Steven Stamkos has been key to Lightning’s sustained run

Mystique and Aura, these well-known nightclub dancers who as soon as lived at 161st and River Ave., have settled in Tampa.

And people women of fortune — as a lot as Steven Stamkos, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov — will likely be a part of the opposition on Sunday when for the second time in 48 hours the Avalanche will try to kayo the two-time defending champ Lightning and seize the Stanley Cup.

There have been method too many late-game victories to low cost the affect of the self-belief that beats in Tampa Bay’s collective championship coronary heart. They've seen, they've conquered. Eleven straight opponents, one after the other, yr by yr.

The Islanders had them. No they didn't. The Maple Leafs had them. No they didn't. The Rangers had them. No they didn't. The Avalanche have them. We'll see about that.

There is no such thing as a doubt that the Lightning group has a major built-in systemic benefit by advantage of their location in a no-state-tax state. However administration deserves credit score for exploiting that benefit in figuring out the appropriate folks to signal, retain, prolong and purchase. As soon as upon a time the Ranger$ had an enormous systemic benefit within the pre-cap period, and look the place that acquired them.

Steven Stamkos
Steven Stamkos
NHLI through Getty Photographs

The previous couple of years, the back-to-back Cups, it has been straightforward to miss Stamkos. The spotlights have been on Vasilevskiy or Kucherov or Hedman or Brayden Level. However now it's unimaginable to look away from No. 91, who has turned in a single compelling efficiency after one other and who has merely refused to permit his staff to lose.

This all began when Stamkos was chosen first total within the 2008 draft, a yr earlier than the Lightning grabbed Hedman at second total after the Islanders had chosen John Tavares.

However you could possibly make a extra salient level by suggesting this all was really enabled when Stamkos eschewed unrestricted free company in 2016 and as an alternative signed an eight-year extension with the Lightning for an annual cap hit of $8.5 million.

The no-state-tax implications have been huge within the equation, however the reality is Stamkos did precisely the other of what Taveras would do two years later when he grew to become the No. 91 to succumb to the attract of going house and enjoying for the Maple Leafs.


There's a truthful quantity of chatter from a number of business sources that the Devils will likely be in on impending Toronto free agent goaltender Jack Campbell if he hits the open market on July 13.

Jack Campbell
Jack Campbell
USA TODAY Sports activities

We’re informed by one informant that New Jersey could try to leap the method by dealing for the 30-year-old’s rights if the Maple Leafs can't or won't prolong the netminder, who began greater than 26 video games (47) in a season for the primary time in his profession.

The concept can be to maneuver Mackenzie Blackwood, whose profession has by some means careened astray throughout a few drama-filled seasons this fragile staff doesn't want. It additionally doesn't want an older veteran coming off accidents to function the backup; e.g., Corey Crawford; Jonathan Bernier.

We’re listening to as nicely that the Devils might have curiosity in Alex Georgiev if he turns into unrestricted this summer time, however doubtless as a part of a tandem operation slightly than as a No. 1.

It's unlikely that the Blueshirts would ship No. 40’s rights to New Jersey with out an overpay, although if Michael McLeod turns into a part of the dialog, I’d be all in.


So we’re listening to this new Pittsburgh possession group will not be so enamored with Brian Burke maintaining his publish as president of hockey ops after a second straight first-round flameout.

Which jogs my memory. It was made clear prematurely of the 2020 bubble event that simply the 16 groups that superior via the qualifiers and seeding spherical can be thought of to have made the playoffs. Qualifying spherical losers, not.

This could be in step with, say, the U.S. Open tennis event, the place losers within the qualifiers will not be thought of to have performed in the principle draw.

Any questions?

Nonetheless, the Penguins felt it obligatory to have interaction in false promoting, displaying a banner exterior their area proclaiming their “sixteenth straight playoff look,” or some form of equally deceptive language, throughout their sequence with the Rangers although it was in actual fact the staff’s second straight look — standing ovation, please — after having misplaced the 2020 qualifiers to Montreal.


Alexander Mogilny
Alexander Mogilny
Neil Miller

The Hockey Corridor of Fame Class of 2022 will likely be introduced on Monday, and if Alex Mogilny doesn't headline the record of inductees, then one thing may be very improper certainly with the choice committee.

The continued omission of Mogilny, who joined the Sabres in 1989 after defecting from the Soviet Union as a 20-year-old, is a thriller. Over 1,000 factors (473-559-1,032), higher than a point-per-game (1.04 in 990 NHL contests) whereas turning into one of the crucial accountable defensive wingers within the league and a sign member of the Devils’ 2000 Cup championship squad.

Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Daniel Alfredsson, Patrik Elias and Rod Brind’Amour are all worthy candidates however none fairly matched Mogilny. There will likely be no acceptable clarification if No. 89 is bypassed but once more. After all, there's actually by no means an evidence in any respect from the committee whose work is confidential.

Pierre Turgeon, in the meantime, who's the one induction-eligible participant among the many NHL’s prime 44 all-time point-getters at thirty fourth with 515-812-1,327 in 1,294 video games, is rarely going to get a sniff, is he?

And if Roberto Luongo, fourth in all-time victories with 489 and ninth in profession shutouts with 77 however with no Stanley Cup championship, doesn't achieve admission, then why would Henrik Lundqvist, sixth with 459 profession victories and seventeenth with 64 shutouts, when he turns into eligible subsequent yr?

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