BREAKING: Lightning scratch top defender for disrespecting the team

It's common practice for teams to take decisive action like this in the rare event a player does disrespect their coach and team by failing to simply show up to a team meeting. Failing this basic task of attendance is never a good look on a player, and even the team as well.

The 26 year old Cernak has played his entire 356 game career with the Lightning over the last six seasons. He's signed to a monster contract for 8 years at $5.2M a year, a steep price to pay for a top four defender.

The Tampa Bay Lightning haven't been the same calibre team they've been in recent years, and events like this are damning evidence that the locker room ain't the same as it was during their championship runs. Multiple times this season coach Jon Cooper has called out the Lightning for subpar efforts in games, and getting away from what made them so successful.

With this swift action to hold out Cernak tonight, this could be a serious wake up call to the rest of the Tampa roster.