On this edition of the Hockey Writers Podcast, we’re bringing Euegene Helfrick to talk the shocking Tampa Bay Lightning loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in four games and Conner McTague to talk the Penguins getting swept by the New York Islanders.
How did two teams manage to perform so badly, especially the Lightning who won 62 games in the NHL’s regular season and were the Presidents Trophy Winners?
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On This Week’s THW Podcast
We open the show with Eugene who tries to help us wrap our head around how the Tampa Bay Lightning were so badly defeated by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the upset of the 2019 NHL playoffs so far.
A team that was considered the favorite to win the Stanley Cup by many, Tampa couldn’t get anything going against a Blue Jackets team that came together as the end of the season approached. GM Jarmo Kekäläinen took a huge gamble by sacrificing the future to ice a team that could make a run in the postseason. Beating the Presidents Trophy Winners was a good way to kick off that run.
We then chat with Conner who covers the Pittsburgh Penguins and he believes the Penguins loss in four games wasn’t nearly as much of a shock. A team without a real identity, there could be changes as far as the Penguins roster is concerned.
Does Conner think it wise for the Pens to trade a player like Phil Kessel or Kris Letang? He shares his thoughts in the second half of the show.
Check Out Some of Our Other Recent Episodes:
- April 4, 2019 – NHL that Missed Playoffs, Now What?
- March 28, 2019 – Jonathan Willis of The Athletic
- March 7, 2019 – Former NHL’er Sean Brown
- Feb 21, 2019 – Making Goalie Masks and NHL Trade Deadline
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