NHL FanHouse

Lightning Sign Malone, Obtain Rights to Minnesota's Rolston

Kevin Schultz — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:46:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, Wild, NHL Free Agency

The Tampa Bay Lightning are all over the place this off-season. Tonight, they added two more transactions to a very long list of off-season moves.

On the eve of the eve to the opening of the free agency market, a big name is off the table. After being traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Tampa Bay Lightning yesterday, Ryan Malone has signed a long term deal with his new team. There is no official confirmation from the Lightning on their website at the moment but TSN is reporting that it is a seven-year deal worth $31.5 million. It's loaded up front, too. TSN is estimating that Malone will receive $15 million during the first two years of the deal. That makes for a very expensive 50-point guy this year and a very cheap one down the road. A very interesting contract structure, to be sure.

But don't think that's all the Lightning did late on Sunday night. They also acquired the rights to another highly sought after free agent to be, Brian Rolston of the Minnesota Wild. This story was confirmed on their website as of 11:30 PM Sunday night. In return the Wild will receive a conditional draft pick in either 2009 or 2010. I would imagine, but this is pure speculation, that it is tied into whether or not Rolston signs with Tampa Bay.

So there you have it, folks. More moves by a team that has taken the NHL transaction wire by storm. Right now I'm off to bed, but you can be sure FanHouse will have coverage of this and more in the morning. Stay with us into Tuesday as well as we'll have wall-to-wall coverage of the Free Agent Frenzy.

Lightning Sign Malone, Obtain Rights to Minnesota's Rolston originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'WWGRD?' Era Likely Over in Pittsburgh

Kevin Schultz — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:22:00 EST

Filed under: Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, General NHL, Penguins, Lightning

We've known for a little while that Gary Roberts probably wasn't going to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tuesday, Roberts' agent told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he would return to the NHL, but not the Penguins. Yesterday we got a step closer to finding out who one of the potential suitors could be. Who else but the Tampa Bay Lightning, who seem to have their hand in everything that goes on around the NHL these days.

Yesterday the Lightning acquired the rights to Roberts and teammate Ryan Malone from the Penguins in exchange for a conditional draft pick which hinges on whether or not the Bolts can sign Malone. Pittsburgh receives a third rounder in 2009 if he inks with Tampa, a fourth rounder if he doesn't.

This move seems to make sense for both teams. For Pittsburgh, they receive something for two players that were likely not to re-sign with them -- but still could re-sign with them. Chances are though that the Penguins would not have made this move if they thought they were likely to sign one/both players. On the other end, Tampa Bay gets first dibs on negotiating with the pair, only days before they would hit the open market on July 1.

Probably the most hard hit about the move were those at Pensblog, the home of the slogan "WWGRD?" Their feelings might best be summed up by this quote from commenter Julia:

"my heart just fell in my butt"

There you have it, folks. The hearts of Penguins fans are now in their butts.

'WWGRD?' Era Likely Over in Pittsburgh originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 11:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bolts and Lecavalier Close to Contract Extension

Eric McErlain — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Rumors, NHL Economics

No matter which source you consult these days, the word is Vincent Lecavalier is staying in Tampa for the forseeable future.

Earlier today, TSN reported that while the details won't be announced until July 1, the Lightning and Lecavalier have agreed to a deal that will pay him $77 million over nine seasons and include a "no-movement" clause. Meanwhile, the Canadian Press reported that the deal will pay the center somewhere between $75 and $80 million over those same nine seasons. Lecavalier was entering the final year of a four-year, $27.5 million contract.

One quibble with these reports: Both refer to the completion of the deal as virtually assuring that Lecavalier will finish his career with the Lightning, but I think by now all of us know that's not true. All he has to do is waive his "no-movement" clause, and the Lightning can send him to a team and situation of his choosing -- an eventuality that's common as many players reach the end of their careers, teams seek to rebuild and veterans decide they want one more shot at winning a championship, even if it is in colors starkly different from the ones they've worn over the majority of their careers.

But that day, if and when it comes, is still a long ways off. For now, Lightning fans can feel secure in knowing that the team's cornerstone superstar isn't going anywhere.

Bolts and Lecavalier Close to Contract Extension originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lightning Make Most Controversial Move of the Summer (So Far)

Kevin Schultz — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:34:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning

If you've been around the hockey blogosphere at all during the past couple weeks, you've surely heard about the hottest rumor this side of St. Petersburg, Florida -- Barry Melrose coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning. We've heard about it for a while now and today the Lightning finally confirmed it. After 13 years at ESPN and as many years away from coaching, he's coming back. The Mulleted One is going to return to an NHL bench.

At this point, no one is really sure what to make of it. Some think it's insane. The game has passed Melrose by, they say. He wasn't that good of a coach to begin with, they add. Fair points.

There are also those out there in internet land making counterpoints. The game hasn't passed him by, they retort. He's been watching hockey all the time for all these years. Give it time, like a fine wine, they continue.

Both are fair arguments. Both make good points. But, like any prospect you draft, Melrose is either going to pan out he is not. Someone is going to be right and someone is going to be wrong. Sadly for those of us out there with A.D.D. we're not going to get a solution to it soon. It's going to take some time.

