Written by Dave N - September 10th, 2024
While going through some of my CMHL archives this morning, I came across my Tampa Bay teams initial draft picks, commencing from the league's Inaugural Prospect Draft from Season 1 (2004). The first player selected by the Bolts was Ryan Getzlaf, at 5th overall.
Below is my complete draft list, from my (and the league's) initial season (2003-04) through our latest draft this past summer (2023) ...
Written by Dave N - August 25th, 2024
In the early 2000s, when the CMHL was just starting out, the flegling Tampa Bay Lightning hired Dave Normoyle as their General Manager. The new GM's basket wasn't exactly flush to the top with talent, so it did not take long for him to start reaching out to other GMs around the league.
Written by Dave Normoyle - August 10th, 2024
Tampa Bay Lightning GM is back!
Written by Laci Bloomers - September 20th, 2023
The 2022-23 CMHL hockey season definately did not go as planned for the Tampa Bay Lighting. After a decent start to the season, the final quarter saw the club drop faster than Calamity Jane's knickers, culminating in missing the playoffs thanks to their first losing season in a very long time.
Written by Dave Randorf - December 20th, 2022
An updated look at the statistics for all of the prospects in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. Our spotlight is on Jake Neighbours (pictured). The Airdrie, Alberta native was selected with Tampa Bay's pick in the second round ... 33rd overall in the 2020 CMHL Entry Draft. Jake played most of last season in the Western Hockey League with the Edmonton Oil Kings, but did get into nine games with the St. Louis Blues. This season in the NHL, he's already played 13 games and scored one goal (1-0-1) with the Blues. However, he's played 14 games in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds and produced eight points (3-5-8).
Written by Laci Bloomers - October 10th, 2022
With the 19th CMHL Season fast approaching, there seems to be a different feel in the air in Tampa Bay.
Written by Laci Bloomers - August 26th, 2022
Coming off an impressive S18, where they fell just short of an appreance in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been fairly quiet in the offseason.
GM Dave Normoyle spoke this morning, stating that now that the draft is almost completed the team will dig in on discussions with their pending free agents as they look to fill some holes before S19 kicks off.
The club had only one selection in the Entry Draft, and they used that 4th round pick to select 18 year old Russian blueliner Daniil Orlov with the 110th selection. Orlov was ranked as high as 80th by McKeen's Hockey, and was rated 36th among EU skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Now begins the task of resigning the Free Agents they wish to keep, and filling the remaining roster spots.
The orgnization's Free Agents from their S18 roster are as follows:
Rasmus Asplund
Valeri Nichushkin
Matthew Tkachuk
Anders Bjork
Nino Niederreiter
Drew Doughty
They will also have to add some goaltending to the organization along with filling a couple of ICHL spots.
It promises to be a hectic second half of the offseason!
Written by Laci Bloomers - June 1st, 2022
-written by Laci Bloomers
The Tampa Bay Lightning have locked down top spot in the Eastern Conference of the CMHL for the 2021-22 season, and with one game left in the regular season they will not have to wait long to find out which of four potential teams they will host in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Bolts staved off a challenge from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals to clinch the top seed in Game 81.
Written by Laci Bloomers - February 2nd, 2022
Sebastian Aho and Johnny Gaudreau showcased their talent to the Tampa Bay Lightning opponents during the 9th week of the CMHL season, and the rest of the league noticed!
Written by Lacy Bloomers - January 27th, 2022
After a solid season last year, the duo of Sebastian Aho and Johnny Gaudreau are providing the scoring Lightning fans have been waiting for!