Tampa Bay Lightning

According to an online report from a Swiss source, the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Swiss league player Reto Suri to a two-year contract, a contract that will not go into effect until the 2014-15 season. The report from Blick.ch seems to indicate the deal is a two-way contract that would pay him $775,000 per year, according to the report. The Swiss took the 2013 World Championships by storm this year, going undefeated until the gold medal game against Sweden. The 5'11" forward was one of the top scorers for Team Switzerland during the WC's, notching 5 goals and 3 assists in 10 games. Suri is currently 24, and will be 25 when this contract is supposed to take effect. He played last season for EV Zug in the Swiss-A league. In 46 games played, Suri scored 14 goals and 11 assists. No official word has come out from the lightning organization at this time.

All good things... GR-5 SYR-2 Grand Rapids Wins the Series 4-2 Grand Rapids Wins the Calder Cup Cedrick Desjardins allowed 3 goals on 23 shots in a game that encapsulated the Finals for Desjardins. Brilliant at times, he allowed a goal through him on the eventual game winner by Evans that he surely wishes he had back. It will be interesting to see how Julien BriseBois retools between the pipes for next season, because you can make the argument the difference between Desjardins and Mrazek was, in large part, the difference between champion and runner-up. First Period SYR Panik, (9) (Taormina, Palat), 17:15 Second Period GR Callahan, (6) (Ferraro, Grant), 2:23 GR Tatar, (15) (Nyquist, Ferraro), 12:41 (PP) Third Period SYR Sustr, (2) (Namestnikov, Devos), 5:14 GR Evans, (2) (Callahan, Sheahan), 9:54 GR Tatar, (16) (Andersson, Nyquist), 19:11 (EN/PP) GR Andersson, (3) (Glendening), 19:54 (EN) I think Lightning fans everywhere, even with the bitterness of this defeat, need to start by saying, "thank you" to this group of players. The team we've referred to as "SyraNo" on this site, which won a championship in Norfolk last year and almost did again this year with Syracuse has been one of the best groups of players ever to take the ice together in the AHL. A lot of these guys, like Radko Gudas who returned tonight from injury, are ticketed for the NHL next year. Others, some of the really veteran guys, may move on in the offseason. So, this group of guys will never be together again, but we should tip our hat to them for two years of sustained brilliance the likes of which we're unlikely to see again anytime soon. As for the young prospects who will likely return to Syracuse next season, I found myself highly impressed with Vladislav Namestnikov and Andrej Sustr, both of whom got stronger as the playoffs wore on. Namestnikov is a legit threat to be an AHL All-Star next season, if not more, with his wizardry with the puck and Sustr is something rare and interesting in pro hockey. You have to put aside the fact Andrej is 6'8", because he refuses to play to type. He's not a bone crunching stay-at-homer, and there's a lot of times he looks like a forward with his ability to read the play offensively and jump into the action. His feed to Tyler Johnson in the slot in the Third Period tonight was an incredible bit of vision that I think stunned TJ a bit, and darned near got Syracuse the key goal they needed in the final frame. That's after he tied the game once in the final period with an absolute bullet from the point. These two guys will be fun to watch develop next season. Ondrej Palat finishes the playoffs as the AHL leader in postseason scoring. Well done, Mr. Palat. Box score from TheAHL.com. read more

Versus AHL Calder Cup FinalsGame SixListen Live on The Fan 1260Live Stream on AHL Live Where: Onondaga County War Memorial, Syracuse, New YorkWhen: 7:00 PM EDTMedia: Time Warner Cable systems in Central NY (cable), AHL Live (online), 1260 AM (radio)

