A big thanks to all those who signed up for my fantasy league and participated in last night’s draft. It was great to get to talk to some of you on a more personal level. We shared some laughs, talked hockey and had a good time. So, thank you and I look forward to playing out the season with you all!
Training camps have started up and we are less than one week away from the commencement of the 2013 National Hockey League season. With that comes all sorts of predictions from all sorts of sources including the media, bloggers and fans. Pundits are busy predicting everything from who will lead the league in goals to who will win the Stanley Cup. As of now, the Tampa Bay Lightning factor into a few of these conversations. However, one in particular has sparked a bounty of interest. Could Cory Conacher challenge for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s best rookie? If you’re asking Bob McKenzie, the answer is yes.
Hockey fans who do not follow the Tampa Bay Lightning or the Syracuse Crunch are probably busy asking themselves how on earth Bob McKenzie, arguably the most widely respected voice in hockey, can predict that a 5-foot-8, undrafted left wing player will win the Calder Trophy when youngsters like Nail Yakupov and Jonathan Huberdeau are set to make their NHL debuts. It’s hard to blame fans who feel that way; up until last year, Cory Conacher was a relatively unknown specimen.
After going undrafted through college despite setting numerous school records and winning a haul of awards, Conacher bounced around from pro-tryout to pro-tryout before finally signing with a one year deal with the Norfolk Admirals in 2011. It didn’t take long for Conacher to make an impact and impress his AHL coaches and the Lightning; he put himself on the radar with his smart offensive play and prolific goal scoring ability.
In his first full season of professional hockey, Conacher put up 80 points in 75 games, took home the AHL’s most valuable player award, signed a two-year NHL contract and won the Calder Cup. It’s safe to say that he got more than a simple taste of success. Through this season in Syracuse, Conacher has continued to show the Lightning that it did not make a mistake by giving him a chance.
With all that, the Lightning decided to invite Conacher to this year’s training camp. In his first day with the “big club,” Conacher suited up on a line with Teddy Purcell and Vincent Lecavalier. Subtle messages from the Lightning brass indicate that he will be given every chance in the world to hold down this spot into the regular season. The fact remains – Conacher is arguably the best prospect in the Lightning system. Despite being undersized, he’s quick, smart and offensively gifted.
If Conacher continues to impress here at training camp, don’t be surprised to see him in a big offensive role when the regular season rolls around. Playing him with some of the world’s best offensive talent and allowing him to develop relationships with mentors like Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier can only be a good thing in the long-term. It just makes sense for the Bolts to keep him around and play him a lot.
So, when you’re sitting around the fictional fire chatting with your friends about who will take home the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie this season, don’t forget Cory Conacher. He may not demand the same hype or have the same reputation as other favorites, but he has won as a professional, led as a professional and dominated as a professional. Write it down, folks; Cory Conacher has arrived.
As always, thanks for reading.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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