Nikita Nesterov

Nikita Nesterov (born 28 March 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Junior

Nesterov was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fifth round, 148th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He was also drafted by the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)'s Traktor Chelyabinsk, who selected him in the first round, 22nd overall, of the 2010 KHL Junior Draft. He opted to then play two seasons with Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

On April 30, 2013, Nesterov was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract by the NHL's Lightning.

Professional

On December 31, 2014, the Tampa Bay recalled Nesterov from the Syracuse Crunch, the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He had played in 32 games with the Crunch during the 2014–15 season, recording three goals and 14 points with a +4 plus-minus rating and 26 penalty minutes. Prior to his call-up, Nesterov has played in 86 career AHL games, all with the Crunch over the past two seasons. He has seven goals and 30 points with 65 penalty minutes.

Nesterov

Nesterov (Russian: Не́стеров), prior to 1938 known by its German name Stallupönen (Lithuanian: Stalupėnai; Polish: Stołupiany) and in 1938-1946 as Ebenrode, is a town and the administrative center of Nesterovsky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located 140 kilometers (87 mi) east of Kaliningrad, the administrative center of the oblast, near the Russian-Lithuanian border on the railway connecting Kaliningrad Oblast with Moscow. Population: 4,595 (2010 Census); 5,049 (2002 Census); 4,826 (1989 Census).

History

In the Middle Ages, the area in Old Prussia had been settled by the Nadruvian tribe of the Baltic Prussians. It was conquered by the Teutonic Knights in about 1276 and incorporated into the State of the Teutonic Order. From the 15th century onwards, the Knights largely resettled the lands with Samogitian and Lithuanian colonists.

The settlement itself was first mentioned as Stallupoenen, or Stallupönen, in 1539, named after a nearby river called Stalupė in Lithuanian. At that time, with the secularization of the Order's Prussian lands in 1525, Stallupönen had already become part of the Duchy of Prussia, a Polish fief which in 1618 was inherited by the Hohenzollern margraves of Brandenburg. Stallupönen then belonged to Brandenburg-Prussia and in 1701 became a part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. King Frederick William I granted it town privileges in 1722. Like other cities in East Prussia during the Seven Years' War between 1757 and 1762, it was occupied by the Russian forces. It was administered in the Province of East Prussia beginning in 1773. During the Prussian-led unification of Germany, Stallupönen became a part of the German Empire in 1871.

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsboro Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The surrounding area is home to about 4 million residents, making it a heavily used commercial and recreational waterway but putting much stress on the bay's ecosystem, which once teemed with enough wildlife to easily support an extensive indigenous culture. Much greater care has been taken in recent decades to mitigate the effects of human habitation on Tampa Bay, and water quality has slowly improved over time.

The term "Tampa Bay" is sometimes used as shorthand to refer to all or parts of the Tampa Bay area, which comprises many towns and cities in several counties surrounding the large body of water. Local marketing and branding efforts (including several professional sports teams, tourist boards, and chambers of commerce) commonly use the moniker "Tampa Bay", furthering the misconception that it is the name of a particular municipality when this is not the case.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. Established in 1992, they are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tampa Bay has one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the Bolts, and the nickname is used on their current third jersey. They play their home games in the Amalie Arena in Tampa.

The owner of the Lightning is Jeffrey Vinik while Steve Yzerman serves as general manager. The team is currently coached by Jon Cooper, who has led the team since 2013.

Franchise history

Early years

In the late 1980s, the NHL announced that it would expand. Two rival groups from the Tampa/St. Petersburg area decided to bid for a franchise: a St. Petersburg-based group fronted by future Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes owners Peter Karmanos and Jim Rutherford, and a Tampa-based group fronted by two Hall of Famers—Phil Esposito and his brother Tony.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X (/ˈmælkəm ˈɛks/; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), born Malcolm Little and also known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Arabic: الحاجّ مالك الشباز‎), was an American Muslim minister and a human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of blacks, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans; detractors accused him of preaching racism and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history.

Malcolm X was effectively orphaned early in life. His father was killed when he was six and his mother was placed in a mental hospital when he was thirteen, after which he lived in a series of foster homes. In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for larceny and breaking and entering. While in prison, Malcolm X became a member of the Nation of Islam, and after his parole in 1952, quickly rose to become one of the organization's most influential leaders. He served as the public face of the controversial group for a dozen years. In his autobiography, Malcolm X wrote proudly of some of the social achievements the Nation made while he was a member, particularly its free drug rehabilitation program. In keeping with the Nation's teachings, he promoted black supremacy, advocated the separation of black and white Americans, and rejected the civil rights movement for their emphasis on integration.