I don't know Syracuse sports history that well. I know about the Orangemen and Syracuse University - nice run to the Final Four this year, by the way. I don't know about the first AHL winners who hailed from Syracuse, nor do I know much about the teams that Alex Ackerman has boasted about from the past (2007-08), though I do know of the reputation of at least one player from that team (Zeon "Zeke" Koneke). I do know the Crunch franchise has not been here before, though; game six of the AHL Calder Cup Finals. The team sits on the brink of elimination while also on the verge of a last chance, a last gasp, at the glory. What I also know is that this is more of an emotional investment than the 2011-2012 Norfolk Admirals team, at least from afar. That's not judging teams, or comparing teams... But an actual fight, a struggle to get past an opponent didn't exist in the 2012 AHL playoffs. The Ads rolled over all challengers from early February until the last horn sounded in Ricoh Arena in Toronto when they bested the Marlies in a series sweep. That team captured people's attention and showed the world what they could do. Were they infallible? No, but the chips fell in such a way that their mortality wasn't on display as much as their drive for success. That's what I know about this team - that some of them know the taste of that sweet success. I know this game - game six of the Calder Cup finals - is the biggest Crunch game in the history of modern Syracuse hockey. It's not a finite point, though. It's simply looking for a last chance. A last dance. It's up to the efforts of the efforts of the Syracuse Crunch for this to be the penultimate game of the 2013 Calder Cup Finals. Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Richard Panik, Brett Connolly, Vladislav Namestnikov, Radko Gudas, Mark Barberio, Cedrick Desjardins and others - you're charged with getting this team to the next game. Petr Mrazek, Danny DeKeyser and all the rest of the Grand Rapids Griffins are charged with ending this mother once and for all. They've already played a long haul of playoff games, they've already shown their capable of silencing the onslaught of Tampacuse offense. This all should be over, done with, moot by this point. But it's not. And it ain't gonna' be if the bounces go a certain way and the hockey Gods will it. The Norfolk Admirals won the Calder Cup in 2012, the biggest accomplishment by a Tampa Bay Lightning AHL/IHL affiliate, yet tonight's game is bigger. It's a chance to overcome, one of the key driving forces in sports... It's what we emotionally invest in as fans - winning in against-the-odds moments and overcomign adversity. This series could be done and over tonight, that's a fact Crunch fans need to accept; home ice hasn't been an advantage and the Crunch left Syracuse in a 2-0 hole after starting the series at home. It's not an insurmountable challenge to overcome, but it has seemed like one for this team at various times during the season. Tonight's game can also serve as a transitory device to a final confrontation between two conference champions: the winner-take-all game seven, where all bets are off and nothing is left for tomorrow - because it no longer exists. I don't know Syracuse sports history, what's happened in town in the past that outweighs the value of the events tonight at Onondaga County War Memorial. SU may have gone elsewhere and won bowl games and other titles in other towns ... But tangibly, in the city limits? This, even a minor league title, is an event of huge weight in the context of sports history for the city... And if all goes well, the next game - scheduled (if necessary) for Thursday - will wipe its relevance away in a flash

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first NHL Draft, NHL.com assembled a 13-member panel to select the best first-round picks of all time, based on selection number. NHL.com will feature one of the top first-round picks each day, beginning wi...

Need to Know - The Calder Cup Finals return to Syracuse Tuesday for Game 6 after consecutive Crunch wins in Grand Rapids. - Syracuse is the first team in AHL history to win two road elimination games in same Calder Cup Finals. - Ondrej Palat's ...

June 30, 2013 is a big day for Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Prudential Center in Newark hosts this year’s NHL Entry Draft where making a bad decision can jeopardize your team and ruin your career as a General Manager. What is Steve Yzerman going to do? Have you heard the rumor about a convoluted deal involving Vincent Lecavalier and the Toronto Maple Leafs? Really, anything can happen…and most likely will. The Lightning has had its share of successes with first round picks: Roman Hamrlik, Chris Gratton, Daymond Langkow and, of course, Vinny and Stammer. And then there was Mario Larocque, Nikita Alexeev, Alexander Svitov, and Andy Rogers…yes, Andy Rogers. You get the picture. The entry draft can be a crapshoot. So what magical moves does the Bolt’s GM have up his sleeve? There’s no shortage of challenges for Steve Yzerman. While the Lightning was 3rd overall in goals per game this year, their power play was mediocre at 13th, penalty killing was dismal at 19th, and our goals against average was downright pathetic at 26thin the league. Assuming that Colorado doesn’t have a brain cramp, the consensus is that NHL-ready D-man, Seth Jones, is gone with the first pick. If that scenario plays out, the Panthers most likely would either be looking at Nathan MacKinnon or Jonathan Drouin. Let’s hope our cross-state rivals follow the rankings of NHL Central Scouting and take MacKinnon with their pick. If Yzerman trusted me with his selection, I’d draft Jonathan Drouin any day. Both players (and teammates), though, have huge upsides. In addition to being named QMJHL’s regular season and playoff MVP, Drouin was selected as the Canadian Hockey League’s Player of the Year. Having played only 5 more games than MacKinnon, he tallied 30 more points finishing with 105 points on 41 goals and 64 assists in 49 games for the Halifax Mooseheads. How do you pass on that kind of talent? Let me tell you how. Since Yzerman is apparently married to Bishop and Lindback for the forseeable future, the goalie situation, for better or for worse, seems untouchable. He could trade up to get Jones, but I don’t think either Colorado or Florida is stupid, so that’s highly unlikely. If he’s more interested in winning now than he is in building a long-term legacy, then Yzerman could trade down and get some help for the power play, penalty kill, and a defense that is often porous. If you’re Steve Yzerman on the last day of June, what would you do? Take the poll below and leave us a comment. I’m really interested to know what moves you would make to improve our Bolts on draft day. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

