The Lightning’s shortened summer is drawing to a close at last. A number of the players are back in town or en route to Tampa Bay so this will be our final summer vacation breakdown. It’s hard to believe that training camps are set to open next week and preseason games start in less than two weeks. A new hockey season is on the horizon but here’s a last look at recent off-ice adventures.
Defensive prospect Slater Koekkoek was the team’s lone representative at this year’s NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Toronto earlier this month. The event includes on and off ice events for the young players including a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame and getting to bust into some new packs of trading cards.
Slater Koekkoek shows off one of his nice Paul Coffey cards at the #NHLPARookieShowcase. pic.twitter.com/y2DpcbOG42
— Upper Deck Hockey (@UpperDeckHockey) September 1, 2015
Some of the on-ice sessions are a little less orthodox. The kids get some time working with figure skaters which always leads to some fun images:
I'm not going to pretend to know what's going on right now… pic.twitter.com/lVhj0WpWRs
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) September 1, 2015
Ryan Callahan finally gave in to peer pressure and joined Twitter. So far he’s shared childhood hockey photos, stories about lizard hunting in his Tampa home, getting a tattoo and an epic exchange with Alex Killorn:
Does @Venuseswilliams stop her sister @serenawilliams from calendar year grand slam @usopen ?🎾🎾🎾#familydrama #sisterlylove
— Ryan Callahan (@TheRealCally24) September 8, 2015
@Akillorn19 your not kidding anyone I saw you on the court today. pic.twitter.com/nllDwFcIuh
— Ryan Callahan (@TheRealCally24) September 9, 2015
@Akillorn19 Not all of us were privileged enough to go to @Harvard. You will have to excuse my poor grammar. #toughchirp
— Ryan Callahan (@TheRealCally24) September 9, 2015
Sun Sports’ Paul Kennedy took a trip to Spokane for an upcoming feature on Tyler Johnson. He got a behind the scenes view of Tyler’s offseason training:
Lightning All Star @tjohnny09 & APX trainer Drew Buchkoski hard at work in Spokane. @NHL camps near. @SunSportsFOXFL pic.twitter.com/wXhuoZoN4a
— Paul Kennedy (@PKennedyMedia) September 2, 2015
Steven Stamkos finished this year’s training at Gary Roberts’ High Performance Training with some familiar faces to Lightning fans. Say hi to former Bolts Teddy Purcell and Mike Smith.
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We already know Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is a Jedi. The NHL provided this epic gif from Force Friday that suggests Stamkos may be his padawan:
The force is strong with this one. #ForceFriday pic.twitter.com/jmV0fv824l
— NHL (@NHL) September 4, 2015
Stamkos and Victor Hedman were present in Toronto for the NHL Player Media Tour yesterday and today. The captain got a haircut.
Day Two in the NHLPA studio at Player Media Tour with @RealStamkos91 pic.twitter.com/qK53mRTBrR
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) September 9, 2015
Victor continues to rock that viking realness.
https://twitter.com/michellegingras/status/641247032896786432
(Feature Photo by/Getty Images)
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