NHL FanHouse

Stamkos More Than Pulling His Weight

Susan Slusser — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Last year, the one knock on No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos, fresh into the league at the age of 18, was that he lacked the strength to compete nightly in the league, even getting scratched on occasion to work on building up his muscle.

So over the summer, the Tampa Bay Lightning center trained with recently retired forward Gary Roberts, known for his dedication to fitness. Stamkos called Roberts "fanatical" about his off-ice training, and he got to see it up close near his home in Ontario.

"We did some unusual things," Stamkos told FanHouse by phone from Ottawa, where the Lightning are playing Thursday night. "The toughest part was on dry land, pulling a 100-pound sled, sprinting the whole way and then turning around and going back. I was face up on the ground, gasping for air."

Stamkos added five to seven pounds of muscle or so, though, and his body fat dipped by three percentage points. He said he didn't want to add too much weight and sacrifice speed, so the body fat percentage was the real goal.

The best measurement, of course, has turned out to be ... real goals. Stamkos, displaying his usual zip on his skates, is also putting the puck in the net like nuts. Until Tampa Bay's last game, an overtime win over Toronto, Stamkos, now 19, had scored goals in six consecutive games. He's tied for second-most in the league, with 11.

"... A long-shot (selection) is a possibility. I'd love the opportunity to represent my country, but obviously my main focus right now is on this team and winning every night here."
-- Steven Stamkos on the 2010 Olympics"Things have kind of been going my way," Stamkos said. "All that work this summer is starting to pay off, but I didn't think I'd start this spring, but when things go your way, pucks start to go in. I wanted to ride it as long as possible, and luckily, when it ended, it came in a win."

That's brought him new attention as a potential Canadian Olympic selection. Stamkos was disappointed not to be invited to the country's pre-Olympic camp in Calgary during the summer, but the Canadian brass, including general manager Steve Yzerman, are scouting Stamkos regularly and Yzerman in particular has been praising Stamkos. He watched the Lightning's game at Toronto on Tuesday and told reporters that he is "definitely" impressed with Stamkos.

"I wasn't thinking about it at the start of the season," Stamkos said of Vancouver 2010. "But with the start I've had and people talking about it, if I keep it up, a long-shot (selection) is a possibility. I'd love the opportunity to represent my country, but obviously my main focus right now is on this team and winning every night here."

Stamkos' ice time has increased nearly five minutes per game since last year -- and of course it's far more than it was early last season, when ex-Tampa Bay coach Barry Melrose was particularly sparing with time for Stamkos in the first 16 games. It wasn't the smoothest of transitions into the league, but looking back, Stamkos believes that having to deal with some adversity might have helped him. And there's little doubt he felt more and more comfortable playing in the NHL, tallying 21 points in the final 22 games of his rookie year.

This year, Tampa Bay has another top rookie on the squad in defenseman Victor Hedman, who is 18. Asked if he's taken Hedman under his wing, Stamkos laughed.

"I don't know if he can fit under my wing," Stamkos said. "He's 6-foot-8. He played two years as a pro in Sweden, he doesn't need much advice. And he's fit right in and helped with the blue line, which is what we needed."

After a handful of games away from usual linemate Martin St. Louis, Stamkos is back together with the Lightning's star player. That also ups the comfort factor for Stamkos, who said he's learned more from St. Louis than anyone in the league, especially about the necessity of hard work. Stamkos realized in watching St. Louis that the sport's best players are also the hardest workers.

The Lightning also can have some fun, though. Recently, trying to get out of a little funk, the team played a sort of strip-shootout, discarding bits of uniforms and gear for every missed shot. Stamkos got down to his undershirt because he missed four times, but St. Louis was even without skates by the time he put the puck in.

"It was good, lots of laughter," Stamkos said. "We just needed to get some fun back into practice, and that was fun."

Stamkos More Than Pulling His Weight originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kessel Returns, Leafs Lose; Osgood Shuts Out Boston

Adam Gretz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, Maple Leafs

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 1: Phil Kessel made his long-awaited debut for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night, and it got off to a rather scary start when he had to leave the game in the first period after Tampa Bay's Mattias Ohlund ran him over with a crushing hit at the blue line (video after the jump).

He would eventually return and finish with an incredible 10 shots on goal in Toronto's 2-1 overtime loss to Tampa Bay, which finally received some goal-scoring production from its captain.

After spending most of Monday's game on the third line -- after getting called out by head coach Rick Tocchet -- Vincent Lecavalier started Tuesday's game on a line with Ryan Malone and Alex Tanguay, before also seeing time with Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. He scored his second goal of the season late in the second period to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Malone scored the game-winner -- his ninth goal of the season -- at the 2:21 mark of the overtime period.

