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Quick Strikes: Lightning re-sign goalie Eddie Pasquale; Capitals coach Barry Trotz resigns

The off season is starting with a bang.

The Bolts

It’s buyout season in the NHL, and the potential of buying out Tampa Bay Lightning forward Ryan Callahan has come up quite a bit among fans. Is now the right time, or should the Lightning wait until next summer? Geo explored this option yesterday. [Raw Charge]

A buy out allows a team to get out of their commitment to a player and pay them less than they are owed over the remainder of the contract. The team also gains salary cap relief, but the salary cap hit is stretched out over twice the amount of time remaining on the contract. So while the team gains some relief in the short term, the team adds a salary cap hit to future years after the player’s contract would have ended.

It’s worthwhile here to examine the math of buying out Ryan Callahan now versus next summer. It will allow us to see where the benefits and costs lie in taking either option.

Matt and Hardev teamed up again for this week’s Charged Up! podcast. The duo with a dream covered a variety of issues that are facing the Bolts this off season. [Raw Charge]

We cover goaltenders, defensemen, and forwards that could interest the Lightning (though, admittedly, our personal opinions sway some of the conversation into a direction that doesn’t entirely cover the topic). We also discuss the Lightning’s challenge moving forward in regards to remaining competitive and how general manager Steve Yzerman has a challenging task ahead of him.

Lightning forward Cory Conacher is revving up for his celebrity golf tournament:

The Prospects

The Lightning announced yesterday that they’ve re-signed Syracuse Crunch goalie Eddie Pasquale to a one-year contract, shoring up the organization’s AHL tandem for 2018-19. Justin broke down this move, one that benefits both organizations. [Raw Charge]

...it is a bit of a surprise that he re-signed so early. His performance in the regular season could potentially have earned him a spot as a starter for another team in the AHL if he had waited until free agency opened up on July 1st. His decision to return to Syracuse speaks to the stability and professionalism of the Lightning/Crunch organization.

The Crunch is getting ready for their Summer Street Crunch activities, a series that will return to the streets outside the Onondaga County War Memorial in July. The Saturday street hockey games are open to all kids between the ages of 5 to 14.

Speaking of the War Memorial, things are advancing quickly with the interior improvements that are happening this summer.

The Game

The Washington Capitals will be in the market for a new head coach this summer with the resignation of head coach Barry Trotz. [Jaspers’ Rink]

It doesn’t exactly seem like Trotz’s exit came as a huge surprise.

It’s almost NHL Draft time! Who are the top 50 prospects? What questions might be asked and answered next week? [Mile High Hockey]

Where will Brady Tkachuk get drafted? How far will Zadina slip? Who will be the guy expected to go in the top-10 that is going to fall to the second half of the first round? There are so many unanswerable questions. Add to that the fact that one of the best defensemen in the NHL might get traded, and you’ve got must-watch TV for just about every fanbase in the NHL.

The Buffalo Sabres have set the dates for their development camp:

15 total NHL teams have marched or will march in pride parades this year. This is a great movement towards increased acceptance in the sport.  [Out Sports]

It’s a positive showing for the NHL. While the league has never had a current or former player or coach come out publicly, the participation of these teams sends a positive message.

Just days after the final game of the season, the AHL is back at it already with their yearly meetings. This year, the league travels to San Antonio, home of the Rampage.

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