Bolts' Boyle, Stralman, Callahan return to old stomping ground vs. Rangers
BRANDON, Fla. -- Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman and Ryan Callahan will try to downplay their connections to the New York Rangers. They'll try to shift the attention elsewhere before the upcoming Eastern Conference Finals between their old team and the Tampa Bay Lightning, a matchup that pits the past against the present for them and others.
But they should know better.
The glare will be too overwhelming.
The spotlight will be too big to budge.
Game on.
"You don't need any extra motivation," Boyle said.
"It's about what we do and how we prepare to play the next round," Stralman said.
"It's Tampa Bay against New York," Callahan said.
Good one, guys, but here's the truth: Aside from this matchup being Tampa Bay against New York, aside from two of the Eastern Conference's top three teams from the regular season meeting for the opportunity to extend their quest for the Stanley Cup starting Saturday at Madison Square Garden, this series stands as a chance to rekindle old acquaintances and rip off a few scabs along the way.
How delicious.
This series has the potential to become an all-you-can-handle buffet of storylines because of Lightning-Rangers ties. Pack an appetite when watching these games, because there's plenty of saucy stuff to go around.
There's Marty St. Louis -- remember him? -- facing his former team after he demanded a trade to the Rangers in March 2014.
There's Callahan returning to the Big Apple after he wore the big "C" below his left shoulder there prior to that blockbuster deal.
There's Boyle and Stralman appearing at their old stomping grounds after signing with the Lightning in free agency last July.
To a lesser extent, this series also offers a chance to recall what Dan Boyle and Dominic Moore did in a former Tampa Bay era.
"I'm a big believer if anything that's going to open a storyline or bring people's attention to the game, that's a good thing," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "This isn't an ill-will or a bad thing that's happened. This is good for the game. How often do two captains get traded for each other and then are going to end up going against each other in the Eastern Conference Final? You can't make that stuff up. It's a pretty appealing story."
The appeal should last throughout the series, which gives Tampa Bay a chance to clinch its first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 2004. The Lightning are better because Boyle, Stralman and Callahan swapped their New York state of mind for a new beginning in a bolt. They've provided veteran grit that complements the youthful flash from faces such as Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov.
Then there's St. Louis, who remains a Benedict Arnold of sorts to some with long memories. Boos will fall from Amalie Arena in Game 3 next Wednesday. Complete forgiveness for how he left, which was more of a back-door departure than a way befitting of his underdog persona, remains elusive to those with bruised hearts.
But it's time to forgive and forget as much as possible.
Learn to let go.
After all, look at what the Lightning have become. They're younger. They're faster. They're flat-out better than they were late last season with St. Louis as their captain.
If Callahan hadn't arrived in that stunning trade, then who knows if Boyle and Stralman would have followed him?
Dislike St. Louis for his departure? Fine.
But the outcome deserves a standing applause.
"When Marty was here, he helped us out a lot," Johnson said. "He's a smart guy. So you kind of learn from that. But a lot of us were still fresh in the league. A lot of guys were new. So when he left, Cally comes in and brings that experience as well, a different side. And guys kind of got the experience of playing in the league longer."
Tampa Bay changed for the better after the St. Louis/Callahan mushroom cloud, but New York should enjoy how things turned out too. Last year, the Rangers won the Eastern Conference and came within three victories of claiming the Stanley Cup. This year, they claimed the Presidents' Trophy with 113 points.
Tampa Bay, in many ways, is trying to become what New York has been: A proven winner, a seasoned threat.The Lightning stars with Rangers ties have seen an evolution take place within their dressing room that suggests Tampa Bay has made positive progress. Ask Callahan what he has witnessed since the trade, and he'll speak about maturity and experience gained.
"We had a very young team when I came in last year," he said. "Obviously, we had a very good year and didn't have the playoffs we wanted, obviously going out four straight. I think we built on that this year, and you could see throughout the season through some adversity we had."
Ask Boyle if he can approach this series without thoughts turning to his past, and his mind remains fixed on what's to come.
"The way I've been welcomed here, and the group of guys we have here, it has been phenomenal for me," he said. "This year has been really, really a lot of fun, and we don't want it to end. And that's what's most important. We want to keep this thing going in here."
Movement forward. Eyes fixed ahead.
Tampa Bay will do it. New York the same. Too much stands at stake to become entranced by ghosts of seasons past.
Still, the intrigue tempts the imagination.
"I just knew it was going to happen," Stalman said of the New York-Tampa Bay matchup. "I just felt it. It's definitely ironic."
Fascinating, too.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