The star of the game for the Lightning, however, had to be goaltender Antero Niittymaki, who stopped 40 of the 41 shots he faced throughout the night. At the other end of the ice, Jonas Gustavsson was strong between the pipes for Toronto, stopping 30 shots in the loss.

Tuesday's Other Games

Red Wings 2, Bruins 0: The already-shorthanded Red Wings were without the services of defensemen Brian Rafalski and Jonathan Ericsson on Tuesday night, and, as it turns out, it didn't matter as Chris Osgood stopped 29 shots to help lead Detroit to a 2-0 win. Henrik Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom each scored goals, while Pavel Datsyuk registered two assists.

Thrashers 5, Canadiens 4: Atlanta let a 3-1 lead slip away in Montreal, but still managed to pull out a back-and-forth 5-4 win thanks to Colby Armstrong's second goal of the season, which proved to be the game-winner, at the 13:14 mark of the third period. Bryan Little, who tallied over 30 goals a season ago, finally scored his first of the season for the Thrashers in the win.

Penguins 4, Ducks 3: The Penguins improve to 7-0 on the road and 12-3 overall with a 4-3 win in Anaheim. Pascal Dupuis gets the winning tally, while Alex Goligoski, Mike Rupp and Kris Letang also contribute on the score sheet.

Canucks 4, Rangers 1: Vancouver wins a wild one that features six 10-minute misconducts and multiple fights in the third period. Mikael Samuelsson scores two for the Canucks, while Ryan Kesler records three assists.

Loose Pucks

-- Ken Hitchcock, head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, responded to allegations that his team was targetting Alex Ovechkin and looking to hit him during Saturday's game: "That would be correct," Hitchcock said. "That's the name of the game. Why, is that against the rules now?" [Puck Rakers]

-- The Philadelphia Flyers terminated the contract of Lukas Kaspar so he can play in Europe. [Broad Street Hockey]

-- Interesting post from Gabriel Desjardins about Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincey that asks whether or not he's a No. 1 defenseman. [Behind The Net]

Video Of The Day

Mattias Ohlound welcomes Phil Kessel back to the ice.

Wednesday's Key Games

Capitals vs. Devils: The Capitals play their first game without Alex Ovechkin as they travel to New Jersey to take on the Devils. Since he entered the league in 2005-06, Ovechkin has missed just four games. The Caps have earned a point in nine straight dating back to October 10.

Islanders vs. Sabres: Break up the Islanders! New York enters its game with Buffalo riding a four-game winning streak, including a 5-0 win against the Sabres on Saturday. It was only the second loss in regulation this season for Buffalo.

Coyotes vs. Avalanche: The two most surprising teams in the Western Conference face off in Denver. Phoenix blew a 3-1 lead on Monday against the Kings, a loss that snapped a three-game winning streak, while the Avs enter play still atop the conference standings with 22 points.

Kessel Returns, Leafs Lose; Osgood Shuts Out Boston originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Demoting Lecavalier Doesn't Help As Flyers Crush Lightning

Adam Gretz — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Flyers, Lightning

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Flyers 6, Lightning 2: With only one goal in 11 games, Tampa Bay lightning head coach Rick Tocchet decided to demote his No. 1 center, Vincent Lecavalier, to the team's third line, but not because of his lack of goals. Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes quoted Tocchet on Monday morning as saying: "we've got to clean him up," referring not only to his lack of offensive production, but his play when he doesn't have the puck (defense, finishing checks, etc. etc. etc.)

Did it work on Monday night in Philadelphia? Not really.

The Flyers received a pair of goals from Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in their 6-2 win, and led by a lopsided 5-1 margin after just 40 minutes. Lecavalier spent most of the game sandwiched between Drew Miller and Stephane Veilleux, and finished with zero points, five shots on goal and a minus-three rating.

Former No. 2 overall pick James van Riemsdyk finished with three assists for Philadelphia, and now has two goals and 11 assists in 10 games.

The Flyers have won their last two games by a combined score of 12-3.

This all comes on the same day that Philadelphia learned it will be without Simon Gagne for six-to-eight weeks following abdominal and hip surgery.

Monday's Other Games

Brendan Witt scores two goals(!) and John Tavres adds his fifth of the season to help the Islanders win their fourth straight game. [Box Score, Recap]

The Kings rally for four straight goals, including three in the third period, to beat Phoenix. Ryan Smyth tallied two on the night, while Anze Kopitar picked up his 11th of the season. Kopitar now has 24 points, moving him one point ahead of Washington's Alex Ovechkin for the league lead.

