There were some empty offices at Channelside Drive this week as a couple members of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization moved on to new opportunities. Assistant coach Jeff Blashill was the first to depart as he was named the new head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. That news was followed up with the announcement that Mathieu Darche had accepted the position of general manager and executive vice president of the New York Islanders.
The Blashill announcement was expected for a couple of days, ever since Elliotte Friedman had reported that he was the leading candidate to take over the rebuild in Chicago about a week ago.