They’re 27th in the league with no reasonable path to make the playoffs or tank. How do you run a team whose good players are on expiring contracts, and who’s problem players are locked up for 5+ years? Jim Rutherford’s plan is to talk the whole way through it while hanging his coach, Bruce Boudreau, out to dry every night. Boudreau knows management doesn’t want him anymore, the players know management doesn’t want him anymore. And on top of all that there’s controversy around the team’s handling of Tanner Pearson’s injury. He’s already had three surgeries with more expected. So all the Lightning need to do is sit tight, play their game, and score a couple on the league’s worst penalty kill.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks Preview and Game Day ThreadTampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks: GAME #43Time: 10:00 pm Eastern TimeLocation: Rogers ArenaBroadcast/Streaming: BSSUNX, SNP, ESPN+Opponent Site: Nucks Misconduct Preview: The Tampa Bay Lightning are about as far from home as they can be in the National Hockey League as they are on the west coast of Canada tonight for a game against the Canucks. While the time zone means it’s a 10pm start for us over here on the east coast, the Lightning should be relatively adjusted to the difference as they played in Seattle a couple nights ago, specifically an afternoon matinee on MLK Day.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Vancouver Canucks - Statsalt

The Canucks come into this game a real hot mess at the moment. They have resigned themselves to knowing they can’t re-sign Bo Horvat, while simultaneously regretting signing JT Miller in the summer to the money they’d like to give Horvat now. The Canucks also realize they’re in interstellar space when it comes to the direction their team is going. They’re not bad with a plan to be worse. Or good aiming to be better after the deadline.

Vancouver Canucks Tampa Bay Lightning - JustWatch