The Kings held the Coyotes to just 16 shots on goal. [Box Score, Recap]

Loose Pucks

-- Matt Pettinger signs with the Vancouver Canucks. [Nucks Misconduct]

-- A look at the ridiculous number of injuries throughout the first month of the season. [Jim Cerny's Rink Rap]

Video Of The Day

John Taveres scores to help lead the Islanders to another win.

Tuesday's Key Games

Bruins vs. Red Wings: Two of the best teams in the NHL a season ago, Boston and Detroit enter Tuesday's game still struggling to hit their stride through the first month of this season. Both teams have been decimated by injuries early on.

Maple Leafs vs. Lightning: The Maple Leafs can't catch a break, it seems, as Phil Kessel will not be making his season debut on Tuesday night.

Penguins vs. Ducks: Dan Bylsma spent parts of four seasons as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, and on Tuesday he returns as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins as they open a three-game west coast road trip.

Demoting Lecavalier Doesn't Help As Flyers Crush Lightning originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Knuckle Puck: Michael Jackson and the Skivvy Shootout Imitators

Kevin Schultz — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, Maple Leafs, Minor League Hockey, Junior Hockey

Each and every Saturday this season I'll be taking a look at the random happenings and absurdities that occur in the world of hockey. Feel free to suggest stories, complain or otherwise babble at me via electronic mail.

You've got to love the spirit of minor league hockey. The promotional departments for the teams love to give fitting tributes to things that usually have a tenuous relation -- if any -- to their teams, sport and locales. I'm not criticizing, simply stating an observation. The latest team to host a promotional night chosen from their Wheel-O-Random Promotions (I hear all minor league teams keep one snugly in the back of the marketing office for when the mood strikes them) is the ECHL's Bakersfield Condors.

The team hosted King of Pop Tribute Night on Friday complete with Michael Jackson jerseys and players wearing one white glove. And don't worry, the media was naturally all over the clever puns.

This one is from the Condors' own press release:

Friday night is for all of those "Smooth Criminals" out there looking to honor the "King of Pop."

Nothing I loathe more than quotations to make sure that we all get the joke. Deadspin's entry was much better:

ECHL Team Should Stop Before We Get Enough

And the groaner from from local ABC affiliate KERO (sic):

Even the Condors players will all wear one white glove for the game. It should be a real thriller....you can't beat it!

Sigh. Glad to see the lame pun folks were out in full force for this one. The Condors came up short in the game losing 6-3 -- and the jerseys were as awful looking as they are in your nightmares -- but hey, the jerseys were auctioned off to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network so at least the kids were winners.

Knuckle Pucker of the Year Nominee

Each week, we'll nominate someone who deserves to be recognized for their outstanding service and commitment to giving me something to write about. By the end of the year I'll come up with some way to declare a winner. Today's nominee is...

... Maple Leaf fan Lee Kirby. Earlier this week the Ebay auction ended in which Kirby placed his Leafs loyalty for sale to the highest bidder. He was so fed up with the franchise -- apparently it was the 0-7-1 start that broke the proverbial camel's back -- that he created the auction, which ended last week at $25 CDN (~$23 USD). The money was donated to charity and by instruction of the winning bidder Kirby is now a Dallas Stars fan and is worshiping Mike Modano and Company. So thank you, Lee Kirby, for your efforts in giving me something to write about.

Joke Already Written for Me

"[The auction] hovered at around 9 cents for a while, before picking up steam near the end."

If only it had ended near 9 cents, that would have been much funnier. The demand for Leafs fans is clearly not high and their prices are clearly dropping. I blame the economy. I also imagine the charity angle inflated the price a bit, which is always good to see.

Idaho Does Not Endorse Stripper Shootouts

Last week, I wrote in this space about the Tampa Bay Lightning playing a shootout game in which players would take off an article of clothing each time they failed to score. Driven by the inspiring tale of the Lightning, a junior team from Idaho decided to try the same thing. However, they failed to adhere to Idaho's strict no naked hockey players laws. For their actions, they were banned from Idaho Ice World in Boise for four days. FOUR DAYS. WHATEVER WILL BECOME OF THEIR ICE HOCKEY TEAM NOW?!?

Ahem. Excuse me.

An adult whose young daughter was on an adjacent rink saw the 17- to 20-year-old Steelheads skating in their skivvies and complained to a city hotline.

