The Bolts
Scouting the 2017 NHL Draft: Callan Foote could be an option if the Tampa Bay Lightning trade back. “We know the Lightning have a fondness for big right handed defenders. Andrej Sustr has been a staple on the blue line in Tampa for the last few seasons. They also traded for Erik Cernak at the trade deadline. In fact, Cernak’s draft profiles from 2015 are somewhat similar to Foote’s.” [Raw Charge]
Although an offer sheet is unlikely, it could cause real problems for the Lightning. “What happens if Drouin is tendered an offer sheet for a $7M/year contract? Yzerman would be in a vulnerable position in which he is not holding the cards. He would be forced to match the incoming offer sheet or accept the draft pick compensation.” [Raw Charge]
We’re very proud to offer the above article in Spanish as well! “¿Qué pasará si Drouin es ofrecido un offer sheet para un contrato que tiene un salario que exceda los $7 millones? Yzerman estaría en una posición vulnerable en la cual perdería el control. Él estaría obligado a igualar el offer sheet entrante o aceptar la compensación en el manual de selecciones en el draft.” [Raw Charge]
“It’s your chance to determine the top play from a season filled with them… Every couple of days, we’ll unveil a new matchup pitting one great Lightning highlight against another. Vote for the one you like best, and the play receiving the most fan votes will move on to the next round.” [Tampa Bay Lightning]
Who’s heading to the Final Four in this year’s #BestOfTheBolts?
Let’s see…
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) May 30, 2017
First up… Are you even surprised? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZtPApl6wAW
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) May 30, 2017
…and he’ll be joined by this beauty of a goal! pic.twitter.com/T8ESF7GMNn
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) May 30, 2017
“Voting for the Blue and White Regions in the Best of the Bolts’ Elite Eight starts at noon on Tuesday, May 30 and ends at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 2. You can vote as many times as you’d like for your favorite play in each matchup.” [Tampa Bay Lightning]
The Prospects
Five weeks ago, he was playing junior hockey. Now he’s in the midst of a Calder Cup run. Rookie center Mitchell Stephens is settling into life in the Syracuse Crunch lineup. “The biggest thing for me was to come in, maybe I wasn’t going to get an opportunity to play. But I was going to show the coaches and the players that I was ready to work in practice and off the ice,” Stephens said of this postseason. “I got a chance to play. For me, in this lineup, it’s pretty big for the confidence aspect. It’s exciting. There’s a lot of guys in this room that are very welcoming. There’s a big team, family atmosphere in this room. So it’s pretty cool to be a part of.” [Syracuse.com]
A few more junior hockey players are joining the Crunch, although it’s unlikely that any of them will be added to the lineup.
Cirelli, Cernak, Raddysh and Joseph will be joining the Crunch’s Black Aces. No news yet on Imama.
— Jeremy Houghtaling (@JGHoughtaling) May 30, 2017
“Syracuse Crunch owner Howard Dolgon can work up a sweat at his team’s games that rivals the energy output of the players themselves. Dolgon is perhaps the most involved, excitable owner in the AHL, especially on game night. If he were any more hands-on, he’d be drawing up power plays and calling out line shifts.” [Syracuse.com]
The Game
A Nashville Predators fan threw a catfish on the ice during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He is now facing charges. “He was charged with disorderly conduct, possessing instruments of a crime and, most excellently, disrupting a meeting. Disrupting a meeting! I had to look at the Pennsylvania Code to learn that is an actual crime one can be charged with.” [Deadspin]
“The funniest part of the ongoing ‘catfish toss’ situation — Predators fan Jake Waddell was ejected and charged with three misdemeanors for the stunt — might be the sheer amount of preparation that it had to take… This was where he really started to shine. On game night, he took the fish to his cousin’s house, filleted it, cut out half the spine and ran it over with his truck. That made it easier to vacuum-pack and conceal, but not that easy. ‘The head was too damn big, Waddell said. ‘No matter how much I ran it over with my truck, the head was too big.’” [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
The expansion draft is right around the corner…
Also, NHL will release all 30 teams’ protected lists at 10 am ET on Sunday, June 18
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 30, 2017
