Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning and right winger Nikita Kucherov announced an agreement Tuesday on an eight-year, $76 million contract extension through the 2026-27 NHL season.

"I'm truly grateful to sign this contract extension to keep me in Tampa for the next eight seasons today," Kucherov said. "I'd like to thank the Lightning organization and all of the fans for the support since making the Bay Area my home."

The new deal, which will go into effect after next season, comes with an annual cap hit of $9.5 million.

Kucherov is coming off a career-best campaign that saw him register 39 goals and 61 assists across 80 games. His 100 points ranked third in the NHL behind the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (108) and Philadelphia Flyers' Claude Giroux (102).

The 25-year-old Russian forward also tallied 85 points in 74 appearances during the 2016-17 season, and his 316 points since his breakout year in 2014-15 rank fourth in the league over that span, per Hockey Reference.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reported the lucrative extension also doesn't take the Lightning out of the trade sweepstakes for Ottawa Senators star defenseman Erik Karlsson:

The contract, while high-priced, should provide Tampa with plenty of bang for its buck.

Kucherov's upcoming $9.5 million average annual salary is tied for ninth in the NHL with Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, per Spotrac.

As more marquee players sign long-term contract extensions, that could look like a relative bargain since the dynamic winger should still be in the middle of his peak seasons for most of the term.

Kucherov will line up alongside center Steven Stamkos with either J.T. Miller or Ondrej Palat on the left side to once again give the Lightning one of the NHL's most dangerous top lines.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson added fuel to trade rumors Thursday when he followed Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos on Twitter and Instagram.

SportsDay Stars tweeted a photo of Karlsson's recent Twitter follows, with Stamkos on center stage:

Sean Leahy of ProHockeyTalk then did the same for Karlsson's Instagram account:

With Karlsson in the final year of his contract, rumors and speculation regarding a trade have run rampant since last season.

Multiple teams have reportedly contacted the Sens about acquiring the two-time Norris Trophy winner.

According to Joe Smith of The Athletic, the Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights have inquired about Karlsson.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers have talked with the Senators about their captain as well.

Meanwhile, The Athletic's Sean Shapiro reported the Dallas Stars are the front-runners to land Karlsson.

It is unclear whether Karlsson's following Stamkos means anything, but it will undoubtedly lead to more speculation that a move to Florida could be in his future.

The Bolts were the top team in the Eastern Conference last season with 113 points, and they reached the Eastern Conference Final before falling to the Caps.

One of Tampa Bay's few weaknesses last season was offense from the blue line. Aside from 2018 Norris winner Victor Hedman (63 points) and Mikhail Sergachev (40 points), no Lightning defenseman had more than 18 points.

Karlsson has had more than 60 points in five straight seasons, and trading for him would further cement Tampa Bay as one of the NHL's most dangerous teams.

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Tuesday they have re-signed center J.T. Miller to a five-year deal worth $5.25 million per season.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN provided the yearly breakdown of the contract:

Tampa Bay acquired the 25-year-old along with Ryan McDonagh last February in a midseason trade with the New York Rangers. Miller scored 10 goals with eight assists in the 19 games after switching teams, also adding eight points during the postseason.

Miller played 82 regular-season games between the Rangers and Lightning last season, finishing with a career high of 58 points, including an impressive 35 assists.

He was especially valuable on the power play in both locations, totaling 11 goals and seven assists with an extra man on the ice. Five of those goals came in his short stretch in Tampa Bay.

The Lightning are keeping a reliable player who has appeared in all 82 games in each of the last three campaigns. His ability to win faceoffs (54.3 percent last season) is a bonus.

Although fans might be concerned about the cost, Dan Rosen of NHL.com noted the favorable cap situation:

The Lightning lost the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three years, and Miller could be the type of hardworking player who can help get them over the top.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's Victor Hedman was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman for the 2017-18 season at the league's awards show in Las Vegas on Wednesday. He beat out fellow finalists P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators and Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings. 

Hedman was an offensive force during the regular season and tied Philadelphia's Ivan Provorov and Calgary's Dougie Hamilton for the most goals by a blueliner with 17. He also tallied 46 assists on his way to the first Norris of his career.

Hedman also became the first player in Lightning franchise history to capture the award. He was also named a finalist for the honor last year but lost out to Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks. 

His 63 points this season were the second-best mark of his career behind only last season's effort of 72 points. He has developed into a critical member of the Lightning's attack and posted an impressive plus-minus of plus-32, per ESPN.com.

