If a Jet Ski hype video wasn’t enough to get you pumped up, the Bolts are back and ready for another run at “Lord Stanley”, from a safe distance.
A 24 team playoff will begin around early July with 12 teams from each of the two divisions playing games in two host cities, one representing the Eastern and Western Conferences. Teams seeded 5-12 will play a Best-Of-5 Qualifying match to determine who will remain in the playoffs facing the Top 4 seeds from each conference. Eventually coming down to a 7 game conference and Stanley Cup playoff.
The Lightning were 1 of the 2 teams to vote against the top 4 seeds getting first round byes in favor of playing meaningful games instead. The Top 4 seeds would have not seen any hockey action since the league suspended in late March, making it a major disadvantage against a team that just played in a 5 game series. The Bolts will be playing in a Round Robin style tournament, to determine seeding of the top 4 teams. Meaning the team has to play Boston, Washington, and Philadelphia all once. I would like to see The Bolts get either the Florida Panthers or the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. Florida because of the in state rivalry and Columbus because it would be redemption for the clubs sweep of the Number 1 seed Lightning last season in the first round.
No fans will be allowed at the games so fans will have to bring the Thunder from home. The rest players like Stamkos got during this whole COVID 19 suspension, hopefully allows the Bolts to finally reach their potential, bringing another cup back to the Bay!!!