For coach Jon Cooper and the Bolts’ brass, today is a difficult day. The Lightning need to turn in its 23-man roster to the NHL by 5:00 PM Tuesday. The personnel decisions to be made are complicated and tough. (Photo/Susan Ferlita)
Forweards Nikita Kucherov, Vladislav Namestnikov, Cedric Paquette and Jonathan Marchessault have played outstanding hockey in the preseason and have complicated matters for Cooper.
Beat writer Erik Erlendsson reflected on the roster possibilities:
These players are certain to be on the roster for Thursday’s season opener against Florida: forwards Steven Stamkos,Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Valtteri Filppula, Alex Killorn,Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle, J.T. Brown, Brenden Morrowand Kucherov; defensemen Victor Hedman, Anton Stralman, Jason Garrison, Eric Brewer, Matt Carle andRadko Gudas; and goaltenders Ben Bishop and Evgeni Nabokov.
Assuming Jonathan Drouin (fractured thumb) starts the season on injured reserve, that leaves five spots up for grabs among forwards Brett Connolly, Richard Panik, Namestnikov, Paquette and Marchessault; and defensemenMark Barberio, Andrej Sustr and Luke Witkowski.
Connolly, Panik and Barberio would have to be placed on waivers prior to noon today and clear to be reassigned to Syracuse of the American Hockey League.
GM Steve Yzerman has delivered on his promise to build a deep organization. The roster “problem” that faces Yzerman and Cooper is a good one to have. Tampa Bay is laying down the blueprint of how to build a championship franchise in today’s NHL.
We’ll know something soon as today is the last day teams can use waivers to clear roster space by the Tuesday deadline.
Follow me on Twitter @LightningShout and please “like” LightningShout on Facebook. You can email us at [email protected].
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
