The Lightning
The last call to submit your votes for this year’s top 25 under 25. The survey will be open until 5 PM ET today.
Last call for top 25 under 25 submissions. We’ll start compiling votes tonight and lock it down for good tomorrow evening.https://t.co/NqSE0GSAzH
— Raw Charge (@RawCharge) August 2, 2019
In the new edition of Sweater Series, Justin talks about former Lightning goalies who have worn the number 31. [Raw Charge]
Long the number reserved for players brought in through trades, only one player drafted by the Lightning has ever worn it (Karri Ramo). Ramo is also one of only two players to wear it for more than one season (Peter Budaj is the other). Although, maybe that just speaks to the nature of how transient the goaltending position has been for much of the Lightning’s existence.
Honestly, unless you’re a fan who has been around for a long time, it might not be easy to associate a particular player with the number 31, but let’s give it a go.
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced the Bolts Brew Fest at Amalie Arena on August 16. Tickets are already on sale.
An idea for celebrating #InternationalBeerDay today? Snag your tickets to #BoltsBrewFest and join us at @amaliearena on August 16! 🍻
🎟 https://t.co/BdfRBMLwyE pic.twitter.com/futgdUFpwh
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) August 2, 2019
The Tampa Bay Lightning Summer Sled Hockey Camp has officially started.
Kicking off the 2019 Tampa Bay Lightning Summer Sled Hockey Camp! 🛷🏒 pic.twitter.com/DRQn4XSV6p
— Lightning Made Hockey (@LightningMade) August 2, 2019
The Prospects
Nolan Foote joined the Popternative podcast to talk about the NHL Entry Draft and upcoming World Junior Championship.
The return of @foote_nolan! He returns to chat about being drafted in the first round of the 2019 #NHLDraft by @TBLightning and much more
Watch: https://t.co/CCHazjciYq#PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/aT8cP3IzC4
— Popternative (@popternative) August 2, 2019
At the same time, Foote and Gabriel Fortier are participating at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan. Both played against team Sweden on Friday.
The lines for Canada 🇨🇦 today as they take on Sweden 🇸🇪 at 1pm EST #WJSS pic.twitter.com/E8OaForpNb
— Tony Ferrari (@theTonyFerrari) August 2, 2019
Fortier scored the third goal for team Canada and added an assist on the second goal.
Gabriel Fortier makes it 3-0 in what has been a good game or him. Carson Focht with the fantastic pass. Aidan Dudas also had an assist. #WJSS pic.twitter.com/y7ExgZPhuE
— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) August 2, 2019
Check out report from our junior hockey expert Lauren Kelly.
#GoBolts Prospect Grades
Fortier: A
– 2 point effort
– effective stickwork along the boards
– forced turnovers
– good defensive positioning
– excellent on the PK
Foote: B
– 1 assist
– 4 minute penalty
– a couple of good rushes
– shooting machine on the PP— Byram-Barron 🙌 (@laurkelly24) August 2, 2019
The Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch helped to build a new playground for McNamara Elementary School.
We stopped by McNamara Elementary School to help the PTA build an awesome new playground. 👊
The finished product is going to bring a lot of school yard memories. pic.twitter.com/Y7Jgd6QdEE
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) August 2, 2019
The Game
Gord Murphy has been named an Associate Head Coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack.
We are excited to announce Gord Murphy as the new associate head coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack!
📰 https://t.co/K1S5kXJb1U pic.twitter.com/xKKNGQH2Bx
— Hartford Wolf Pack (@WolfPackAHL) August 2, 2019
Zack Stortini joined the Sudbury Wolves as an Assistant Coach.
Welcome Zack Stortini as Assistant Coach!
“I am very excited to be back to the Sudbury Wolves organization” – Zack Stortini, longest serving captain in our team’s history.#welcometothepack #runwiththepack
Check out👀 https://t.co/868LTzBpKx pic.twitter.com/VzAGb0vKJU
— Sudbury Wolves (@Sudbury_Wolves) August 2, 2019
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Matt Read to s professional tryout contract.
.@SportChek Player Alert: The @MapleLeafs have signed forward Matt Read to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. pic.twitter.com/FBqPI0L631
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) August 2, 2019
It’s already august and Brayden Point hasn’t been signed yet and Mitch Marner may be one reason why it hasn’t happened yet. [The Athletic, paid content]
There’s pressure on the Leafs to get this done before the season starts, too, given their salary-cap situation and how using long-term injured reserve makes an in-season signing more punitive.
So other RFAs and their agents are simply waiting for Marner to sign and set the bar for what they can ask for.
A look at the current cap space situation for the Buffalo Sabres. [The Athletic, paid content]
According to CapFriendly.com, the Sabres have 22 players signed on the roster and $3,115, 476 in cap space with Linus Ullmark and Jake McCabe awaiting their arbitration dates. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Ullmark was looking for $2.65 million in arbitration (the Sabres are seeking an $800,000 contract). McCabe is looking for a raise on the $1.775 million salary he made in the past two seasons of his three-year, $4.8 million deal, asking for $4.3 million while the team seeks $1.95 million.
Patrick Moram in the new edition of his podcast also takes a look at the Buffalo Sabres.
🚨Moran-Alytics Podcast EP 140🚨
Wings With: Joe Yerdon (The Athletic)
Taped at: Essex Street Pub🏒 Risto Staying?
🏒 Dahlin’s Partner?
🏒 Eichel & Skinner’s Linemate?
🏒 Tons more Sabres Talk
🎤Buffalo/West Side Pride
🍗 Joe’s Go-To Wing SpotsLISTEN: https://t.co/XZiELQNuBI pic.twitter.com/LqT8TJGci1
— Patrick Moran (@PatMoranTweets) August 2, 2019
The Minnesota Wild recently fired Paul Fenton as their general manager. What happened during his 14 months at this position? Well, a lot. If you don’t have a subscription the The Athletic, you can read three free articles per month on the mobile app and this one is worth it. [The Athletic, paid content]
Fenton had little time for analytics, and the stories of him dismissing the data and research and not taking the resulting advice are plentiful.
“Part of it was he didn’t understand it, and what you don’t know, you’re afraid of,” one person with knowledge said. “Right away, it was clearly evident.”
Advanced statistics, of course, aren’t perfect, and it’s reasonable to view them as just part of the decision-making process. Fenton said at his introductory news conference in May 2018 that analytics should “support everything we do with our eyes.”
Things are going slow in the offseason so the Blueshirt Banter blog published a summer survival guide [Blueshirt Bunter]
Summer Survival Guide 2019 https://t.co/GnKaLIAe7T
— Mike Murphy (@DigDeepBSB) August 2, 2019
Some comments to SB Nation’s articles are brilliant.
Never thought there’d be a day where there’s a *fanfic of my draft rankings*, yet here we are. I honestly can’t stop laughing. https://t.co/TFScWqkOY5 pic.twitter.com/cJFnio7peS
— Colin Cudmore (@CudmoreColin) August 2, 2019
Look what Leafs players think about photos of their teammate William Nylander.
We asked some Leafs to react to their teammates Instagram photos, but it just turned into a roast of William Nylander.
Full Video: https://t.co/YilEIzt5zw pic.twitter.com/vN3JcWiCVN
— Yahoo Sports Canada (@YahooCASports) August 2, 2019
