Quick strikes and links

As the playoffs wane on, topical stories about the Lightning, well, wane off.

Sure, there's continued conjecture about who the Lightning will bring in in net, what they'll do with all those draft picks, and how on Earth they're going to unload Vincent Lecavalier's contract. But other than that, there's really nothing hockey-related going on with the team.

And sadly, that's the case for most teams this time of year. Pretty soon, all hockey fans will be deliberating about the draft, free agency, and whether or not "it's October yet."

But in the mean time, meaningless banter is all we've got, right?

So, here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Teddy Purcell has a blog going to keep track of his World Championships. It always cracks me up how these player blogs are always paved with great intentions, and then get shorter and shorter, and fewer and further in between.
  
• According to a Swiss online newspaper, the Bolts have offered a contract to Swiss stud Damien Brunner. That'd be okay. However, there is some question to the validity of this claim.
  
• Would Tampa be a good fit for Rick Nash? Well duh, but I don't think even Stevie is good enough to make those logistics work.

• Remember a couple of seasons ago when Vinny Lecavalier took a high stick above the eye, was cut open, finished the shift and scored a goal? Hehe, me too... At any rate, Bolts prospect Richard Panik seems to have wanted to one up him, as he scored the OT winner to propel the Norfolk Admirals into the AHL Eastern Conference Finals after being hit in the face with a slapshot. Yikes.

And your links from the rest of the NHL:

• On a note that will surprise no one, Tomas Vokoun's tenure in Washington is over. Begin rumors to Tampa in 3...2...1...
• Speaking of finished tenures with the Washington Capitals, Dale Hunter is gone as well. No real shock here, either.
  
• Could the New York Islanders go after Alex Semin if he reaches unrestricted free agency? That's just what they need.
• Here's some good news: Ex-Bolt Simon Gagne has been cleared for contact. Could he return during the playoffs?
• Well, since the Minnesota Wild like to go on streaks of making transactions with the same team over and over, they're obviously considering how they can lure Zach Parise. Hopefully for them, he likes ice fishing.
• This just in: athletes that play for Philadelphia teams will never win with the media. The latest victim? Ilya Bryzgalov. The guy opens up and gives some real emotions, and of course gets chided for it.
• And finally, here's a look at a very interesting upcoming NHL draft class.