Can it already be hockey season again? Almost, but the Tampa Bay Lightning can’t prepare for their Oct. 1 season opener against the New York Rangers without training camp.
And that’s what begins on Thursday morning, when the Bolts hit the rink at the TGH Ice Plex in Brandon.
Fans typically are allowed to observe from the limited bleacher area on a first-come basis.
There will be some camp differences under the new collective bargaining agreement that kicked in Wednesday, when players reported for medical evaluations and media day:
- Camp will be shorter, dropping from 21 days to 13 for experienced players (18 days for first-year players). This is to accommodate the increase from 82 to 84 regular-season games.
- Teams will play only four exhibition games, down from six to eight. Tampa Bay’s first preseason game is scheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m. against the Nashville Predators at Benchmark International Arena. The Bolts also host the Florida Panthers on Sept. 24.
- Veterans with 100 or more NHL games can play no more than two preseason games.
- Mandatory fitness tests — such as the exhaustive “bag” skating or incline treadmill runs — have been eliminated, meaning it is up to the players to be in shape on day one.
With only 13 days — minus the four game days — ice time will be at a premium for coaches to ease veterans into the lineup, evaluate younger players and test line combinations. There is also limited time for players on the bubble to earn a roster spot.
For the Lightning, who will field a mostly experienced lineup, the shortened camp likely won’t be difficult to manage. Most of the veteran players have been skating together regularly throughout the summer.
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"It's just great to see guys actually willing to spend time on the ice rather than on golf course," said Nikita Kucherov, last season's Hart Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL's MVP.
Among those making the most of his summer was veteran defenseman John Carlson, who signed a two-year deal with Tampa Bay after the loss of Darren Raddysh in free agency.
"I obviously came early," said Carlson. "The school started early, so I was here for [a] while, and I guess not all that surprising, but there was a lot of guys here over the last month. So, I would say that was a big plus for me already getting familiar with a lot of the guys skating with them for weeks now."
The Lightning's top young players just spent three days in North Carolina at the annual prospect showcase, along with the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes.
"I'm super excited to get training camp going," said forward Dylan Duke, 23, one of those prospects trying make a permanent jump from the Lightning's farm team in Syracuse. "It's kind of a long summer, and I'm just thankful to be back and get ready to go."
The TGH Ice Plex is at 10222 Elizabeth Place, just east of Falkenburg Road.