To be respected as a coach, Melrose is going to have to prove a couple of things. First off, he's going to have to show that he can manage a locker room and that the game hasn't passed him by. We all know how much attention he pays to the game. Now it's time for him to show us if he's been taking notes. We're also going to see how good he can make a bad situation. The Lightning are great up front but they were the worst team in the league for a reason -- they tied the Thrashers for the most goals against in the NHL last year with 266. Melrose will have to teach this team defense or at least get the Bolts new ownership group to bring some in. This team needs defense like a gold digger needs their spouse's salary. They won't survive without it.

For now, it's all up for debate. Only time will tell how good/bad of a move this is for Tampa Bay. One thing is for sure, though. This is the most controversial move of the summer. That is, until the Islanders promote their stick boy to VP or Kevin Lowe does, well, anything.

Lightning Make Most Controversial Move of the Summer (So Far) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Bag Skate: Bettman in the Dark on DelBaggio Loan

Eric McErlain — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Flyers, Maple Leafs, Capitals, Predators, Flames, Wild, Canucks, Kings, NHL Rumors, International Hockey

Here's a new feature I've been resisting for a while here at FanHouse, but with the offseason upon us I feel as if we have no choice. Welcome to The Bag Skate, FanHouse's afternoon roundup of everything that's happening on a typical offseason weekday. Why The Bag Skate? Because it's Summertime and you'd probably rather be doing just about anything else than writing about hockey with weather this beautiful. Now, might one be able to say that we're swiping this idea from elsewhere? I'd prefer to call it an homage.

The head turner of the day has to be Rick Westhead's stunner in the Toronto Star revealing that LA Kings owner Phil Anschutz and Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold were the money men behind William "Boots" Delbaggio's purchase of a stake in the Nashville Predators. What's worse, Leipold and Anschutz, who both sit on the league's Board of Governors and are considered allies of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, made this $17 million loan without informing him about what they were up to. I wonder why?

In Tampa, the new regime introduced Barry Melrose as the new head coach of the Lightning, which I guess means it's all downhill from here. Granted, the pair of Oren Koules and Len Barrie seem like they'd be great guys to have a beer with, and it certainly seems like their hearts are in the right place. Then again, I've come to believe that the most important characteristic of a successful NHL owner is solvency, and the last time I looked, the sale of the Lightning was still being financed by the team's former owner. As to more mundane matters, Puck Daddy is asking folks to weigh in on Melrose's replacement at ESPN. My take: If you want quality, pick Bill Clement. But if you want stupid stuff to blog about, pick Mike Milbury.

Over at Business Week, Jason Bush is taking a closer look at the rise of professional sports in Russia. Curiously, he fails to mention word one about the rise of the KHL, but he does get one piece of the big picture righter than rain: The massive investment in sports is a combined effort the Russian government and sporting authorities fueled by a global rise in commodity prices. And for those who doubt the potential of the KHL, consider this: If Russian business is able to spend enough money to go toe to toe with some of the biggest Soccer clubs in Europe in order to retain talent, what makes you think they won't be able to do the same while competing against NHL teams?

There was another exchange in the media battle between the NHL and the nascent Kontinental Hockey League this afternoon, as the Associated Press reported that the two leagues have begun negotiating a temporary agreement where both sides would pledge to recognize each other's contracts until a permanent player transfer agreement could be reached. But despite this news that would seem to indicate that the leagues are moving toward some sort of detente -- it's always nice to pull a term out of the Cold War archive -- KHL head Alexander Medvedev is still talking tough, insisting to the AP that KHL teams could still very well sign away NHL players, and that when you consider the NHL's behavior in the past regarding Russian players under contract, he's hardly in a position to stop them.

In Toronto, Kyle Wellwood, Andrew Raycroft and Darcy Tucker are no longer welcome without a ticket ... Nashville and Philadelphia exchanged some spare parts ... Five Hole Fanatics is thinking about the dear, departed Alex Tanguay ... Scarlet Ice is helping give away a free week at Mike Fisher's hockey camp ... And the questionable rumor of the day comes from the Vancouver Province, where Ed Willes says that the Canucks are looking to acquire center Michael Nylander from Washington. Inquiries this afternoon to the Capitals were met with a polite and bemused "no comment".

The Bag Skate: Bettman in the Dark on DelBaggio Loan originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bolts Dump Tortorella

Eric McErlain — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:44:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, Sharks

While Barry Melrose might still be in denial mode, the first domino to fall to get the great mullet to Tampa tumbled just a few hours ago when the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they had fired head coach John Tortorella. In his seven seasons with the Lightning, Tortorella went 239-222-36-38, with his crowning achievement being the 2004 Stanley Cup Champ.

Unfortunately for Tortorella, it's been all downhill ever since, as the Bolts have failed to win even one playoff round after their championship seaon, culminating in an embarrassing finish at the bottom of the standings in 2007-08.

Still, even with that disastrous finish still in the rear view mirror, Tortorella seemed to maintain respect around the league, both among his peers and in the press corps, as one of the game's top coaches. Here's how John Fontana of Bolts Mag sees it:

John Tortorella may have lost the players at one point or another but I believed in his style and how he handled things. Though there was resentment and bitterness at times between the players and their coach - he wasn't paid to be Mr. Popular, he was paid to get results. And for a long time he was doing just that.

[...]

As for John, I wish him only the best as he has brought only the best out of the players here in Tampa. His name being engraved on Lord Stanley's Cup is proof of that. And I don't think it will be the last time it occurs either.