A very vigilant parent, indeed. The way youth sports are nowadays I'm surprised they took such calm action and resisted any urges they had to jump over the boards and beat up the kids. But what really bothers me about this quote is that the city actually has a hotline set up for situations like these. The article doesn't say the person called 911. They called a hotline. That's different. That's specialized.

Rink employees who also noticed the scantily clad skaters urged them to cover up.

But those juvenile delinquents didn't listen did they? We tried to warn them! WE TRIED! But the kids are rebels who don't play by the rules!

The best part of this story is that no one is really sure if any laws, rules or regulations were actually broken.

Police who were alerted on Thursday are now looking into whether Boise's public decency laws were broken by the incident.

The city forbids people from showing their buttocks in public, largely to curb erotic dance parlors. Exemptions include dance, ballet, music or dramatic performances, or artistic displays; nudity during hockey practice isn't on the list.

That would have been one heck of a list if hockey practice was on it. Well, I'm sure it will be now after this incident.

John Oliver, the Idaho Junior Steelheads owner, wasn't at the practice where the players held the "strip shootout."

But an assistant told him the players were emulating a professional team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, whose members held a similar shootout last week where they discarded pieces of equipment after failing to score.

Oh heavens! They got their crazy ideas from TV! That's where it always starts. First it's strip shootouts then they're trying out for American Idol and going straight for hard drugs. It's a slippery slope!

Internet videos show a Lightning right winger, Martin St. Louis, stripping to his long, dark shorts and shirt;

Now the internet is involved in the blame process. It's always the internet. And TV. Video games too. And if it's not any of those then the school system is probably failing the kids.

the Junior Steelheads apparently went further,

OH... GOD... NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! They fast-forwarded through the American Idol tryouts and went straight for the hard drugs, didn't they? SAY IT AIN'T SO ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT!!

with some disrobing down to their sports briefs. At least one 17-year-old player doffed his underwear completely, to "moon" another player.

*Writer passes out completely*

Knuckle Puck: Michael Jackson and the Skivvy Shootout Imitators originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go?

Kevin Schultz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Ducks, Flyers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Panthers, NHL Coaching

In the NHL, coach firings are as common as parking tickets in New York City. Throughout the NHL season I'll be taking a bi-weekly look at five coaches who are the most likely to get fired. Be advised your local coach may be axed at any moment. Consider this fair warning.

We've made it through the first month of the NHL season and not one coach has gotten fired yet. That's got to be some kind of record. This is the NHL! Coaches are fired for lots of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. How is no team displeased enough to have fired a coach yet? And what have you got to say for yourself, Lou Lamoriello? Why is your finger not on the trigger?

As it turns out, a lot of teams have actually surprised us and played well, helping their coach's job security in the process. Before the season I named a few coaches whom I thought were starting the year on the hot seat. More than a few of them have been saved by solid starts. Joel Quenneville and the Hawks are 7-3-1 and atop the Central. John Anderson and the Thrashers started the year 4-1-1 before dropping their last two against good teams and the Kings may have saved Terry Murray's job by grabbing 17 points in 13 games to lead the Pacific.

The good news for me -- I was afraid I wouldn't have anyone to write about -- is that not every team is off to such a hot start. The Ducks have struggled out of the gate, the Flyers and Canucks are both hovering around .500 and Toronto has been an unmitigated disaster losing six of their first eight by two goals or more. So I'd like to take the time to thank those teams for lighting a fire under their coach's respective chairs.

So today, I present to you the first in a season-long series of coaches-on-the-hot-seat rankings. Five coaches. Five teams. Five fanbases that want blood -- sweet, sweet blood. We'll start at number five and head on through to numero uno, my prediction for the coach to get the axe first.

No. 5: Peter DeBoer, Florida Panthers. DeBoer is only in his second year with the Panthers and had some success last year as the team finished ninth in the East, missing out on the playoffs by losing a tiebreaker to the Canadiens. But in the NHL it's all about 'what have you done for me lately' and the Panthers have started this season 2-7-1 and are averaging 2.2 goals per game. Add that to their 29th-best ranking in goals allowed and things are not looking good. Personally, I don't believe the Horton trade rumors, but if they're crazy enough to trade him firing DeBoer will look sane in comparison.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 4: John Stevens, Philadelphia Flyers. I said before the season that this could be a make or break year for Stevens and the Flyers. They had a talented roster and only improved it during the offseason. However, they've been short on postseason success and are 5-4-1, already nine points behind the division-leading Penguins in the tough Atlantic. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup last year after firing their coach down the stretch. That means there will be copycats, and if the Flyers continue to be mediocre Stevens may be sent packing to shake things up.

