Quick Strikes for Tuesday, July 19

• In case you missed it, the registration period for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s high school hockey program is now open. [Tampa Bay Lightning]
• Lightning defenseman Nikita Nesterov will be a participant in the World Cup of Hockey. [Today’s Slapshot]
• “Greetings from Tampacuse” happens to be one of our most popular t-shirt designs. And I’m wearing it as I type this out. [Gameday Depot]
• The Calgary Flames have two key restricted free agents still unsigned in Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Why? Speculation on the situation is here…[Flames from 80 Feet Above]
• Meanwhile in Boston, talks have begun on extending the contract of Brad Marchand. [The Big Bad Blog]
• P.K. Subban, in Nashville. The experience and antics of the new Predators defenseman in the town of his new team. [On the Forecheck]
• The noteworthy transaction of Monday was Derick Brassard’s trade from the New York Rangers to the Ottawa Senators. [Silver Seven Sens]

• Derick Brassard told us that he found out about the trade to the Sens via a text message from former teammate Martin St. Louis.

  — Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) July 18, 2016

• It’s a little early but speculation on the Arizona Coyotes and just who from the club gets protected in next year’s expansion draft. [Five for Howling]
• You’ve probably already heard about the Jonathan Bernier trade. What you may not have heard is that the lone, conditional draft pick sent to the Maple Leafs for Bernier will only come through should Bernier reaches the Stanley Cup finals in 2017. [Sportsnet]
• While there’s speculation and fodder over a 32^nd NHL franchise to come into being along with the Las Vegas expansion team, it hasn’t been sorted out. One case that’s made here is that there is a market besides Quebec City, Quebec or Seattle, Washington need to be explored: Cleveland, Ohio. [Not Your Average Hockey Blog]
• Finally, 2016’s Best of the Bay voters poll opens later this week on July 21^st. We’ll find out Thursday who from the Tampa Bay Lightning or noteworthy local writers/bloggers made the poll on Thursday. Here’s their official Facebook page too. [Creative Loafing Tampa Bay: Best of the Bay]

Which Lightning-represented World Cup team will go the furthest?