The Hockey Writers

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the envy of the National Hockey League. They’ve got a phenomenal owner in Jeff Vinik, who put the brakes on disaster and painstakingly rebuilt the organization from the inside out. A former investment wizard, Vinik managed to strike the optimal balance between the fanatical micromanagement of some of his peers, and the utter apathy of others. As a … [Read more...] about Tampa Bay Lightning Jersey History

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, the first NHL player has informed their team that they will not take part in the play-in round. Who else might be next? The Tampa Bay Lightning potentially got some bad news as Steve Stamkos suffered an injury. Finally, there could be some interest in Taylor Hall from the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames, plus trade talk out of Vancouver for … [Read more...] about NHL Rumors: Flames, Canadiens, Lightning, Canucks, More

July 10 saw a big trade between two “Original Six” franchises that saw one of them obtain the greatest goal scorer in their team’s history. Also, two current stars inked new contracts and one of the greatest goaltenders of all-time came out of retirement. A Legendary Swap On July 10, 1957, the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings made a one-for-one trade for two future … [Read more...] about Today in Hockey History: July 10

National Hockey League fans who love blockbuster trades have had plenty to be happy about on June 29 over the years. There was an action-packed day in 2016 and two Hall of Famers were traded to their hometowns in 1990. A Crazy 23 Minutes The news couldn’t break fast enough on June 29, 2016, during one of the craziest 23 minutes in recent league history. The craziest … [Read more...] about Today in Hockey History: June 29

A pair of National Hockey League Entry Drafts were held on this date, with both teams from the Sunshine State getting a crack at the top pick. Also, the NHL newest rival made a huge splash on this date in 1972. Lightning Strike First The 27 teams of the NHL got together in Buffalo, NY, on June 27, 1998, for the annual Entry Draft. The Tampa Bay Lightning had the first … [Read more...] about Today in Hockey History: June 27

Welcome to the second part of a series that looks back on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s draft picks over the years and where they are now. This part will discuss the picks from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. This draft is one that Lightning fans remember with joy. Although they did not know it at the time, they selected two of the franchise’s best players of the past decade in Ondrej … [Read more...] about Lightning’s 2011 NHL Draft Picks: Where Are They Now?

Throughout his tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning, general manager Steve Yzerman found great success at the draft. Even if he struggled at times with first-round picks, his team of scouts consistently pulled top-talent out of all rounds of the draft. With the 2019 edition representing the first draft for the Lightning without Yzerman in close to a decade, it was a good time … [Read more...] about Lightning: 5 Best Yzerman-Era Draft Picks

In today’s NHL rumor rundown, is Steven Stamkos upset with the NHL and their decision to expand NHL rosters during Phase 2? In Toronto, how might they try to improve their blue line this offseason? The Edmonton Oilers are getting some players back for skating, Vladimir Tarasenko is ready to go and NHL player contracts have been extended. Stamkos Seems to Question NHL … [Read more...] about NHL Rumors: Lightning, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Blues, More

On June 15, 2017, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded Jonathan Drouin to the Montreal Canadians for Mikhail Sergachev. While this trade received somewhat mixed reactions when it first happened, the reasoning behind then Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman’s decision made logical sense. Not only did Sergachev fill an organizational need, but he was also safe from the upcoming … [Read more...] about Lightning Larceny: Revisiting Sergachev for Drouin Trade