the morning when the Barys Nur-Sultan announced signing of Eddie Pasquale. The former Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch player got a one year deal in the KHL.

Later that day, the Lightning announced acquiring the Nashville Predators 2021 seventh-round pick in exchange for goalie Connor Ingram.

Despite showing good numbers on the ice, Ingram had some off ice issues that led to this trade. There were a lot of rumours about what really happened before his assignment to the Orlando Solar Bears [Raw Charge]

Controversy came about, however, when Ingram was assigned to the Solar Bears. He was a healthy scratch for three Crunch games with Eddie Pasquale and Martin Ouellette playing instead just prior to his demotion to the ECHL. This all came after Ingram was having a fine year and was named to the 2019 AHL All-Star Team. When Ouellette went down with a broken leg, Ingram was recalled to the Crunch and reportedly had a talk with General Manager Julien BriseBois. After that, he was sent back to Orlando without playing for the Crunch.

After Pasquale’s leaving and trading Ingram, there are just two goalies under contract in the Lightning organization: Andrei Vasilevskiy and Louis Domingue. Geo wrote an article about current state of the goaltending in Tampa. [Raw Charge]

Prospect wise, the Lightning have Magnus Chrona, Ty Taylor, and Kristian Oldham. Taylor and Oldham are both NCAA goaltenders that have not gotten a chance to start at the NCAA level yet. Taylor was selected in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in the seventh round and spent last season with the University of New Hampshire. He played in eight games with an .855 SV%. He is not ready for the pro game.

The Lightning have also re-signed defenseman Cameron Gaunce to a one-year, two-way contract. Gaunce spent most of last season with the Syracuse Crunch and played two games for the Lightning  [Raw Charge]

The re-signing of Gaunce is great news for Syracuse Crunch fans after seeing the departures today of Eddie Pasquale and Michael Bournival. Gaunce was as steady as they come for the Crunch providing leadership and mentorship to the younger defensemen on the roster. He is perfectly suited to be the 8th defenseman in the Lightning organization as someone that can fill-in for injuries in the NHL while being a top pairing AHL defenseman.

The Tampa Bay Lightning development camp is opening on June 25. The full schedule is available in the following tweet.

Our 2019 NHL Draft scouting reports continue with a look at Finnish defender Ville Heinola. [Raw Charge]

The Tampa Bay Lightning like drafting undersized players with high hockey IQ. They just don’t like to do it when that player is a defenseman. Considered by some to be the second best defender in the draft, Finnish blueliner Ville Heinola may be the one to change that history.

The Crunch

Syracuse Crunch forward Michael Bournival announced his retirement. He has been dealing with injuries for most of his professional career. [Raw Charge]

His injuries started with a concussion in Feburary of 2014 that kept him out for a month and a half. He also missed a month in November of 2014 with a shoulder injury. At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, Bournival was placed on IR for two months with an undisclosed injury that was believed to be concussion related before being activated, waived, and assigned to the AHL. After playing just 20 games during 2015-16, the Canadiens declined to tender a contract to Bournival as a restricted free agent.

The front office is already working on the goaltending situation in Syracuse

The Crunch joined the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs to take a part in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb yesterday.

Meanwhilem Mike McKenna is realizing that it’s already two years since the last appearance for the Crunch in the Calder Cup Finals.

The Game

The Washington Capitals have traded defenseman Matt Niskanen to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for former Lightning and Crunch player Radko Gudas. The Flyers retained 30% of Gudas’ salary.

The New York Islanders signed forward Jordan Eberle to a 5-year deal.

The Buffalo Sabres hired Don Granato and Mike Bales as assistant coaches.

The Buffalo Beauts also made a change on the coaching staff.

Orlando is hosting the PHPA Annual Meeting from June 17th to 21st

It’s been 25 years since the New York Rangers won a Stanley Cup. The Blueshirt Banter writers shared their memories [Blueshirt Banter]

It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago curses were exorcised and people could finally die happy. June 14th, 1994 the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in a seven game grudge match to win the Stanley Cup, the Blueshirts’ first in 54 years. Every Rangers fan, no matter their age, has been impacted in some way by that 1994 team. For years that 1994 team has felt like a specter looming over the team. Especially as they spent the late 90s and early 00s tripping over themselves and their checkbook into the pit of obscurity.

The Calgary Flames blog Matchsticks & Gasoline presented their own version of the best Flames roster.

A video for nostalgia enthusiasts.

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Talking Points