Hedman's offense was a primary reason the Lightning finished with an Eastern Conference-best 113 points, but he was an important presence on defense as well and was fifth in the league in ice time per game.

Without Hedman anchoring the defensive unit, Tampa Bay likely wouldn't have advanced to the Eastern Conference Final. 

He was rewarded for his efforts Wednesday.

The Washington Capitals are the 2018 Stanley Cup champions, but they are looking up at a handful of teams when it comes to the favorites to take home the fabled trophy next season.

As OddsShark shared in the aftermath of Washington's 4-3 Game 5 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena, the Tampa Bay Lightning are favored to win the title next season. The Nashville Predators, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs are all seen as more likely to win the Cup than Washington and Vegas as well:

While it may come as a surprise to the casual fans who primarily tuned in for the playoffs, the Lightning and Predators' status comes after they dominated the 2017-18 campaign.

Nashville's 117 points were the most in the league, while Tampa Bay's 113 were the most in the East. However, the Lightning lost two straight games to the Capitals in the Eastern Conference Final after seizing a 3-2 lead, falling a single win short of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. Nashville, meanwhile, lost in seven games to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

Winnipeg's 114 points were the second-most in the league, so it's not as if the Predators should be particularly ashamed of their heart-breaking exit the year after they reached the Stanley Cup Final.

For now, though, the Capitals will celebrate this season's championship—their first in franchise history.

Alex Ovechkin has waited to land the sport's ultimate prize since his first NHL game in 2005, and he scored a goal in Thursday's dramatic win. He also earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason's MVP after scoring 15 goals, cementing his status as an NHL legend.

But even with that effort, he couldn't cement the Capitals as next season's favorites.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos suffered a lower-body injury Sunday against the Nashville Predators at Amalie Arena. The team announced he would not return after spending just seven minutes and 22 seconds on the ice.

Stamkos played 17 games in 2016-17 before he tore his right meniscus. He underwent surgery and missed the rest of the season. Minnesota Wild wing Zach Parise had a similar injury and told The Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith he needed a year-and-a-half before he felt like 100 percent again on the ice.

That likely didn't give Lightning fans much comfort.

However, Stamkos has been much better in 2017-18, posting 86 points (27 goals, 59 assists) through 78 games. The points were his most since 2011-12, and only Nikita Kucherov has more on Tampa Bay this season.

His play has also been a key factor in the team clinching a playoff spot and being a top contender for a Stanley Cup this postseason.

Not only is Stamkos one of the Lightning's best players, he's also in the second year of an eight-year, $68 million deal. The 28-year-old is a large part of Tampa Bay's present and future, so it's important he avoid another serious health issue.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger J.T. Brown became the first NHL player to demonstrate during the national anthem in the regular season when he raised his fist in the air prior to Saturday's game against the Florida Panthers.

Pete Blackburn of CBS Sports captured an image of Brown with his fist raised:

Brown began raising his fist during the national anthem in the preseason. He told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times he was doing it to help bring awareness to racial inequality and police brutality.

"Some will tell you that's disrespecting the military," Brown said. "Well, I wanted to hear it from someone who is serving, not some person on Twitter. Some thought (kneeling) was disrespecting, but most felt that we have a right to do it regardless of whether they agree with you or not, or would stand next to you."

The 27-year-old Brown also told Smith he's unsure of how long he will go on raising his fist during the playing of the national anthem, but the bigger deal was "to keep trying to bring awareness."

Many NFL players have done some form of protest during the national anthem, including raising their fist or taking a knee. The movement began last year with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's attempt to bring awareness to racial inequality and injustice in the United States.

The NHL announced Monday the Tampa Bay Lightning will host the 2018 NHL All-Star Game.

"We are thrilled to host the 2018 NHL All-Star Game at Amalie Arena," Lightning owner Jeff Vinik said in a statement on NHL.com. "We've worked hard over the past several years to transform Tampa Bay into a hockey market. The honor of hosting the All-Star game validates that work, but it's not the end of our efforts. We pledge to work alongside the NHL as well as leaders across Tampa Bay to deliver a world class experience for All-Star players, fans and partners."

This marks the second time Amalie Arena will house an All-Star Game. In 1999, fans in Tampa, Florida, saw Team North America beat Team World 8-6, with Wayne Gretzky winning MVP. 

Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski‏ noted the 2018 All-Star Game will coincide with the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa:

Beyond naming a host for next year's All-Star Game, Monday's news likely carries major significance regarding the 2018 Winter Olympics.

