It was a quiet off-day for the Tampa Bay Lightning as they get ready for an early road trip starting tonight in Detroit. However, there was some news with respect to the Theme Nights for this season. Those nights includes Hockey Fights Cancer, Hockey Talks, Gasparilla, and Kids Day.
We’re so excited that hockey is back, and even more excited to announce our theme night schedule for this year! pic.twitter.com/7P7ErSqlqG
— Lightning Foundation (@LightningFDN) October 12, 2021
Also in Lightning news, Justin wrote about how the 2021-22 Lightning were built.
“With Alex Barré-Boulet claimed by the Seattle Kraken and Gemel Smith heading to Injured Reserve, we finally have the season-opening roster for the 2021-22 Tampa Bay Lightning. These are the folks that will begin the title defense when the puck drops later today. Officially there are 14 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders on the roster, but that includes Smith and Cal Foote who is also out with an injury.” [Raw Charge]
In league news, the Nashville Predators re-signed Mattias Ekholm to a four-year, $6.35 million AAV contract. Personally, I’m not really sure why the Preds are keeping all these players into their 30s especially when they’re a bad team. Break it up, Poile. The contract itself is fine.
Mattias Ekholm is very good now, but at 31 his comp list is full of red flags. This deal could age quite poorly and I’m not exactly sure why Nashville signed it given the team’s current trajectory. pic.twitter.com/2RcFI5wbFa
— dom at the athletic (@domluszczyszyn) October 13, 2021
The New York Islanders also re-signed their defenseman, Ryan Pulock to an eight-year contract. He’s good, the team is good, I get it.
The #Isles extend their number one defender Ryan Pulock for ~$6.25M x 8 years. It brings him under market value while he projects to range between elite and top pair caliber (@domluszczyszyn) pic.twitter.com/1KpUBtOWo9
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) October 14, 2021
Meanwhile, Seth Jones played one of the worst games you possibly could imagine in his Chicago debut. Seth Jones is a good offensive player, but has been genuinely awful at the whole shots and goals against nonsense. When he was acquired by Chicago for multiple first round picks, they gave him an eight-year extension worth $9.5 million per season that doesn’t start until 2022. A lot of people said this in the summer and they’re saying it again now: playing him 25 minutes a night is a disaster on any contract, but it’s cataclysmic with this cap hit. Oh, and he’s going to be USA’s most-used defenseman at the Olympics because Stan Bowman can’t help but be the absolute worst.
A few months from now, Team USA is going to match him up against McDavid and MacKinnon’s line at the Olympics and those two are going to eat his gap control alive in transition.
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) October 14, 2021
really burying the lede here #seth https://t.co/4876KnC8gO
— dom at the athletic (@domluszczyszyn) October 14, 2021
In some history, Alex Ovechkin has caught and passed Marcel Dionne for fifth all-time in NHL goals. He’s still scoring at a higher rate than Gretzky but has 162 more goals to score to catch him. I hope he does it.
Alex Ovechkin scores his second goal of the game and the 732nd goal of his career, passing Marcel Dionne for the fifth-most goals in NHL history. pic.twitter.com/DB69EbxHoM
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 14, 2021
In more Vitali Kravtsov news, he says he’s willing to go to the AHL in order to leave the Rangers. I doubt that price is going to be paid to New York, it’s just silly.
Good interest in Vitali Kravtsov. I’m told he’s willing to play in the AHL with another NHL club and would consider a 1 year agreement around his qualifying offer for next season. However, the NYR are expecting the potential of top 6 talent in return via trade.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 13, 2021
Henrik Lundqvist has joined MSG as a Rangers analyst.
For 15 years it was all about playing Rangers hockey, it’s now time to TALK Rangers hockey. Really happy to join @msgnetwork this season to discuss and stay connected to the game.
See you tomorrow at 6pm at @msgnetwork #homeopener #LGR 🔴⚪️🔵 pic.twitter.com/2nTnY5zouR— Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist) October 13, 2021
AHL Utica Comets play-by-play man Jason Shaya comes out and Bob McKenzie has the story.
It’s a new season, and a new life, for a now openly gay pro hockey play-by-play man. Here’s Jason Shaya’s coming out story 🏳️🌈: https://t.co/9rtyXwxbQu
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) October 13, 2021