Seat status: STEAMY

No. 3: Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have had a lot of success under Carlyle. In four seasons they've won a Cup and made another trip to the conference finals. The last two years have been less successful but nothing that should threaten a coach's job. But the Ducks are 3-6-1 to start this season, with the latest defeat being a 6-3 drubbing by the winless Leafs in front of the home fans. Half the reason Carlyle is on this list is because there really aren't a lot of other people to put here. The other half is because of the random stinkers the Ducks have put forth this season: 5-0 home rout by St. Louis, 4-1 opening-night loss to San Jose. He's not going anywhere yet -- he'll get a fair shake -- but the early news is not good.

Seat Status: TOASTY

No. 2: Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs. It's been a fun season already in Toronto. The team has started 0-7-1 before showing some life the last two games on, of all places, the road in Anaheim and Dallas. Fans are outraged. The media is making jokes. Wilson has already gotten a vote of confidence from the GM. All key ingredients to canning a coach. However, there's one thing standing in the way: that vote of confidence was actually legit. The problem with this team is not Wilson and GM Brian Burke knows it. The seat is very warm but there will be little action here. Move along.

Seat status: CALIENTE

No. 1: Rick Tocchet, Tampa Bay Lightning. The lame thing about NHL coaches this season is that there's no one you can point at and yell 'DEAD MAN WALKING!' A lot of thought-to-be-crappy teams are good. A lot of good teams are mediocre. A very small handful of teams are very bad. The Lightning are not very bad. But the Lightning are off to a bad start (4-3-3) and are led by a coach who was interim for most of last season and was hired by the previous coach. That latter is the coaching kiss of death, which is why I believe Tocchet will be the first to go this year. And also because anything goes at Cirque du SoLightning.

Seat status: CALIENTE MÁS UNO

Coaches recieving a free pass this time around: Alain Vigneault, Vancouver Canucks. Barry Trotz, Nashville Predators. Paul Maurice, Carolina Hurricanes. Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey Devils (listed simply because his boss is Lou Lamoriello).

The Pink Slip Index: Which Coach Will Be First to Go? originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stamkos Leads Lightning; Capitals Survive Thrashers Comeback Attempt

Adam Gretz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Lightning, Senators, Thrashers

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Lightning 5, Senators 2: After what can only be described as a disappointing rookie season, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Stamkos is starting to show the talents that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft. The 19-year-old center scored two more goals on Thursday (giving him nine on the season), while he and his linemates (Ryan Malone and Alex Tangauy) combined for eight points in Tampa Bay's 5-2 win against Ottawa.

Stamkos added an assist in the win, and is now tied with Martin St. Louis for the team lead with 14 points in 10 games. His second goal of the game, which gave Tampa Bay a 4-0 lead midway through the third period, was a perfectly placed wrist shot on the fly.

Capitals 4, Thrashers 3: Alex Ovechkin scored two goals in the first period and helped Washington take a 3-0 lead into the third period in Atlanta. The Thrashers managed to make it a game thanks to a pair of goals from Zach Bogosian and Todd White, only to have Mike Knuble seal it with an empty-netter with 53 seconds to play. Bogosian added a second goal with one second remaining. The Capitals have now won six in a row and get the Islanders at home on Friday.

Thursday's Other Games

Speaking of comeback attempts ... Detroit rallies to force a shootout in Edmonton but comes up short in the end.

New Jersey is now 6-0 on the road.

Ilya Bryzgalov picks up the shutout against St. Louis.

Pekka Rinne stopped all 22 shots he faced to help lead Nashville past Chicago.

Vancouver knocks off the kings in a shootout.

Loose Pucks

-- The top 10 worst shootout attempts of all time. [Greatest Hockey Legends]

-- Phil Kessel might be getting close to making his Toronto Maple Leafs debut. They certainly need him. [Leafs247]

Picture Of The Day

I already gave you your video of the day up above, so here's a picture of the day: You're always in the spotlight when you're a goaltender in the NHL.

Friday's Key Games

Avalanche vs. Sharks: Probably the best game of the night as Colorado, the team with the best record in the NHL at the moment, visits the team that finished last year with the best record in the NHL.

Penguins vs. Blue Jackets: The suddenly shorthanded Penguins visit Columbus. Based on their meetings from a year ago, this could be a fantastic rivalry if the NHL ever put them in the same division.

Maple Leafs vs. Sabres: A team that seems to be sneaking under the radar? Buffalo. The Sabres have lost only one game in regulation and Ryan Miller is leading the league in just about every category for goaltenders.