As we reviewed in Monday morning's Ice Sheet, there are all sorts of reasons that replacing Tortorella with Melrose looks like a horrible idea. But with this decision out of the way and Melrose's hiring pretty much a lead pipe cinch, it's time to think of what comes next for Tortorella. And when you look around the league, it's easy to see that there are plenty of options for a coach with a Stanley Cup on his resume.

While housing prices are still ridiculous in the Bay Area, something tells me that the Sharks may very well want to talk to Tortorella. He's already a proven winner, and it's easy to see how putting him behind the bench in San Jose in charge of a team that's done nothing but underachieve in recent years might seem to make sense. If not, Tortorella can always wait it out, as he's still got one year left on his contract with the Bolts.

Maybe he could even call ESPN about a job?

Bolts Dump Tortorella originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barry Melrose to Coach Tampa Bay

Eric McErlain — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Rumors, ESPN

Thirteen years after he was dismissed as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, Barry Melrose is going to get another kick at the can as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Damien Cox of the Toronto Star has the skinny:

It's believed new Tampa owner Oren Koules is the driving force behind the hiring of Melrose, who led the Los Angeles Kings to the the 1993 Stanley Cup final against Montreal. In recent years, the Kelvington, Sask. native has been a featured analyst on ESPN.

Koules, once partnered with former Columbus president Doug MacLean to buy the Lightning before that collaboration broke up, is looking for a marquee name to help sell and market the club in central Florida. Tampa, which won the 2004 Stanley Cup, missed the playoffs this year.

Melrose's hiring will surprise many NHL watchers, as will his salary, expected to be about $2 million per season.

As Cox later notes, Melrose's departure is going to blow a hole in ESPN's coverage of the NHL, much of which is centered around him. Although he took on a lower profile at the WWL when ESPN declined to renew its contract to carry the NHL in the wake of the lockout, Melrose continued to serve as the network's lead hockey analyst, often appearing online beside ESPN.com contributor E.J. Hradek and hosting a regular podcast called The Melrose Line.

One wonders what John Tortorella, who after all is still officially the head coach of the Lightning, thinks about this.

Maybe Larry Brooks could ask him?

Barry Melrose to Coach Tampa Bay originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 May 2008 13:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have You Seen Steve Stamkos?

Eric McErlain — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:42:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Draft, NHL Fans, NHL Videos, NHL Economics

It's hard to believe sometimes that it's only been four years since the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup.

The years since then have been rough on the Lightning and their fans. First off, it was anything but fair for the faithful in Tampa to have to wait a whole extra year before they got to scream their lungs out as the championship banner was raised to the rafters after the lockout.

But it's been all downhill since then, with salary cap considerations forcing painful changes to the lineup as the team fell in the standings. The coup de grace came just a few weeks ago as the team was forced to deal former Conn Smythe winner Brad Richards as the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

But help is on the way now that the Lightning have won the draft lottery and won the right to pick first in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. But while everyone in the hockey world has known that Steve Stamkos was the presumptive #1 pick for some time now, getting that message out to a non-traditional market like Tampa can be something of a challenge.

The solution? The Lightning have gone viral.

Average Tampa Bay residents don't know the 6-foot-1, 180-pound center scored 58 goals and had 47 assists in 61 games for Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League this season, is ranked as the top prospect by Central Scouting and is the most heralded prospect since Sidney Crosby in 2005.

But they might find a business card with "seenstamkos.com" tucked under their wiper blade, see a billboard, a sidewalk graphic or bumper sticker. They might have their lunch blitzed by a "flash mob" of Lightning marketing staffers, and just maybe they'll click over to the Web site dedicated to its next star.

"We're just trying to have a little fun in the offseason," said Mark Gullett, Lightning director of marketing and promotions. "This is not necessarily a new approach for us because we've done some stuff like this before. So we're just trying to be aggressive and take advantage of some opportunities out there.''

And once you get to seenstamkos.com, what you find is a low-tech affair -- done up to look like it's a fan who put it together. But the real attraction are the videos of Stamkos, including the one I embedded above. The kid is the real deal, and when it comes to hockey, the real deal always sells better than anything else.

Thanks to Boltsmag for the link.

Have You Seen Steve Stamkos? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 11:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: On Three-Point Game Night, the Devils Take the East

Earl Sleek — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Devils, Lightning, Eastern

Every day from Monday to Saturday, The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

As the playoffs near, NHL hockey typically gets more conservative as standings points become dearer, and last night was a good example. Of the five games played, four of them went into overtime, two on the strength of last-minute tying goals. Nine of the ten teams came away with standings points, which will agitate some idle teams, but at least it presented a good opportunity for some heroics. Who was willing to step up and grab that extra point?

In New Jersey, that hero was Patrik Elias, who fired a shot past Lightning goaltender Karri Ramo in the final minute of 4-on-4 overtime. The 2-1 overtime win helped the Devils vault over the idle Canadiens and Penguins into the top spot in the eastern conference, and the overtime loss pulled the Lightning out of a last place tie with the Los Angeles Kings.

