Are you begrudgingly watching these highly-entertaining NHL playoff series and heading to bed still wholly disappointed about the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first-round flop?
You are not alone, my friend. In fact, Lightning owner Jeff Vinik shared his disappointment in an email sent to season ticket holders.
To state the obvious, the 2018-19 season did not end as we all hoped it would,” Vinik — who bought the franchise in 2010 — wrote in the message. He mentioned taking pride in the team’s historic regular season, but said that the team accepts full responsibility for the playoff flame out.
“Nobody is more disappointed than our players and the hockey operations department, inclusive of [GM] Julien BriseBois, [head coach] Jon Cooper, our coaches, and staff,” Vinik added. “Me, too.”
Vinik expressed confidence in team leadership and promised to put a competitive team on the ice next year.
“While Julien and his team get to work over the coming months bolstering our roster and preparing for the 2019-20 season, I assure you that you’ll continue to see the same organization this summer that you have seen for the past several years,” Vinik wrote. “And know that we will work relentlessly in pursuit of our primary goal: winning the Stanley Cup. And we thank you, our fans, for your relentless support of our team and our organization.”
The Tampa Bay Times posted the full text of the letter, and you can read it here.
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This article appears in May 2-9, 2019.