Stamkos Leads Lightning; Capitals Survive Thrashers Comeback Attempt originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Blue Jackets, Flames, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Oilers, Predators, Senators, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Some weeks, this job is just too easy. Our search for the best hockey fights includes a couple dandies this week, including a classic heavyweight battle in Toronto. It's the kind of bout that makes Brian Burke smile. Check out our runners-up, along with video of this week's best fight, after the jump.

Runner Up: Matt Walker vs. Chris Neil

Video here. Walker got some good early shots in, but Neil had a rally in him. This went from being a one-sided affair to quite competitive very quickly.

Runner Up: Jared Boll vs. Brandon Prust

Boll is one of the more underrated fighters in the league. He's big and strong, and also happens to be tough as nails. Prust brought some intensity to this fight, and he didn't back down after Boll landed an early right that would have staggered a lot of guys. Watch Prust make an impressive comeback here.

Runner Up: Zack Stortini vs. Triston Grant

Last week, we showed you Stortini standing and watching as skilled teammate Sam Gagner got in a scrap. No more of that, as Stortini mixed it up Tuesday, as his Oilers were blowing out the Predators. Stortini is a lot bigger than Grant, but the Nashville youngster held his own, mainly by keeping a strong hold on Stortini and limiting his ability to punch. Watch the video here.

Fight of the Week: David Koci vs. Colton Orr

This is easy. You don't even have to watch the video to know it's awesome, because Koci and Orr have plenty of experience and are more than capable of putting on a show. The heavyweights wore each other down, and there were more than a few punches thrown. Apologies for the lack of sound, but the feed that night had audio issues throughout. It's too bad, because it would be worth money to hear Joe Bowen call a fight this good.

Fight of the Week: Colton Orr Takes Over originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight of the Week: Long, Competitive Southeast Division Scrap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bruins, Flames, Hurricanes, Kings, Lightning, Oilers, Sharks, Thrashers, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Fighting will always be controversial. Many fans say that it's as much a part of hockey as the ice is. Others would rather it went away, even if they may secretly enjoy it. However, it seems that fighting is here to stay in the NHL. This week's card included a few heavyweight bouts, an unlikely matchup in Alberta, and a rather long, intense fight between division rivals.

Honorable Mention: Craig Conroy vs. Sam Gagner

Video can be found here. No, the Oilers haven't signed an enforcer named Sam Gagner. The young, dynamic center apparently thought it was his job to use his fists to ignite his team. CBC's Mark Lee was almost incredulous. The best part? Big Zach Stortini of Edmonton was a spectator.

Runner-Up: Jay Harrison vs. Milan Lucic

The video is here. Sometimes, a fight's quality is hurt because it doesn't last long enough. Harrison had good intentions here, but he was completely overmatched, and he ended up wearing the ol' crimson mask because of his decision to try to fight Lucic. Quality visual on this one, and great work by Lucic, but it was too much of a mismatch to climb atop the list for this week.

Runner-Up: Jody Shelley vs. Raitis Ivanans

Watch the video here. Shelley's teammate looked to throw an unnecessary hit on an icing play, and Ivanans did his job, going after the heavyweight and sticking up for a teammate. Good scrap between fighters who share space in the Pacific Division, so they're probably familiar with each other's work.

Fight of the Week: Zenon Konopka vs. Chris Thorburn

Konopka has never played more than 23 games in an NHL season. He was up against a slightly bigger and more experienced Thorburn in this fight from Saturday's Thrasher home opener. The two combined for one of the longer fights of the week, and there was some serious intensity from both sides.

Fight of the Week: Long, Competitive Southeast Division Scrap originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild Smart to Play Waiting Game

Bruce Ciskie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, Wild, Western, NHL Free Agency, NHL Economics

News broke Saturday that the Tampa Bay Lightning had agreed to a deal with free-agent forward Alex Tanguay. This means the Minnesota Wild have to look elsewhere if they still hope to add a forward to bolster their top-six depth.

As Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune pointed out, Tanguay wasn't a great fit for the Wild. He's more of a disher than a scorer, and the Wild are in desperate need of people to put the puck in the net. With that in mind, who can the Wild target?

Russo speculates that the Wild could take a stab at former Penguin Petr Sykora. Still without a contract, Sykora is coming off a 25-goal season with the Penguins, has 300 career tallies, and is a two-time Stanley Cup winner.

It makes some sense, given that Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher knows Sykora very well from his time in Pittsburgh, where Fletcher served as an assistant general manager. Sykora also has more of a knack for scoring goals than Tanguay does, and he could be a nice fit for the Wild at forward.