Sean McCormick of Sportsnet.ca doesn't like the NHL's scoring system and its "charity point" for losing in overtime or in a shootout. While I can appreciate that three-point games make it tougher to gain ground in the standings, I do support that the system rewards a team's 5-on-5 results. Points act as a playoff qualifier, and it makes sense that they reward teams that are playing the best regulation hockey. How a team performs in 60 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey should matter more in determining playoff pedigree than a team's 4-on-4 or shootout success.

After the break: Four more one-goal games further complicate the standings, plus what will the Ducks do without Corey Perry? (My guess is they'll dive less.)

Elsewhere on the ice:

Edmonton 2 Columbus 1 F (OT): Dan Fritsche scored a tying goal with one second left in regulation, but Andrew Cogliano scored in overtime to give the Oilers the win. In this case, a three-point game was useful in keeping two cities' playoff delusions alive.

Minnesota 2 Atlanta 3 F (SO): Ilya Kovalchuk tied the game with 45 seconds left in regulation, and Eric Christiansen scored the only goal in the shootout. Minnesota lost its way to a slightly more secure hold on sixth seed in the west.

San Jose 3 Chicago 2 F: The Sharks tied a franchise records with their eighth straight victory and sixth straight on the road, and now sit one point behind Dallas for the Pacific Division lead. Chicago became the lone sucker team that didn't pick up any points.

Nashville 2 Calgary 1 F (OT): Scott Nichol scored a tying goal 8:58 in the third period, and J.P. Dumont scored the winner in overtime. Nashville won its place into a tie for seventh, while Calgary lost its way into a share of the Northwest Division lead.

In other news:

Perry suffers "actual" injury: The Anaheim Ducks got some rotten news on Thursday: top-scoring winger Corey Perry had leg surgery for a lacerated tendon and will be out six weeks. You'd think that would be devastating news for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who have been shut out their last two games following a stretch where they won 11 of 12.

Still, there's some flexibility for head coach Randy Carlyle with the Anaheim forwards, thanks to the return of favorite Teemu Selanne. Lined up with Ryan Getzlaf and Todd Bertuzzi, Anaheim can still put together a dangerous top line. Bobby Ryan, best known for being picked one spot behind Sidney Crosby, has been called up to play on the second line.

As a Ducks fan, I do wonder at GM Brian Burke's hasty ship-out of winger Brandon Bochenski, who was sent to Nashville at the trade deadline for future considerations. He had top-six experience, and should Ryan prove unready for the playoffs, that is a trade that might be questioned.

Still, I suppose I can take hope in the fact that the last time the Ducks played a postseason series without the services of Corey Perry, they managed to sweep the Colorado Avalanche. Perry, of course, is a scoring pest, and his injury will be well celebrated in the high-powered western conference.

Your obligatory YouTube:

Thanks to my Kings counterpart Rudy Kelly at Battle of California for pointing this beauty out. Getzlaf and Perry, born six days apart and selected by the Ducks nine picks apart, have played together in the NHL for three years. They started on the fourth line, moved up to the second line and won a cup, and this year had taken over the top line before Perry's recent injury. Well, I guess familiarity finally bred its contempt, as Getzlaf finally gave it to Perry in practice. Note the awesome ending; Perry haters everywhere will appreciate the face-first treatment into the bench.

The Ice Sheet: On Three-Point Game Night, the Devils Take the East originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 08 Mar 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ice Sheet: is the Tampa Bay Lightning Sale SeeSAW Finally Over?

Jes Golbez — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:40:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Panthers, Lightning, Canucks

The Ice Sheet will take a look at the biggest stories in the league that happened on the ice and elsewhere the night before.

Well, so much for some theory that the weakening economy will put a dent into trend of rich men buying pro sports clubs. Not long after the owners of the Edmonton Oilers accepted a lucrative offer to buy the club, we run into the Tampa Bay Lightning being sold to a willing buyer: Oren Koules, the man famous for bringing us the never-ending SAW series of horror flicks.

Palace Sports & Entertainment and OK Hockey LLC have a definitive purchase agreement for the Tampa Bay Lightning, the leasehold rights to the St. Pete Times Forum and approximately 5.5 acres of land in Tampa's Channelside District. Details of the deal were not released, but earlier reports had set the purchase price in the $200 million neighborhood.

Of course, the team was just about sold a few months back, before the whole thing unraveled like a poor movie plot (Something the prospective owner should know all about).

While Koules might love horror shows, he can't like the fact that the Lightning are in last place in the Eastern Conference, have 95% of their payroll tied up in three players, and have very little in the way of good prospects in the system. It'll take some Hollywood Magic to turn this franchise around, that's for sure.

In their first game of the post-Richard Zednik Era, the Panthers lost in OT to the Canadiens. One must wonder how the Panthers can recover from witnessing such an incident, especially given the fact that they had a poor chance to make the playoffs, in the first place. Back to the horrible accident, I have to agree college student Andy Hess, who feels the media has gone way too blood-hungry over the whole incident.

My problem is with the way the media handled the situation. ESPN and most media outlets prefaced the horrifying video footage with a statement and cut the video down to a minimum, but others went overboard showing the video from multiple angles and in slow motion.

While it's one thing to report and cover the incident, the other is to exploit the situation. The Florida Panthers Network and Fox Sports News showed the replay, edited to the best of their ability, but it's unnecessary to show the replay from multiple angles and on repeat during the course of the 15 minute delay as they resurface the ice.

