The Tampa Bay Lightning were in New Jersey last night, taking on the Devils. Pregame never changes much, it seems, and always must include some warming up:
⚽️, then 🏒.#TBLvsNJD | #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/AwtuhJZ9as
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 3, 2018
The Lightning were dominate throughout the whole game, and the final score – 5-1 – reflected the even-handed effort.
The number for Point keeps going up. Milestone goals and points won’t help with Julien BriseBois’ upcoming negotiation with the leagues most underrated player either.
What I will say to Bolts fans is to not worry about his future cap number, not to begrudge Point as he keeps putting up incredible numbers, not to want him to score less. This is an incredible roster. This is an incredibly fun roster. This is a STANLEY CUP contending season. Let’s appreciate this moment and cheer on these players. Worry about the salary cap in July.
Interesting observation about Taylor Hall from last night’s game:
#NJDevils John Hynes on benching Taylor Hall: “Lots of nights Taylor gets a lot of ice time, and tonight we thought other players were playing better.”
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) December 4, 2018
Prior to the game, Bolts forward Nikita Kucherov, Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (ugh, that boot), and…some other dude?…caught up with former organizational player Vladislav Namestnikov in New York City. (I miss you, Vladdy!)
Meanwhile, I think Yanni Gourde has trust issues.
The one where @yannigourde thinks we’re making him touch a bowl of dog poop. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/XbSgiELxj1
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 3, 2018
Is the William Nylander contract a starting point for Brayden Point’s negotiations when the time comes? Geo thinks so!
But Nylander’s new contract will have to serve as a starting point for Point in any long-term contract talks. Especially if he continues to score as he has through the first quarter of the season. Nylander had two straight 61 point seasons with 22 and 20 goals. Point has started with 40 and 66 point seasons with 18 and 32 goals. His goal scoring pace of this season is unlikely to continue due to his unsustainably high shooting percentage, but he’s still looking like he’s on his way to an 80 point season.
If you’re Point and you want to sign for six to eight years, it’d be hard to accept taking less than Nylander with this kind of production.
Speaking of signing players, it’s predicted that the salary cap will be going up for next season:
Gary Bettman’s projection of salary cap going up to $83 million for next season is good news for #tblighntning, which has $73 million committed to 15 players. And a Brayden Point to sign.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) December 3, 2018
Lightning games are exciting! (…I think?)
Adding up the shifts in win probability throughout each game gives an idea of how exciting each team is. pic.twitter.com/DN2xJiTPRK
— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) December 3, 2018
This might go too fast for it to be really informative, but it looks neat, anyway:
Progression of NHL Eastern Conference playoff odds from @IneffectiveMath, since the beginning of the season. pic.twitter.com/k4tJcXthCU
— Colin Cudmore (@CudmoreColin) December 3, 2018
According to Craig Custance of the Athletic (paywalled), the Lightning and their prospect system will result in a 10th place result in the standings in three years.
The AHL named Cory Conacher the Player of the Month for November yesterday.
During November, the Crunch went 9-0-2-0, a period of games that has totally turned their season around. During that span, Conacher played in all 11 games, scored 8 goals, netted 15 assists, and had eight multi-point games. Two of those goals he scored were power play goals. He also scored two game winning goals, one on the 11th and another on the 16th. Clearly, much of the Crunch’s current success can be directly traced to Conacher, and his performance during the month of November was certainly award-worthy.
The Syracuse Crunch named forward Boris Katchuok their Player of the Week.
Rookie @RussianRocket13 scored his second shorthanded goal this weekend to put us at a league-leading six on the season.
That’s @Toyota Player of the Week worthy. pic.twitter.com/tm4t6yP5wx
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) December 3, 2018
The LA Kings claimed Brendan Leipsic off waivers from Vancouver yesterday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Michael Carcone from the Vancouver Canucks in a minor league trade, in exchange for Josh Leivo.
Another trade that went down was the Anaheim Ducks trading D Marcus Pettersson for F Daniel Sprong.
Daniel Sprong is in the first year of a 2 year deal that carries a cap hit of $750,000. He’ll be an RFA with Arb rights when his deal expires in July 2020
Marcus Pettersson is in the final year of his ELC which carries a cap hit of $794,167, who will be an RFA without Arb rights https://t.co/nan2LgxpQL
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) December 3, 2018
The Orlando Solar Bears had a good-news-bad-news kind of weekend. In addition, they are having their Teddy Bear toss December 21st.
Challenge accepted.
Let’s see what Orlando can do!
Mark your 🗓: Solar Bears Teddy Bear Toss presented by @JewettOrtho is Friday, December 21 at 7 p.m. https://t.co/ECwCfDZBy3
— Orlando Solar Bears (@OrlandoHockey) December 3, 2018
Joel Hanley is an example of the ultimate AHL journeyman. He currently plays for the Texas Stars, and is one of the guys keeping that team afloat.
Hanley, the Stars defensemen, is used to the nomadic lifestyle of an AHL player on constant one-year contracts. The summers are filled with uncertainty and nerves and moving trucks. In his career, Hanley has never signed a multi-year contract. Only once in his career has he played back-to-back seasons in the same organization.
Texas’s Erik Condra, the Crunch’s former captain and the former Lightning forward, was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for this week.
With eight points in three games, @TexasStars forward Erik Condra is the @CCMHockey / AHL Player of the Week.
Details: https://t.co/aPTkly6B6n pic.twitter.com/T0fcbowg5M
— AHL (@TheAHL) December 3, 2018
With the announcement of both Conacher and Condra’s awards yesterday, Crunch forward Daniel Walcott had to get his two cents in:
.@conhockey19 and @ECondra have been battling for years to be the #RealCons now we have a tight race on our hands to see who takes home the title. pic.twitter.com/6aUEnIKj3B
— Daniel Walcott (@WallyD19) December 3, 2018
Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon has moved into 9th place on the AHL’s all-time wins list.
The Czech U-20 national team roster for the World Junior Championships was released yesterday.
Czech U20 national team roster for the @iihf_wjc camp has been announced. pic.twitter.com/jeMcx9r01R
— Czech Prospects (@CZprospects) December 3, 2018
Here’s a fun stat from the NWHL and the Metropolitan Riveters:
Last night Rebecca Russo (@russooo18) of the @Riveters took her first-ever penalty in an @NWHL regular season or playoff game. That’s a 44-game stretch without taking a penalty.
What an amazing display of clean, fast hockey. I think this one is going to stand for a long time.— Mike Murphy (@DigDeepBSB) December 3, 2018
I don’t know what’s going on here, but Geo wanted it in, so…
📹 TEASER: Watch the whole video on our Facebook!
Join Brian Billett, Jesse Kessler and TJ Sarcona in the 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross available now from PETE MOORE MITSUBISHI in Pensacola as they sing-along to a timeless classic in the first episode of Music in Motion! pic.twitter.com/HRxtCujhc6
— Pensacola Ice Flyers (@PcolaIceFlyers) December 3, 2018
Have a great day, everybody!
