The Bolts
Before we reveal our top Tampa Bay Lightning player under 25, we have to tslk about all the players that didn’t make the top 25, or receive any votes at all. The Honorable Mentions! [Raw Charge]
Ben Thomas just missed on the top 25 last season coming in at 26th. He had a surge in production towards the end of the 2016-17 season and seemed like he was taking a step forward as an offensive defenseman. Unfortunately, his defense still hasn’t caught up to his offensive skills and often left Crunch fans cringing. He equaled his production from the previous season going from three goals to four and posting 18 assists in both seasons. His defensive skills need to come a long way for him to get an opportunity in the NHL.
As the summer winds down, watch a nice video edit of all the summer camp fun the Lightning put together for the kids in the Tampa Bay community!
There is no better way to keep cool during the summer than to take to the ice! Check out how some of the @TBLightning summer camps went this year! #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/HVqNEjOJZ1
— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) August 10, 2018
Bolts goaltender Louis Domingue’s new mask carries two Bolts legends on it. [Bolts by the Bay]
When you take a look at the opposite side of his mask, you will see another former Lightning captain, Martin St. Louis. For many years, Marty was considered to be the heart and soul of the Tampa Bay Lightning and (along with Lecavalier) was a member of the 2004 team that hoisted the Stanley Cup high above their heads.
Love the new mask @domingue35. Also Thank for the kind words from some of the greats @TBLightning I had the pleasure to play with. Without them I would of never been the player I became. THANK YOU pic.twitter.com/qnNUtNxIeT
— Martin St.Louis (@mstlouis_26) August 10, 2018
I’m sorry. I wish this day would never come, but it has.
Be strong. Stay in school. Do your homework. Pick fights with other kids who think the Lightning are bad. (Actually, a detailed statistical analysis is probably better). If you don’t want to eat your vegetables after all that, you don’t have to. And have fun! School coming back is only an indication that the Bolts won’t be far behind!
Cheers to another incredible school year full of learning and fun to all of our teachers, staff, and students in the Tampa Bay area!#BackToSchool 📚✏️🍎 pic.twitter.com/w7VvemxL7G
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 10, 2018
The Prospects
Which prospects can make the Lightning out of training camp? Joe Smith asks Syracuse Crunch head coach Benoit Groulx. [The Athletic]
“They both have deception in their game, and for me, that’s a gift,” Groulx told The Athletic. “When you have that combined with speed, skill and agility, and all that. (Mitchell) Stephens has got speed, has got a good shot, his skills are OK. He’s not the deceptive player. Those guys are like, ‘Boom.’
Cole Guttman has scored at every level. Old habits die hard. #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/PYlJsunADO
— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) August 9, 2018
The Game
Dylan Larkin has signed a five-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings. The deal carries an AAV of $6.1 million and will end with Larkin becoming a UFA at the age of 27. [The Athletic]
A couple things of note here. One, the two lowest salaries come in seasons in which there can be an NHL lockout, especially that 2020-21 season. This is becoming increasingly common among NHL players looking for lockout protection and isn’t great news for fans hoping to avoid one. The Red Wings avoided paying a signing bonus in the lockout year.
Dylan Larkin signs five-year deal worth $6.1 million annually.
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) August 10, 2018
After Larkin’s extension kicked in, the conversation immediatly shifted to how the Red Wings are going to afford all their contracts under the cap. Never fear! Henrik Zetterberg’s Stephan Robidas (and Chris Pronger, and Marian Hossa, and David Clarkson, and Nathan Horton, and Ryan Clowe) moment! [Sportsnet]
Zetterberg essentially didn’t practice the last two-and-a-half months of 2017-18. He only played games. Holland has spoken with Zetterberg’s agent numerous times over the off-season and is curious to see if his captain is good to go in September.
“I know he’s had a tough summer. [He] hasn’t been able to train anywhere near as close to what he’s been able to train the past summers due to his back,” Holland said.
“He’s going to help our team no matter what — if he’s playing on one leg or whatever,” Larkin said. “He’s, I think, the best player on our team, so it would definitely hurt losing him, but he does have to look after his future.”
Ken Holland with the most forthcoming comments about Henrik Zetterberg’s future: “He’s had a tough summer…There’s a real unknown right now with Henrik Zetterberg.”
— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) August 10, 2018
What are the chances he develops an allergy to ice?
— Adam Wylde (@AdamWylde) August 10, 2018
And if you were wondering, this is the salary breakdown for Zetterberg’s final three seasons. All three years carry a $6,083,333 cap it. (Zetterberg made $7 million last year).
2018-19: $3,350,000
2019-20: $1,000,000
2020-21: $1,000,000
Oh, look. An illegal contract going exactly as planned. Who would’ve thunk it!
Sean Couturier’s extremely successful offensive season is sustainable. [Broad Street Hockey]
While the impact of playing alongside Claude Giroux was certainly a factor in Couturier’s fantastic season, his scoring rates didn’t jump all that dramatically. In fact, had he seen the same amount of ice time at 5-on-5 during the 2016-17 season that he did in 2017-18, and had he continued to produce at the same rate, Couturier would have scored 17 goals that season — one more than his 2017-18 campaign. That’s a big “if” statement to make, but it is interesting to note that, in a season where he did not play with Giroux at 5-on-5 at all, Couturier was on pace to score more goals than he did while playing with Giroux last season.
And this Reddit user made a St. Louis Blues logo out of his old hockey sticks! It was so cool, I had to share it. [Reddit]