I have no problem with networks showing a little blood, since accidents do happen in real life, and shielding people from a little gore is simply going to make them weaker individuals.

What I do have a problem with is that the media feels the need to milk a few ratings points out of Zednik's suffering. Seeing the injury once should be enough for anyone. Why does anyone need to see a slow motion replay, over and over and over again, of blood gushing out of Zednik's neck? Does that really benefit anyone, other than the networks? Have a little decency, or at least respect.

---

As someone who has a knack of pissing people off, I can appreciate what scrappy winger Alexandre Burrows brings to the Vancouver Canucks: A big mouth and a chippy attitude.

While the likes of Sean Avery and Jarkko Ruutu are more well-known for their skills with their yaps, Burrows has (not so) quietly been doing a great job of making enemies, in his own right.

A feisty forward, Burrows plays hockey like a terrier chasing a ball. He crashes and bangs. He'll whack you on the ankle with his stick, and then fill your ear with trash talk, in both official languages.

"I think it's good," he said with a grin Tuesday. "I have enough friends back home. I have enough friends in this locker room.

"I don't need any more friends in the league. If they are mad at me or rattled, that's all right with me."

Normally, I'm not a big fan of the yappy pests. Unless they are the rare breed like Esa Tikkanen, most pests are simply more trouble than they are worth. Ruutu? Takes far too many dumb penalties. Sean Avery? We know that story.

At the very least, Burrows has turned into a valuable defensive forward for the Vancouver Canucks, playing at least three minutes a game on the penalty kill. If you are going to make a living as a loudmouth, at least have another dimension to bring to the table.
---
Quote of the Day: Anaheim Ducks' coach Randy Carlyle on expert (yet one-dimensional) checking center Samuel Pahlsson: "Sammy Pahlsson hasn't played in an offensive role, I don't think, in his career - in the NHL anyway," "We're going to look to him to step up." Gee, thanks for the pep talk, coach!

Gratuitous YouTube Embed: Vaclav Prospal has always talked a good game, and certainly isn't shy about letting his feelings know. You think there might be a little friction in the Tampa Bay dressing room?

The Ice Sheet: is the Tampa Bay Lightning Sale SeeSAW Finally Over? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey is Hazardous to Your Teeth

Jes Golbez — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:03:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Injuries

The reputation of the toothless hockey player, no doubt enhanced by the famous image of a smiling Bobby Clarke winking at the camera, flashing his lack of Chiclets, has loads of merit. Sticks, pucks, and elbows all have an uncanny way of finding their way into any player's face, and it's rare that any NHL player isn't missing at least one tooth.

Poor Craig MacDonald of the Tampa Bay Lightning is the latest victim of dental trauma, being the recipient of an errant puck to the noggin.

Lightning forward Craig MacDonald fractured nine teeth and needed about 50 stitches inside his mouth when a shot hit him late in Thursday's win over Toronto.

And despite Friday's intensive oral surgery to save three of the teeth, which included three root canals, MacDonald is day to day and might play tonight against Carolina.

If MacDonald was an NBA player, he'd be out 8-10 weeks. But, since he's an NHLer, he'll be back in a jiffy and act as if nothing happened. Such is the toughness of your average NHL player. I know if I had three root canals, I'd want to curl up in bed and cry myself to sleep.

Kids, if you plan on keeping all of your natural teeth, it's best not to play hockey. The sport is simply dangerous to your dental health. Stick to soccer, instead.

Hockey is Hazardous to Your Teeth originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Saw' Movie Producer's Bid To Own Tampa Bay Lightning Turns Into Horror Show

Greg Wyshynski — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:09:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Economics

Several weeks ago, I watched potential Tampa Bay Lightning owner Oren Koules interviewed on AMC's Sunday morning Tinseltown wonk-off "Shootout," and he immediately moved near the top of my list of people with whom I wanted to talk hockey. While the sport hardly came up in his conversation, I was blown away listening to a producer who helped turn the "Saw" movies into hugely profitable franchise and is so confident in his marketing skills he's betting that a slasher opera starring Paris Hilton can be a hit at the box office. I was enamored with the notion of this man bringing some of that marketing genius to the NHL's ownership brain trust.

Unfortunately, it appears his bid to co-own the Lightning is looking about as good as Cary Elwes at the end of "Saw I." St. Petersburg Times writer Damian Cristodero has the details of this crumbling $200 million deal between Absolute Hockey Enterprises and Palace Sports & Entertainment:

Palace Sports terminated the purchase agreement on Nov. 14, when Absolute Hockey did not come up with a scheduled $5-million payment. Now the investment group has splintered as the companies and partnerships owned by Coral Springs real estate developer Jeff Sherrin and former Blue Jackets president Doug MacLean are suing Hollywood producer Oren Koules for allegedly failing to make a capital contribution of $4.17-million which was to be part of the $5-million payment due Nov. 12. It also claims Koules went behind Sherrin's and MacLean's backs to make his own arrangements with Palace Sports. The lawsuit seeks $50-million in damages.

FanHouse's James Mirtle offers a few more critical details on his blog. John Fontana over on Bolts Mag files this one under the "WTF" category, and believes fans will be thankful in the long run "because if they can't get their act together to make a money payment - how are they supposed to cover player paychecks and other franchise bills?" Good point, Fontana; I mean, there's a reason John Spano doesn't own the Islanders today, right?

