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Tampa Bay Lightning: Five Pre-Season Storylines |
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The Tampa Bay Lightning will open their pre-season tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues at the Amway Center in Orlando. As Jon Cooper and his coaching staff continue to evaluate the talent at camp, players are preparing for their first real game action since last spring. With that in mind, here are five things to watch for during the 2013-14 pre-season.
(1) – The Chemistry between Jonathan Drouin and Brett Connolly
When training camp opened, some people were a little bit surprised that Drouin wasn’t lined up next to Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. Instead, Drouin found himself playing alongside Brett Connolly, the Lightning’s first selection in the 2010 draft. Since being put together by the Lightning’s coaching staff, the two have done nothing but impress. The question now is whether or not that play can continue.
(2) – The Return of Ryan ‘Bugsy’ Malone
A lot has been made of Malone’s disastrous 2013 campaign, but it’s time to move on. It looks like Malone is going to get a great opportunity to suit up next to Stamkos and St. Louis. He’s had success there in the past, and there’s no reason that he can’t have success there in the future. His physicality and ability to fight for pucks mesh well with the skillsets of Marty and Stammer.
(3) – Lindback vs. Bishop
While most expect that Bishop and Lindback will split time in the Lightning’s crease this season, the coaching staff has made it clear that it would love one guy to come out and grab the number one job. If either Lindback or Bishop comes out and does that, the Lightning would undoubtedly win a lot of games this season. This team doesn’t need great goaltending to win; this team needs solid goaltending. With two motivated tenders looking to prove to the hockey world that they are ready for primetime duty, the Lightning’s crease could surprise some people this year.
(4) – The New System
The days of 1-3-1 hockey are gone. Under Jon Cooper, the Lightning will be more aggressive, more desperate, and more willing to challenge opposing players. The staples that made Cooper’s AHL teams successful will almost certainly make their way to Tampa. Like I mentioned in the last Blogger Roundtable, it will be very interesting to see how the revamped coaching staff works to implement a totally new system. Simply put, Guy Boucher and Cooper are two very different coaches with two very different philosophies.
(5) – The Youth Movement
There are lots of young players pushing for spots on the 2013-14 Lightning roster. Tyler Johnson, Richard Panik, Ondrej Palat, Mark Barberio, Brett Connolly, and Jonathan Drouin are just some of the many who may have a chance to play in the NHL this season. Look for young players to play a huge role during the team’s pre-season. Players who stand out will definitely be given an opportunity with the Bolts.
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What are you hoping to see as the team’s pre-season opens? Let me know in the comments section. I’ll be back tomorrow evening with a pre-game blog (!) and a summary of Artyukhin76’s thoughts from camp.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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