The Bolts
The Tampa Bay Lightning organization has not said much about Anton Stralman’s injury except that he is day-to-day with an upper body injury, sustained at [who knows] against [who knows]. Adam Erne sat out last night’s game against the Ottawa Senators with a similar story. On the plus side, Victor Hedman (or “Herman”, as twitter autocorrect tends to name him) returned, and had a hell of a goal. Here’s our writer Matt’s recap of the game. [Raw Charge]
Stralman and Erne out vs. Ottawa with upper-body injuries [Tampa Bay Lightning]
After missing the previous seven games with an upper-body injury, Victor Hedman, the defending Norris Trophy winner, returned to the lineup as the Lightning host the Ottawa Senators Saturday night at AMALIE Arena. But Anton Stralman will sit out the contest with an upper-body injury the team announced prior to puck drop.
We’re not over Martin St. Louis’s ring ceremony quite yet. Yesterday, our writer JustinG went up to Toronto and watched the ring ceremony in person — and wrote such a lovely piece about it that my blogging basement got super dusty. If you haven’t read it yet, enjoy it here: Martin St. Louis Joins the Club [Raw Charge]
Despite all the accolades, it wasn’t until after he retired that he thought about the possibility of being honored with a Hall of Fame induction. “You look around and it’s unbelievable. Being in here I don’t think of myself, ‘Look at everything I did’. Being here is more ‘Look who’s in here’ and now I’m part of that. To me that says it all.”
How bout dat Matthieu Joseph, eh?
DO YOUR THING, KID! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/Dy54Evo0sP
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) November 11, 2018
Due to Stralman and Erne sitting out, Slater Koekkoek remained in the lineup, and new kid Danick Martel got a chance to play his first NHL game.
We caught up with @martel2626 at the break to hear his reactions from playing in his first game with the @TBLightning, what coach Jon Cooper expects from him, and what it is he admires about Lightning great Martin St. Louis.#GoBolts #NHL pic.twitter.com/xbfaPFV8cs
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) November 11, 2018
I’m not sure what “The Sportster” is all about, but they seem to like Tampa, so I’m linking to it. NHL Power Rankings For This Week: Who Can Stop Tampa Bay? [The Sportster]
The Lightning have won four consecutive games and are five points up on the Maple Leafs – the second-best team in the East. Seven players already have double-digit points, with Brayden Point leading the way (nine goals and 10 points). Their goal differential of plus-17 trails only Nashville.
.@domingue35‘s #HockeyFightsCancer tribute is incredibly moving.
The @TBLightning netminder joined #NHLNow to talk about what went into his special mask. pic.twitter.com/VFpWNcVsCy
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) November 10, 2018
The Prospects
Last night the Syracuse Crunch got a point against the Amerks.
Amerks Recap – Just Keep Winning [Die by the Blade]
Early in the second period, Syracuse’s Taylor Raddysh took advantage of a defensive lapse to tie the game, 1-1. Will Borgen threw a hip-check as the Crunch entered the zone and in doing so he put himself out of position. A miscommunication saw both Sean Malone and Andrew MacWilliam skate in to take Borgen’s defensive position, leaving Raddysh all alone in front of the net. Alexander Nylander made an effort to get back in support but it was too late and the puck rattled past Wilcox. The period would end still tied, 1-1.
PHOTO ALBUM: #SyrCrunch Bubble Hockey Tournament at @TullysGoodTimes fr. 11/8/18. #Syracuse #fans #fun https://t.co/NKUDH6dBNJ pic.twitter.com/7YFVdWaL1M
— Scott Thomas (@sthomasphotos) November 10, 2018
Prospect!
Nick Perbix answers back with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that leaks through Cooley for a goal. SCSU trails 2-1 with 4:09 left in the first. First career goal for the Elk River alum.
— Chris Dilks (@ChrisDilks) November 11, 2018
The Game
William Nylander gossip? Eyeballs dot gif:
There is word tonight TOR has asked teams to indicate what they would offer — and will not trade — for William Nylander. Still think their first choice is to sign him, but we have entered the next stage, with 20 days until the deadline.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 11, 2018
Looking at what Leafs looking at, there would be some logic in not trading or signing Nylander, sending strong message to Matthews, Marner etc you either sign with us at a number we can live with or you don’t play in the NHL. Would be a pretty nasty scorched earth approach.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) November 11, 2018
In “I’d be sad, but I’m not,” news — Malkin, Penguins respond to general manager’s talk of making changes [NHL.com]
The Penguins are 6-5-3 and have lost five in a row (0-4-1), including a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Before that loss, Rutherford said in a radio interview that he has considered breaking up the Penguins, who won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
Speaking of the Ottawa Senators, this was…odd:
Senior editor at Ottawa Citizen says newspaper looking into burner accounts on Twitter targeting local media critical of NHL’s Ottawa Senators https://t.co/d1ypsGiycc
— Paul Vieira (@paulvieira) November 10, 2018
And here are a few more HHOF pieces! Look for more news from JustinG in Toronto today at @rawcharge on Twitter!
Hall of Fame Builders by the numbers [NHL.com]
Since 1998, O’Ree has built and supported more than 30 non-profit youth hockey programs throughout North America, giving more than 120,000 boys and girls from disadvantaged and marginalized populations the opportunity to play hockey. As part of that commitment, O’Ree has made more than 500 visits to schools, community centers and rinks, traveled nearly 2,500 days and been the subject of more than 13,000 books, articles and shows.
Hockey Hall of Fame chairman has ‘coolest job’ in world [NHL.com]
”I’ll just come into this room and walk around and reflect on some of the names. I think I have the coolest job in the world. If you love the game and the history of it, it’s so cool to be chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame.”
Hefford used gold mettle to inspire Canada on way to Hockey Hall of Fame [NHL.com]
”She was innovative in adjusting her shot and skating stride,” former Canada forward Jennifer Botterill said. “She continued to evolve. I think about playing with her from 1998-2010, and she kept going to 2014. There are young, skilled players coming up, but she remained a huge impact player at every Olympics. That’s pretty amazing to remain a significant contributor. She re-embraced change so she could be better and compete at this very high level.”
And to send us in to Sunday feeling joyous, let’s watch this again a few times:
.@heds77 goes end to end and scores a beauty. pic.twitter.com/qf6np3zkN0
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) November 11, 2018