If it wasn’t ridiculous enough, Tampa did it again. They signed Kevin Shattenkirk, who was bought out by New York last week, to a 1 year $1.75 million contract. Hey Ottawa…fuck you. Thanks for giving the Lightning all the cap space in the world by taking Ryan Callahan off their hands for absolutely nothing. Not only does every fan in the league hate you, we all hope you never come close to a Stanley Cup again.
To be honest I really think getting swept by Columbus was a fluke and Tampa will be back. Better than ever. Like I mentioned in my last blog, I still think Kevin Shattenkirk has something left in the tank. He’s a right-handed shot, which is a rarity in today’s NHL, and is another solid veteran presence in that lineup.
It’s hockey IQ plays like this, that really scare the hell out of me, knowing he’s going to a powerhouse offense. Anyways, let’s get down to how the Tampa Bay Lightning claim just about every Ranger when their time is up in New York.
It seems as if the 2014 Martin St. Louis trade sparked an obsession with acquiring New York Rangers players for the Lightning organization. That trade sent captain Ryan Callahan and a bundle of picks to Tampa. He would go on to sign a 6 year $34.8 million extension that offseason.
That same offseason, Anton Stralman, one of the better defenseman on the Rangers during that Stanley Cup run, became a free agent. The Lightning didn’t take long to swoop him up. Taking a stud right from our arms and signing him to a five year deal. That’s two, now former Rangers, living it up in Tampa.
Crazy to think Bob was using a fucking Blackberry when all of this happen. Moving on. After helping the Rangers get to the Stanley Cup Finals on a dominant 4th line, Brian Boyle became a free agent that summer as well. What do you fucking know. The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t even have to find a different pen. In that same day, they signed Brian Boyle. Thats three now.
A couple of years pass and everyone thought it might end, but no, Tampa wasn’t finished. Dan Girardi was bought out by the New York Rangers in 2017 and quickly claimed by the Lightning. I was never a huge fan of Girardi but still man, what the fuck. He wasn’t even that good. This is when I began to realize something was fishy about all of this.
The blockbuster trade really put me over the edge with Tampa. The Rangers sent captain Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to the Lightning in exchange for Vlad Namestnikov, Brett Howden and a couple of picks. It was at the last second too. It was said that, Jeff Gorton wouldn’t make the deal unless Brett Howden was included. Stevie Y loves his Rangers so much that he had to do it.
I really can’t take these acquisitions anymore. Tampa had to have the wires tapped inside MSG for the last 10 years. They know about everything that happens and they are always first to jump all over it. I’m glad they got swept though. Really glad.
