The Bolts
Steve Yzerman isn’t happy with the Lightning’s 4-game losing streak, but don’t expect him to rush into a trade. “If there’s an opportunity to make us a better team, I’m certainly willing to explore it,” Yzerman said. “But I like our team. I like the character of our players. We’re very careful of the type of person we bring in and which players we move out. That isn’t going to change.” [Tampa Bay Times]
Watch Bryan Burns and Caley Chelios recap the best plays from November. (Warning: These highlights feature Steven Stamkos. If your heart can’t handle the sadness of his loss, I suggest you skip this video)
Beloved beat writer Erik Erlendsson, formerly of the Tampa Tribune, has started his own website covering the Lightning. Check out Lightning Insider for his valuable insight on the Bolts!
Just a reminder to people living on the west side of the bay, you can jump on the ferry to catch tonight’s game. It sounds like a fun (traffic-free) experience.
The Lightning remain committed to engaging with the community as much as possible. Part of that effort includes featuring local bands at the arena on game day. “To play for Lightning fans is an honor,” says Mugabe Tenn, frontman for Tampa reggae outfit Tribal Style. Tenn, 37, was born in Jamaica, where they definitely don’t have hockey, but his band gave something back to the team’s fans, too. “People who never heard of us loved it and could not believe we were local,” he adds. [Creative Loafing]
Although we’d all like to pretend that game in St. Louis never happened, Syracuse Crunch call-up Joel Vermin gave a memorable performance notching two assists in his first game with the Bolts this season. There were some rumors of him returning to Europe, but his agent says Vermin is focused on making it in the NHL which is great news for Lightning fans. [Swiss Hockey News]
Congratulations to JT Brown and his wife Lexi LaFleur Brown – the couple is expecting a baby girl. She’ll look so cute in sitting in the Stanley Cup this summer!
Looks like I won’t be the only one calling JT daddy 😂 pic.twitter.com/6ufNEK3i7a
— Lexi LaFleur Brown (@lexilafleur) December 2, 2016
The League
The NHL tried to strong-arm the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) by promising to send the players to the Olympics if they agreed to extend the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Unsurprisingly, the NHLPA declined the offer. “NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said there was no appetite among players to extend the agreement for nine more seasons (including this one) in what would effectively be the career lifespan of most players in the league today.” [NHLPA]
Based on November’s games, some teams are trending up while other teams are trending down. Spoiler alert: The Lightning are moving in the wrong direction. [The Hockey News]
It seems like younger forwards are dominating today’s NHL. Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby believes forwards have better off-season training these days. “Now you see all these kids coming up that have had skills coaches since they were six or seven years old, just like we had goalie coaches. It’s come full circle.” [NHL]
