Once the shock wore off, if it really has, the timing actually makes sense from the Lightning’s perspective. During the news conference to announce that Steve Yzerman was stepping down and taking on an advisory role with the franchise, handing the keys of a legit Stanley Cup favorite to new GM Julien BriseBois, Yzerman revealed that this decision went back to July. Rather than extend his contract, which has one year remaining, Yzerman elected to move on to this new role with the organization. To be more of a sounding board than a final say.



That it didn’t leak at all says a lot about how Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik and Yzerman operate. That they announced it publicly now does too.



Yzerman didn’t want speculation to cloud his current franchise. He knows as well as anyone that if word got out that his contract wasn’t extended, and eventually it probably would, rumors and innuendo would add to the already weighty challenge of the Lightning...