The Tampa Bay Lightning released rookie LW Brett Connolly to Team Canada on Thursday, allowing the 19-year-old to play in the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Connolly will return to the team in the first week of January.
Connolly will start on a line with Stamkos and St. Louis tonight.
Connolly has one assist through his first four NHL games. The former sixth overall pick actually added a plus-1 rating in the team's recent 5-1 loss to the Lightning. Expect him to get a long look with the top line.
Connolly can play in nine games before the team must decide whether to send him back to juniors. If he sticks with the team and plays a 10th game, the clock starts on his three-year, $2.7 million contract.
With a few subtractions from last season's roster, Connolly seemed poised to grasp a roster spot with an excellent training camp. So far he has not disappointed and could earn a shot at one of the top two lines. Last season he scored career highs in goals (46) and points (73) but did not alleviate concerns about dominating the WHL.
He called it "a great honor" to compete for a spot on the Lightning roster. He said he is trying to "live in the moment" and "get better every day."
With a few subtractions from last season's roster, Connolly seemed poised to grasp a roster spot with an excellent training camp. So far he has not disappointed and could earn a shot at one of the top two lines. Last season he scored career highs in goals (46) and points (73) but did not alleviate concerns about dominating the WHL. He could need another season before finally making the leap but keep him in mind as a high-end sleeper.
Brett Connolly, Mattias Ritola, Cory Conacher, Dana Tyrell and Carter Ashton are all in the lineup for a second or third consecutive game which will go a long way for the Tampa Bay brass in figuring out the large cuts that are expected Sunday.
Connolly could make the team and play in place of Simon Gagne on one of the top two lines. Last season he managed to score 46 goals in only 59 games with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. If he fails to make the cut this season, expect him to be right back into the mix next year.
And before you ask, Brett Connolly, the No. 6 overall draft pick of 2010, likely will start the season in juniors (he needs to prove he can stay healthy and dominate with WHL Prince George).
Probably safe to scratch Connolly off your list in single-season leagues.