The Bolts
After his run of bad luck, it is wonderful to report that something joyous has happened to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. We want to extend Raw Charge’s warmest congratulations to the captain on his wedding, which took place on June 30.
The news was broken to Tampa Bay Lightning fans via groomsman and Bolts alumnus, Teddy Purcell. Purcell does not mention the name of Stamkos’s bride, but we are sure it is Sandra Porzio, long-time girlfriend and solid presence in Bolts Better Halves’ benefit events.
Not only that, but it looks like Teddy was asked to sing at the wedding:
In totally different news, what’s happening in free agency right now? “Not sure Girardi is a guy who upgrades the top-four, and on an expected short-term, relatively inexpensive deal, you have more room to maneuver. The Lightning needs to make some decisions, with a glut of eight NHL-ready defensemen (if you include Mikhail Sergachev). And that doesn’t take into account if the Lightning is still after Kevin Shattenkirk, a signing I’m not ready to rule out yet.” [Tampa Bay Times]
The Pipeline
The stars of the 2017 Memorial Cup tournament are on Brandon ice, talking about the next step in their development.
Team Lecavalier gets off to hot start during 3-on-3 tournament: “The Lightning’s top prospects competed in the first day of the annual 3-on-3 tournament at the Ice Sports Forum. The 28 development camp players got divided into six teams for the 3-on-3 competition, with Team Lecavalier and Team St. Louis leading the way with eight points each. Team Richards went undefeated, posting a trio of wins in three games.” [Tampa Bay Lightning]
Lightning notebook: Day 1 of 3-on-3 tournament — “Center Mitchell Stephens, whom Tampa Bay selected 33rd overall in the 2015 entry draft, was one of four players to score at least four goals in the tournament. Playing for Team Andreychuk, Stephens pitched in three assists to notch a tournament-high seven points.” [Tampa Bay Times]
“Compete levels are really high. You don’t want to be last.”
Anthony Cirelli on #BoltsDevCamp 3-on-3: pic.twitter.com/WGRgIFWXFW
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 1, 2017
Lightning’s Alexander Volkov hopes to prove his surprise selection right: “It was a surprise that I was taken in the second round, but to Tampa it was not a surprise,” Volkov said through interpreter Mikhail Sergachev, the Lightning defenseman recently acquired from Montreal in the Jonathan Drouin trade. [Tampa Bay Times]
Overall top 5 in scoring:
4-3–7: Stephens
2-4–6: Paquette
5-1–6: Sergachev
2-3–5: Hajek
-1–5: Perbix, Walker
#BoltsDevCamp
“It’s exhausting but it’s good to learn and meet new people… It’s well worth it.”
Taylor Raddysh on #BoltsDevCamp: pic.twitter.com/79kMKrceCJ
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 1, 2017
Sammy Walker making up for small stature: “I’ve always been one of the littler guys, so I’ve just always had to learn to keep my feet moving,” Walker said. “You’ve always got to be moving. Against this level of players that’s especially true, but I’ve come up against bigger players before and I’ve always had to do that. My speed, quick hands and hockey sense are definitely what I see as my advantages, and I can kind of use them to make up for my size.” [Tampa Bay Times]
We have a good crop of defensemen developing, per Stacy Roest.
“We have to have skilled d-man to give [forwards] the puck… Now it looks like we have a good crop.”
Roest pleased with the new kids: pic.twitter.com/w6v8dtbzaz
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 1, 2017
And here are highlights from the game:
All the best from our first day of #BoltsDevCamp 3-on-3 🚨 pic.twitter.com/HoLv3zoH6m
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 1, 2017
The Game
China Searches for Hockey Talent Outside Its Borders Ahead of 2022 Olympics: “In 2022, Beijing will be hosting the Winter Olympics. Because there aren’t enough elite native-born Chinese hockey players, the national team is searching everywhere for talent.” [NBC]
Why NHL’s communism works, just look at the alternative: “But for all the faults of Bettman and the NHL — none more short-sighted than limiting revenue by constantly undercutting big-market teams through more ways than the salary cap — it is still a preferable system.” [New York Post]
Jaromir Jagr jokes about why no NHL general managers have called him. Too busy calling Dan Girardi, perhaps. [NHL.com]