However, Russo isn't done. On his blog, he notes something very interesting about the current state of financial affairs around the NHL.

As I wrote in today's paper, Chicago, Vancouver, Detroit, Ottawa, Washington and Boston are over the cap right now. Chicago can get down by sending one of their goalies to the minors and Brent Sopel as well. I don't know what Vancouver's doing. The Canucks are over the cap and have about 26 players. Boston's over and Phil Kessel isn't even signed.

Montreal, Philadelphia, Edmonton and Carolina are about $1 million from the cap. San Jose's at $53.5 after yesterday's trade, but with 17 players. So the only way it stays under is if it signs/keeps a bunch of 500K players.

Reality is that many teams will be looking to make salary dumps in the not-too-distant future. These salary dumps may not be much different than the trade the Sharks made with Vancouver Friday. That deal sent two experienced NHL defensemen to Vancouver for two prospects, one of whom is a former first-round pick (Patrick White) yet to prove himself in college hockey.

Fletcher is smart to hang out in the weeds for now. Not everyone in the NHL wants to go through what Calgary did last year, when the Flames didn't have the cap space to call up players from the AHL to replace guys who were unable to play due to injury.

Even teams like Montreal, Philadelphia, Edmonton, and Carolina, all of whom are under the cap, are likely to do something before the season starts. They simply can't afford to stand pat and risk not having the necessary room to add warm bodies to the roster.

Because the cap is expected to fall next year, teams are doubly careful about taking on new money, so the problem for those up against the cap becomes more difficult. Russo says he wouldn't be surprised if some serviceable players ended up on waivers. He has a good point.

The Wild need to be careful. If they think Sykora makes them better, he's worth a $2 million or so investment. If not, sit on that remaining cap space, and hope that someone on the current roster can get the job done until a team suffocating against the cap gets desperate to make a move.

Wild Smart to Play Waiting Game originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Vincent Lecavalier (No. 14)

Adam Gretz — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 14 is Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vincent Lecavalier.

After being the No. 1 pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Vincent Lecavalier was hyped up to be hockey's answer to Michael Jordan by then-Lightning owner Art Williams. It's always dangerous to throw around such absurd expectations when you're talking about an 18-year-old kid that's never played a professional game, and if "the Michael Jordan of hockey" is the expectation, then Lecavalier's career to this point is a disappointment.

If you're more reasonable with your expectations, the Quebec native has become one of the top players in the NHL, well worth top billing in his draft class.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent Lecavalier	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	302	367	669	561
Average Per 82 Games	31.1	38.5	69.7	58.2

Draft Year: 1998

After Lecavalier went No. 1, there was, in hindsight, a sizable drop in talent in the top-10: David Legwand (Nashville), Brad Stuart (San Jose), Bryan Allen (Vancouver), Vitaly Vishnevski (Anaheim), Rico Fata (Calgary), Manny Malhotra (New York Rangers), Mark Bell (Chicago), Mike Rupp (New York Islanders), Nik Antropov (Toronto). Some decent players, sure, but not your standard top-10 All-Star level talent.

Why He's On My List

It took him a few years, but Lecavalier eventually became the impact player he was supposed to be, highlighted by his 2006-07 campaign that saw him lead the league with 52 goals and finish third with a career-best 108 points. Prior to this season, he had tallied at least 30 goals six straight years, and would have likely made it seven straight had he not missed the final five games of the season due to injury.

Obligatory YouTube Video

This might be the signature moment of Tampa Bay's Stanley Cup win in 2004 - Lecavalier drops the gloves and brawls (sort of) with Calgary's Jarome Iginla in a captain vs. captain bout. Doesn't get much better than this in the Stanley Cup Final.

NHL's Top 50: Vincent Lecavalier (No. 14) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL's Top 50: Martin St. Louis (No. 27)

Adam Gretz — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Fans, NHL Videos

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 27 is Tampa Bay Lightning Forward Martin St. Louis.

Martin St. Louis has had to overcome quite a few obstacles to get where he is in the NHL. Listed at just 5-foot-9, 177-pounds, he's had to fight the "undersized" label, he wasn't drafted, and he was unceremoniously dumped by the Calgary Flames after just two seasons. Through it all, St. Louis has managed to turn himself into one of the best players in the league.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

His 2003-04 season was especially noteworthy, as he took home the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer, the Hart Trophy as the Most Valuable Player, and the Lester B. Pearson award as the best player in the league as voted on by the players. He also led the league in assists, shorthanded goals and plus/minus, while also getting his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. His 24 points in 23 playoff games, including four goals in the Stanley Cup Final against the Calgary Flames, would have made him a worthy choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy as well (his teammate Brad Richards won it).