The NHL confirmed in April it didn't intend to release its players for the Olympics, which begin Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang, South Korea. However, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman wrote in May that some people remained hopeful about NHL participation in the Olympics since the league had yet to formally announce 2018 All-Star plans.

Sportsnet's Chris Johnston believes that door is now shut:

Hosting the 2018 All-Star Game is a big achievement for the Lightning, and captain Steven Stamkos described it as a "long time coming," per the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith.

"It's obviously a testament to what Mr. Vinik has done in our city, and our organization," Stamkos said. "It's a huge honor to host an even like that. It's just an opportunity to show what a great city we have and how great of a fanbase we have to the rest of the league."

The Tampa Bay Lightning traded All-Star goaltender Ben Bishop to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times confirmed the news. 

TSN's Aaron Ward reported the Kings will receive Bishop and a draft pick, while the Lightning will acquire Erik Cernak, Peter Budaj and a draft choice. 

Kings president and general manager Dean Lombardi says the Kings weren't sure if goalie Jonathan Quick would have his "A-game" after being out for 59 games due to a groin injury, per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

The 30-year-old Bishop has developed into one of the NHL's best over the past three seasons, and he is coming off a 2015-16 campaign that saw him go 35-21-4 with a career-best 2.06 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.

He also went 8-2 with a 1.85 GAA and a .939 save percentage in the playoffs one season after leading the Bolts to the Stanley Cup Final.

Injury cut Bishop's postseason short, however, and that may have paved the way for his trade out of Tampa, as Andrei Vasilevskiy stepped up and played well in his absence.

Following the season, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman made it clear he felt as though Vasilevskiy was on Bishop's level, according to Smith of the Tampa Bay Times:

I think we have two elite starting goaltenders. Vasy is young and he hasn't had that track record, but he's just showing he can start now on a really good team. At some point, whether it's expansion, the cap or we've got two guys that need the net, I'm going to have to make a decision. I can't tell you if it's tomorrow or a year from now.

With Bishop set to hit free agency after the 2016-17 campaign, rumors regarding a trade inevitably surfaced shortly after the playoffs ended. 

Chief among his rumored suitors were the Calgary Flames, per TSN's Frank Seravalli.

Despite Calgary's interest, the Lightning decided to go in a different direction, although they still concluded that dealing Bishop was the best move in terms of utilizing their goaltending depth and getting something in exchange for a soon-to-be free agent.

While Bishop has dealt with some injuries over the past few years, the 6'7" American averaged 62 games played per season from 2013-14 through 2015-16 and proved to be one of the most dominant goalies in hockey during that time frame.

Provided he can remain healthy and the Kings manage to lock him into a long-term contract, this deal could be what they needed in order to take that next step.

As for the Lightning, picking up assets for a player they may not have been able to re-sign is undoubtedly a positive, particularly if Vasilevskiy continues to develop as expected.

The 22-year-old Russian has a long way to go before he is as proven as Bishop, but with a 2.69 GAA and a .911 save percentage under his belt in 72 career regular-season games, he has a solid foundation in place that could help Tampa avoid missing a beat despite Bishop's departure.

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Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 20.

However, Bishop is ready to return after missing nine games and will start against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.

"It's no fun missing time," Bishop told the Lightning website (via NHL.com), "so it's going to be exciting getting back out there to play."

Bishop suffered the injury during the first period after going down into the butterfly position to stop a shot from Red Wings defenseman Nick Jensen:

The injury bug continues to find Bishop, who suffered a left knee injury after falling awkwardly during Game 1 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The ailment was severe enough at the time that he had to be stretchered off the ice. 

But before he was forced to bow out of the postseason, the Vezina Trophy finalist was positively superb throughout the 2015-16 campaign. In 61 appearances, the 30-year-old went 35-21 with a .926 save percentage and a league-leading 2.06 goals-against average. 

But 22 games into the 2016-17 season, Bishop has regressed with a 9-10-2 record, a .907 save percentage and a 2.79 goals-against average. 

For a team that's already without Steven Stamkos, who is recovering from a right knee injury that required surgery and will likely hold him out for the remainder of the regular season, Bishop's loss was another major hurdle for the Lightning. Fans will be happy to see him return on Thursday night.

The Lightning (19-19-4) have lost four straight games (0-4-0) and are four points behind the Ottawa Senators for third place in the Atlantic Division, per NHL.com.