Previously on FanHouse:
Producer of 'Saw' Horror Flicks, Ex-Jackets GM Buy the Tampa Bay Lightning

'Saw' Movie Producer's Bid To Own Tampa Bay Lightning Turns Into Horror Show originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dare to Dream: Vincent Lecavalier, Toronto Maple Leaf

Jes Golbez — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, Toronto, General NHL, Maple Leafs, Lightning, NHL Media Watch, NHL Rumors

The Toronto sports media works hard to cook up all sorts of trade rumors in order to sell papers and whip the fans into a tizzy. If a player hasn't been rumored to be traded to/from the Maple Leafs at least one time in their career, then they ought to call Ripley's Believe It or Not.

With the Leafs struggling, the media is not just looking at what could be, but also what could have been. According to Scott Morrison of the Ottawa Sun, the Leafs were oh-so-close to acquiring superstar Vincent Lecavalier many moons ago.

It was back in December, 2001 that Lecavalier and Lightning coach John Tortorella were butting heads. It was a bad time for the youngster, then just 21 and playing in his third NHL season. The GM of the Lightning at the time, Rick Dudley, had supported his coach but also agreed to explore the trade market to see what he might be able to fetch for Lecavalier.

Speculation was that the San Jose Sharks had made the best offer, but quietly the Maple Leafs snuck under the radar. The Leafs, then under the direction of GM/coach Pat Quinn and assistant Bill Watters, had assembled a package of defenceman Tomas Kaberle, winger Nik Antropov, winger Jonas Hoglund and either Brad Boyes, who they had selected first in 2000, or a first-round draft pick in 2002.

Is this simply a Sens writer trying to rub it in to Leafs Nation, or is what he saying the truth? Hmm?

Sure, Prince Vince has had his clashes with Fonzie Tortorella, but Lecavalier has emerged a much better man for it. One Stanley Cup later, Lecavalier has matured and become arguably the best 2-way centerman in the league. Sometimes, tough love is the right answer.

Just imagine how Lecavalier may have wilted under the intense fishbowl that is Toronto? At least in Tampa Bay, Lecavalier didn't have a lot of outside pressure on him to perform. He didn't have 100s of media pestering him with dumb questions and trying to dig out dirt about his propensity to wear purple shirts.

Dare to Dream: Vincent Lecavalier, Toronto Maple Leaf originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keeping It Uncomfortable for Marty St. Louis

Greg Wyshynski — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:40:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning

How many times have we heard a hockey fan bitch and moan about a team failing its chemistry test because the coach keeps juggling lines like a Ringling Bros. clown? I always end up thinking about that when I watch John Tortorella coach, because the guy must write his lineup with disappearing ink. "You go with your stomach as the game is going on, if it's just not going offensively," he explained to a small group of reporters after Saturday night's win in Washington against the Capitals. "I think we have players that just play and they're not worried about getting confused when other [people] play with them."

One of those players is Marty St. Louis, the diminutive winger who had the game-winner in the 5-2 victory. It seems preposterous now that there were questions about his future in the NHL after his production dropped by 33 points after the lockout; all he did last season was score 43 goals and 102 points while skating with one of the best lines in hockey: St. Louis-Vinny Lecavalier-Vinny Prospal. The members of that line were ranked in the top 20 scorers in the NHL entering Saturday night's game, and combined for seven points in the win. Yet Tortorella isn't content to keep that unit together, especially when it comes to St. Louis.

"Tonight, I had Marty on all three different lines," he said of St. Louis, who led all Tampa forwards with 24 minutes of ice time.

"Then I decided that Vinny and Vinny weren't really going that well, so we put Marty up there."

Torts said that Marty's at his best when he bounces around other lines. "Three or four years ago when Marty used to get in his slumps, I used to play him on the fourth line and that would get him out of his slumps."

In a game where star players will sulk and slump if they're taken out of the comfort zone of perfectly compatible line mates (see: Jagr, Jaromir, post-Nylander), it's interesting to see how St. Louis can literally bounce through four lines and play effectively. It's one of the reasons why Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times believes he's the MVP of the Bolts.

I think he's able to move around the lineup because he knows that, at some point, he'll be reunited with the Vinnys on that "Lightning in a Bottle" line. But I wondered if Tortorella saw anything in Marty's character that allows him to bounce through four lines and still play well ... and I got a Tortorella answer: "You'd have to ask him. I'm not a psychologist."

Keeping It Uncomfortable for Marty St. Louis originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hockey Nerd Tuesday: Vinny Lecavalier Should Consider Double-Locking His Doors

Greg Wyshynski — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:18:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

Hockey Nerd Tuesday is a weekly feature on NHL FanHouse that chronicles the stat-heads, gear geeks and fanboys (and girls) who spend an uncomfortable amount of time putting the "fan" in fanatic. Have a hockey nerd you'd like to see featured? E-mail Greg Wyshynski with the details.

I'll admit that Tampa Bay center Vincent Lecavalier is a good-looking cat; at least in comparison with Bolts goalie Johan Holmqvist, who has this Swedish Clay Aiken thing going on. Naturally, Vinny's going to have his female admirers, and there's no question that Courtney the Hockey Fan is one of them.