The Syracuse Crunch has fought their way through the final round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.  After dropping the first two games of the series in front of their hometown crowd in Syracuse, and then the first game at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, the Crunch battled back in Games 4 and 5 defeating the Grand Rapids Griffins 3-2 and 5-2 respectively, forcing a Game 6 and bringing the series back to home ice at the War Memorial Arena in Syracuse. If there is one thing the Crunch have proven is that they may have been down, but they are definitely not out. Their victory in Game 5 on Saturday was can largely be attributed to the stellar performance put up by Crunch goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, who stopped 40 of the 42 shots brought against him. The Syracuse Crunch is the first team in AHL history to win two road elimination games in the same Calder Cup Finals. Tonight, when the players walk into the War Memorial Arena, they will be facing down elimination once again; however, the Crunch are not intimidated. After the win on Saturday in Grand Rapids, the players hit Twitter with their excitement. What a gutsy response from the @SyracuseCrunch. So much character in the locker room. Pack the war memorial Tuesday night. #letsgo — Brett Connolly (@bconnolly8) June 16, 2013 It would seem that Crunch defenseman Matt Taormina shares Brett Connolly’s sentiment. Heading back to the ‘CUSE’ for game 6 Tuesday night. Let’s pack the WM. #dontletuswin3 #ALLIN #bluemachine #SyrCrunch — Matt Taormina (@MATaormina) June 16, 2013 Radko Gudas has clearly embraced the “Don’t Let Us Win ___” theme that has all but taken over as the Syracuse Crunch’s Rally Cry. Don’t let us win three! #whynotus? #allin #4daysinjune — radko gudas (@radkogudas) June 16, 2013 In terms of firepower each side has its own advantages. For the Crunch, you have Tyler Johnson who has 10 goals and 11 assists for a total of 21 points. Just behind him you have RW Richard Panik and LW Ondrej Palat. Panik has 8 goals and 5 assists, and Palat has 7 goals and 18 assists. On the Griffins, you have LW Tomas Tatar who has 14 goals and 5 assists for a total of 19 points. On his tail is RW Jan Mursak and center Luke Glendening. Mursak has netted 11 goals and 6 assists, and Glendening 6 goals and 9 assists. The Crunch have solid puck possession and an uncanny passing ability; all they have to do is get the puck past the goaltender. However, that may be easier said than done. Griffins netminder Petr Mrazek has a Goals Allowed Average of 2.32 and a Save Percentage of .916 throughout the post season. On the other side of the ice, Desjardins has a Goals Allowed Average of 2.25 and a Save Percentage of .910. Ultimately, this series is going to boil down to who wants the Cup more. From what I can tell, not only do the players believe that they can do it, but the Crunch fans believe as well. Do you believe that the Crunch have what it takes to stave off elimination and force a Game 7, or will the Griffins walk out of the War Memorial Arena with the Calder Cup? I can tell you one thing for sure, I believe. Be sure to stay up-to-date with all the latest Lightning news and updates with Bolts By the Bay. LIKE us on Facebook at Bolts By The Bay, and you can follow us on Twitter at @BoltsByTheBay.

The Lightning Foundation, charitable arm of the Tampa Bay Lightning, announced today that it will continue its ‘Lightning Community Heroes’ program, an initiative designed to distribute more than $2 million of the $10 million pledge by owner Jeff ...

The Lightning announced it is taking nominations for its Community Hero program which has donated a combined $4.1 million the past two seasons to non-profit organizations in the Tampa Bay area that are representative to a "hero's cause."