With the conclusion of the Stanley Cup (congratulations, Litter Box Cats), the league-wide news cycle is now in full swing. While some teams had already released their pre-season schedules, the Lightning waited until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season to unveil theirs this Tuesday.
Their pre-season lineup features matchups against familiar opponents like the Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, and Carolina Hurricanes across seven games. Four of these games are designated as “home” games, including a matchup against the Panthers set to take place in Orlando. The final pre-season game is scheduled for Friday, October 4th, suggesting that the regular season will likely commence on either Tuesday, October 8th, or Wednesday, October 9th.
The countdown to hockey is ON. ⚡️
Who will we be seeing at @AmalieArena this Preseason? pic.twitter.com/oghUM6EqtX
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 25, 2024
Coach Jon Cooper will be at the helm for all pre-season games, as well as for Team Canada in the Four Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics. This confirmation from Team Canada aligns with earlier speculation.
It’s improbable that Calvin de Haan will appear on either Team Canada’s roster or the Lightning’s in 2025, making last season the sole opportunity he had to play under Jon Cooper. Despite this, his underlying statistics as a veteran defenseman were more promising than his on-ice performance, as discussed in a recent player review on Raw Charge.
Looking beyond player updates, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced its 2024 honorees on Tuesday. Pavel Datsyuk, Shea Weber, Jeremy Roenick, Natalie Darwitz, Krissy Wendell-Pohl, David Poile, and Colin Campbell received this prestigious recognition.
In other news, the San Jose Sharks continued their roster adjustments by acquiring defenseman Jake Walman and his $3.4 million cap hit from the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit included a 2024 second-round pick in the deal as well. This pick, originally belonging to the Lightning, had been previously traded to the Nashville Predators in the Tanner Jeannot transaction, before making its way to Detroit.
Shifting gears, it appears Alex Meruelo has concluded his involvement with the NHL beyond his previous sale of the Coyotes. According to Craig Morgan, Meruelo has abandoned plans for land acquisition intended for a future expansion team following the cancellation of a property auction in northeast Phoenix. Given his history, including the lucrative sale of the Coyotes for $1.2 billion, this move doesn’t come as a surprise.
