On Spezza...
Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos is reporting that the Tampa Bay Lightning may have some interest in Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza.
Kypreos reporting that he hears TB is interested in Spezza
— Hope_Smoke (@Hope_Smoke) June 19, 2014I’d have to say no. This Bolts squad is already set up down the middle, with faces like Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula, Tyler Johnson, and Nate Thompson ready to resume the roles in which they were successful last season.
Rather, this Tampa team’s biggest issues are on defense. It just wouldn’t make sense for General Manager Steve Yzerman to deal away precious assets that could be used to help find a long-term solution on the blue line in exchange for a fragile 31-year-old center with only one year left on his deal.
Simply put, this blogger doesn’t believe that Spezza fits the mold for the Lightning. I don't like to say that a rumor makes zero sense, but this Kypreos rumor doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. I'll keep an eye on it over the coming days, but I wouldn't expect anything to come of it.
On Killorn…
The Bolts announced today that they have signed forward Alex Killorn to a two year deal worth $5.1MM. Killorn, 24, was a 0.5PPG player in his first full season in the NHL, as he tallied 41 points in 82 games. His versatility is perhaps his greatest asset, as he fits on the Lightning’s first, second, or third line with ease.
Lightning fans have to be happy that Yzerman is locking up all his key Restricted Free Agents with what appears to be little difficulty. These players want to be part of something special in Tampa; that means a lot.
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This is just a quick blog update on all of today’s news; I’ll be back with a full-length piece at some point over the next couple days. Let me know your thoughts on the rumor and the Killorn signing.
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.