The video below is an odd mix of Courtney's rantings about the Lightning superstar and what appears to be a glimpse into her fantasies about him. In the span of a few seconds, Courtney gives us the universal symbol for "doin' it," screams in a guttural voice that "Vinny's No. 1," and then feverishly licks what appears to be a Lecavalier lapel pin. We then see a montage of Vinny glamour shots and candid photos featuring Lecavalier with his ~~stalker~~ No. 1 Fan, Courtney, while the haunting theme from "Brokeback Mountain" plays. No, I don't know what that says about her intentions...

Make sure you stay until the end, as Eric Carmen's "Hungry Eyes" plays and we move in closer and closer and closer into Vinny's dreamy pupils; so close that you can actually see him thinking about playing for the Habs one day.

Previously on FanHouse:
Hockey Nerd Tuesday: A Little Farley, a Little Richter, a Lot of Hockey
Hockey Nerd Tuesday: An Unhealthy Joe Sakic Obsession
Hockey Nerd Tuesday: The Caustic Card Collector

Hockey Nerd Tuesday: Vinny Lecavalier Should Consider Double-Locking His Doors originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bolts Captain Taylor Opts for Potentially Career-Ending Hip Surgery

Greg Wyshynski — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:22:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Injuries

Entering his 14th NHL season, Tim Taylor was already talking with Tampa Bay Lightning team management at the end of last season about life after hanging-up-the-skates. His decision this week will likely hasten that fate. The Bolts captain was scheduled to go under the knife today for hip surgery; a procedure in which "the ball joint of the hip and the hip socket will be shaved down and replaced with cobalt chrome to prevent bone-on-bone hip rotation," according to The Tampa Tribune:

He has a grueling five-month rehabilitation process to look forward to once he gets back on his feet in a couple of weeks. Not to mention that no athlete has undergone this type of procedure and returned to a contact sport. It's not that it can't be done, just that it hasn't been.Taylor would like to be the first, but he has no intention of rushing into anything.

Obviously, Tribune writer Erik Erlendsson needs to respect the player by respecting the extremely long odds that he could return to the ice, but it doesn't take an arthroscope to read between the lines: Taylor is done. He's a fourth-line center on the depth chart whose job can be cycled to a kid in training camp, and he was already in statistic decline last season. Taylor's taking the right approach: Have the surgery for a healthy life after hockey rather than to extend his life on the ice. He's got his name on the Stanley Cup twice (1997, 2004) and clearly earned the respect of his teammates as both a de facto and official captain. Walk away, Cap, with your head high.

So who will wear the 'C' for the Bolts this season? Brad Richards was nearly the choice before coach John Tortorella balked at having a young captain on a team in transition, naming the veteran Taylor instead. But according to an earlier blog by Erlendsson, Taylor will rehab in Tampa and "will remain as team captain and likely will be visible around the locker room this season." Seriously?

Bolts Captain Taylor Opts for Potentially Career-Ending Hip Surgery originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lightning Reveal New Uniforms and Logo

Jes Golbez — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning

For the past few seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning have had very sleek and clean uniforms. The Bolts uniforms did a good job of utilizing blue, silver, and black in good harmony, paired with a clean font and a classic logo. While Tampa Bay uniforms were never usually at the top of anyone's list, they would never be near the bottom, either. Of all of the team's that used black, Tampa Bay was one of the few that pulled it off in a positive fashion.

So, it was hoped that the Tampa Bay Lightning wouldn't ruin their good look as they joined the new Reebok logo/uniform parade, unveiling their new look at IceFest 2007, held at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The updated Lightning logo is a modernization of the team's classic lightning bolt with the contrast of black surrounding the bolt and the insertion of blue into the bolt's interior to empower the logo's impact. A new, custom typeface with angled letters is used for "TAMPA BAY", while "LIGHTNING" has been dropped from the logo. These changes were made to provide a bold and unified icon.

"We have taken the opportunity that comes with the Reebok uniform redesign to modernize the crest on our sweaters," said Ron Campbell, President of the Lightning and the St. Pete Times Forum. "We don't consider this to be an extreme makeover of any kind, but we think the people at Reebok did a great job at giving the Lightning a crisp new look, while maintaining the essence of the logo we wore while winning the Stanley Cup Championship and the spirit of the original design implemented by Founder Phil Esposito 15 years ago."

I liked the old uniforms a bit more than these newer ones, but the new duds still look nice, clean, and "hockey-ish". The change to the logo is pretty good, giving us a very sharp, electric logo. Kudos to the Bolts for not screwing this one up.

Previously on FanHouse:
Senators Reveal Bright New Uniforms
New Reebok Islanders Jerseys Fail the "Project Runway" Test
New Sharks Logo: The Reviews Are In
First Glimpse of New Canes, Kings Jerseys; Are the Panthers Next?
Boston Bruins Unveil New Logo
Caps Jersey Leak Was The Real Deal

Lightning Reveal New Uniforms and Logo originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tortorella Tears into Outgoing Ownership

Mirtle M.D. — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:08:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit, Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, NHL Gossip

John Tortorella is an interesting cat.

Already known as one of the most outrageous and outspoken people in hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning head coach gave an almost surreal interview to Toronto radio station The Fan 590 yesterday in which he ripped the outgoing ownership regime of Bill Davidson, the 83-year-old billionaire owner of the Detroit Pistons.

