Around The NHL In 30 Days: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Fansided NHL Network, that SenShot is proud to be a member of, is embarking on its NHL preview. Each day in September, one of its members will be posting a preview for their club.  SenShot will look at their preview, and let you have a look.  After that, we will provide our own perspective.  Jared will handle the Western Conference teams while Tony will look at the East.

Today, we’ll preview our NHL cousins, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Here’s what Bolts By The Bay‘s writing staff had to say:

"First, let’s cover the essentials. The Bolts didn’t bring in too much new fire power but that’s not to say that the team’s new acquisitions this year aren’t to be given a chance. Here is the breakdown player by player.Vladislav Namestnikov: This year’s first-round pick for the Lightning, and 27th overall in the NHL, Namestnikov, only 18-years-old, already has history with the team, being the nephew of former Red Wing and teammate of Steve Yzerman, Slava Kozlov….Ryan Shannon: The St. Petersburg Times posted a headline after the signing of Shannon marking him as a “newcomer on the rise”, and with a locker-room spot next to Martin St. Louis, and the advice he must receive on a daily basis, that headline is a pretty safe assumption.Picked up from the Ottawa Senators – where last season Shannon had 27 points in 79 games – the deal reached is worth $625,000 over one year….Click here to read the entire Bolts By The Bay Lightning preview."

You can follow lead writer Dolly Reynolds on Twitter here for all your Lightning news and info.

Here’s SenShot’s take on the upcoming Lightning season:

Tampa Bay really surprised me last year. I didn’t have them pegged as a playoff team, yet alone an Eastern Conference Finalists. But with their results from last year, come raised expectations. Their fan base that has suffered so much since they reached the promised land in 2003-04, now can finally expect their team to challenge for Lord Stanley once again.

After avoiding the nightmare that could have been the Steven Stamkos resigning, the Lightning have their core locked up long-term. With a lot of money tied up in nine players (over $42 million dollars), the Lightning will depend heavily on the health of these nine players.

The biggest resigning of the summer was probably (no, not Stamkos) that of ageless wonder Dwayne Roloson. Always battling for every save, Roloson will be the determining factor in any success the Lightning have this season. How much longer can the soon to be 42 year old compete at such a high level?

Will the Bolts make the playoffs this year? I think they will as they will be in the second tier of teams in the Eastern Conference. Will they make some noise in the playoffs once they get there? Anythings possible.

Check back here tomorrow when we preview the Toronto Maple Leafs and their upcoming season.

**Don’t forget to buy your Tickets for SenShot’s Alfie Night in Ottawa on November 11th, 2011. Click here for more details**

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