Friedman's latest. First time I have heard about Tampa delaying the hand shake, although given their complaints about seemingly every Colorado goal and call on the ice during the series, perhaps I should not be surprised.
23. Tampa Bay: The Lightning have the 31st pick, and none in the second or third rounds. It’s not foreign to them to trade down for multiple seconds, to try and increase their draft bounty. They’ve re-signed Nick Paul, and are trying with Ondrej Palat and Jan Rutta. They’re working with McDonagh to find a trade fit, while Alex Killorn is another possibility (he has some control over his situation). It was a wild scene on the ice as the Lightning waited for the handshakes after losing in the Cup Final. Victor Hedman, as competitive as ever, was making it very clear he did not like the non-icing with about 15 seconds to go. Some of the Colorado players mentioned it, they were so taken aback by what happened. What that says: the Lightning are not satisfied and will do everything in their power to make another run. “The series wasn’t over for 20 minutes before (Julien) BriseBois was doing business,” one source said.
32. Colorado: The Avalanche return to work after a hilarious week of Stanley Cup-damaging debauchery — at least the front office does. (Nicolas Aube-Kubel’s girlfriend did a great TikTok of his on-ice Cup drop). They’re going to work hard on a Nathan MacKinnon extension, which would go into effect in 2023-24. That number will determine a lot of things. It’s going to be hard for them to keep Kadri, even though I think he’d like to stay. He’d be leaving a lot on the table. They’ve shown they have a limit to what they’ll spend on a goalie, so Kuemper will have to decide what he’s comfortable with. Nichushkin is another matter. The Avalanche are determined to take a real shot at it, and it’s not impossible. He knows how good he has it, and if it’s anywhere close, the odds are good for Colorado. (Fun story from the week: Nichushkin apparently lost the flip-flop he was wearing on his injured foot. I can understand how you’d lose the other one, but not that one). Jack Johnson, who had the biggest smile of anyone on the ice, was asked if he’s going to retire. He replied, “I’m not stopping now,” which was excellent. Erik Johnson’s been through a lot, too. This made it all worth it, for sure, but you wonder what he’s thinking after 15 years. They’re still going to be a force. Cale Makar will win a Hart Trophy, perhaps as soon as next year. Bowen Byram showed he’s a stud. Another change might be at the top. Assistant GM Chris MacFarland wasn’t allowed to interview in Anaheim or San Jose. That means he’s getting promoted at some point. Does Joe Sakic move up, while at the pinnacle of his sport once again?