Now, it's not everyday you hear a coach opine on things this far above his pay grade, and especially not when the parties involved are still very much on board with the team (the sale has yet to even go to the board of governors for approval, and is in the very early stages). That said, Tortorella didn't mince words when talking about team CEO and governor Tom Wilson, who is also the long-time president and CEO of the Pistons (I'm going to quote the interview at length, but there are some gems here).

On the sale:

"I think it's a good thing for our organization; I think we're going to have local ownership, I think we're going to have a little bit of passion within our ownership. I think we were kind of the ugly stepsister of the Detroit Pistons with our prior ownership with Mr. Davidson. He's a great man, but they really weren't too excited about being around the hockey club."

On ownership's role in Tampa:

"Mr. Davidson's a good man, he is a good man. I've had a hell of a time with Tom Wilson, who is kind of the middle guy here. I think Tom has put up obstacles all through Jay Feaster and I's tenure as far as trying to compete in the NHL. But Mr. D is the owner, it's his money, he can do what he wants with it, but I think when Mr. D came into this, it was a pretty safe deal. He had two other partners with him, they [died] pretty quickly after this deal was done, and it's kind of weird what happened... the thing kind of fell apart as the property and development part. I think that's what they were in it for at the get-go.

"They've slowly begun to get involved with the hockey; when you win a Stanley Cup, you can't help but want to be involved with it a little bit. But it's been a battle."

On Wilson's role with the Lightning:

"The only problem I have with Tom is I just felt he was always... trying to steer Mr. D away from the hockey team, and wanting to sell the team, and really wanting no part with us at all. And honestly, it's pretty easy to be around a hockey team when they win a Stanley Cup. And it's really insulting to me to all of a sudden start seeing people pop out of the woodwork when they win a Stanley Cup.

"I'll put it to you in general terms: I don't really think Tom enjoyed the hockey, I don't think he thought it was a good business deal, and I think he really, really - and he was the middle man - [team president] Ron Campbell had to deal with Tom quite a bit. I appreciate Ron Campbell now more than I ever have because he's gone through a lot; he's the point man for us in dealing with Detroit and it was a dogfight trying to stay afloat as a hockey club."

As I said, it's caustic stuff, and may actually mark the first time in pro sports history that a coach has criticized his club's ownership this openly.

If Wilson is thin skinned about any of this, you wonder what recourse there may be to take action against Tortorella. The incoming ownership group has already given the thumbs up to keeping both he and GM Jay Feaster, but I can't see how this constitutes a wise career move.

Honesty can't be the best policy in this situation.

Tortorella Tears into Outgoing Ownership originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 09 Aug 2007 06:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Producer of 'Saw' Horror Flicks, Ex-Jackets GM Buy the Tampa Bay Lightning

Greg Wyshynski — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:17:00 EST

Filed under: Tampa Bay, General NHL, Lightning, Blue Jackets, Eastern

While I fancy the idea of a player having to saw his own foot off in order to flee the penalty box following a five-minute major for high-sticking, I'm pretty sure having the producer of the "Saw" films as an NHL owner won't affect that sort of dramatic change. From the Tampa Tribune comes breaking news that the Lightning has (have? God, I hate team names that don't end in an "S") been sold:

The new ownership group is Absolute Hockey Enterprises, which includes Doug MacLean, Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. A purchase agreement has been signed by Absolute Hockey, but the ownership transfer is subject to approval by the National Hockey League's Board of Governors, the news release says.

Sherrin is a real estate developer from Coral Springs. MacLean is former general manger of Columbus, Ohio Blue Jackets and former coach of the Florida Panthers. Koules is co-founder of Twisted Pictures, the group behind the Saw movies, and producer of other movies such as John Q, Set It Off. He is also executive producer of the television show Two and a Half Men.

Damian Cristodero of the St. Pete Times has additional coverage, and the press conference announcing the deal is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the St. Pete Times Forum. A few initial thoughts on this deal after the jump...

"Absolute Hockey" sounds less like a consortium of owners and more like it would be great with a splash of vermouth and about four olives
The fact that the men who gave us Blue Jackets hockey and "Two and a Half Men" now have control of one of the most successful non-traditional market teams in the league makes me nervous; yet knowing that the same man who produces "Two and a Half Men" also makes torture porn horror flicks makes perfect sense to me.
It should be noted that Koules is without question a hockey guy: A former minor-league player, a Chicago Blackhawks training camp invite and owner of the Helena Bighorns of the North American Hockey League -- a team that had a prominent place in Koules's contentious divorce recently.
General manager Jay Feaster said late last season that the Bolts would get the green light from owner Bill Davidson to spend more money in 2007-08 if the team is competitive, despite a $9 million loss for the team. Will the new owners be as flexible financially?
More to the point, how will the new owners approach a payroll in which $19.925 million in cap space is eaten up by three players? And by that I'm really asking: Are Brad Richards's palms sweating yet?
All jokes aside, Tampa Bay is one of the best hockey towns in the NHL today. Folks who group it in with more questionable non-traditional markets have either never been to a Bolts home game or never learned how to read. I just hope that the recently fired GM, the torture porn guy and their friend with the money keep that momentum going.

Producer of 'Saw' Horror Flicks, Ex-Jackets GM Buy the Tampa Bay Lightning originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 07 Aug 2007 08:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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