from Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times,

Veteran defenseman Eric Brewer is in an unfamiliar spot tonight, a healthy scratch for the season opener against the Panthers at Amalie Arena.

And it didn't sit well with Brewer, 35, who has played 15 seasons and 965 career NHL games....

The Lightning is going with 12 forwards and six defensemen, with Victor Hedman-Anton Stralman, Jason Garrison-Radko Gudas and Matt Carle-Andrej Sustr the pairings. Coach Jon Cooper acknowledged Brewer was understandably "pissed" about it, and Cooper didn't like doing it. But Cooper said with the Lightning depth, it needs everybody to play, and it was just Brewer's turn to sit.

"We talked about it, it was not an easy conversation," Brewer said. "But they made their decision. No details that are going to make it any easier. I don't like it. But that's the way life is."

Cooper said it'd be one thing if Brewer didn't work hard, or "rested on the fact he's played in the league for a long time." But that's not what Brewer is.

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