The Numbers: Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	238	347	585	226
Average Per 82 Games	27.8	41.0	69.7	27.0

Draft Year: Not Drafted

Despite being a Hobey Baker finalist, and one of the most prolific scorers at the University of Vermont, St. Louis did not get drafted. He signed with Calgary in 1998, played sparingly with the Flames for two seasons, and was released following the 1999-00 season. Tampa Bay scooped him up and was rewarded with one of the best free agency steals in ... well ... ever.

Why He's On My List

To steal a line from the Big Book Of NHL Cliche, he plays bigger than his size. He's a five-time 30-goal scorer, including his 30 in 2008-09, a five-time All-Star, and he rarely misses a game, having played at least 80 games six straight years. He's missed just two games since the start of the 2002-03 season. He plays in every situation, and has finished in the top-10 for shorthanded goals four times, including the aforementioned 2003-04 season when he led the league with eight. Goal-scorer. Playmaker. All around great player.

Obligatory YouTube Video

St. Louis has used this move a couple of times in the shootout for team Canada and Tampa Bay. Here he is busting it out against Marc-Andre Fleury.

NHL's Top 50: Martin St. Louis (No. 27) originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tampa Bay's Original, Yet Completely Unoriginal Ad Campaign

Adam Gretz — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:40:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Fans

Earlier on Friday, Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski was having some fun with the Tampa Bay Lightning's new season ticket advertising campaign. It's a unique feature that opens all sorts of doors for the ticket-buying public, and is definitely unlike anything I've ever seen. But there was something about it that just wasn't sitting right with me. The slogan of, "Together, We Will."

Something about it was familiar.

A couple of years ago, the Pittsburgh Pirates' marketing team came up with a nearly identical slogan, only it was simply: "We Will." It featured a bunch of campy commercials with players talking about how We Will: play hard. We Will: Be Proud. We Will: Compete. Seeing as how this is the Pirates we're talking about, fans and bloggers had plenty of ammunition to make their own "We Will" advertisements.

Here's a couple of suggestions for how Tampa Bay can complete the "Together We Will" sentence:

Together We Will ... fire our head coach after 16 games.

Together We Will ... make sure Vincent Lecavalier gets to Montreal.

Together We Will ... play for the right to draft Taylor Hall.

Tampa Bay's Original, Yet Completely Unoriginal Ad Campaign originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mattias Ohlund Signs With Lightning

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Canucks, Lightning, Eastern, Western, NHL Free Agency

Just mere minutes after the NHL free agency period started Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Lightning jumped in the pool.

Looking for a veteran defenseman to help tutor rookie Victor Hedman, the second overall pick in the NHL Draft last weekend, the Lightning apparently found their target quite quickly. They had to head all the way to Vancouver to do it, but they have signed Mattias Ohlund away from the Canucks, according to multiple reports.

USA Today's Kevin Allen was first to break the news, as he reported a deal was one on his Twitter feed. From there, we got word from TSN's Bob McKenzie that Ohlund is being paid quite handsomely to move from the west coast of North America to the west coast of Florida.

McKenzie says Ohlund got a seven-year deal worth $3.75 million annually.

Yes, the Lightning just gave a 33-year-old defenseman a seven-year deal.

With the salary cap expected to fall next year, this kind of deal actually makes some sense. Ohlund is likely to make more than $3.75 million in the first few years of the contract. While the cap hit is stretched out over seven years, the team's out-of-pocket expense will probably fall in the last couple years of the deal.

Of course, the Lightning may very well regret this when they're stuck with a $3.75 million cap hit for a 39- or 40-year-old.

Hilariously, all of this comes after general manager Brian Lawton told Erik Erlendsson that the team would be cautious in free agency. If by "cautious," Lawton meant "insane," then he was absolutely right.

Mattias Ohlund Signs With Lightning originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Tavares, Victor Hedman, Matt Duchene Top Three in NHL Entry Draft

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:50:00 EST

Filed under: Avalanche, Islanders, Lightning, NHL Draft

For many months, the first three picks of the NHL Entry Draft were expected to go this way. The only question was the order.

Center John Tavares and defenseman Victor Hedman were the top two players in this draft, no matter how you try to rate players. OHL star Matt Duchene joined them as the consensus third pick in the months before the draft. Right off the start Friday night, things played out as expected, as the New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Colorado Avalanche stayed put and made the first three selections.

Tavares and Hedman were the top two going back to before the World Junior Championships, which started the day after Christmas. That Tavares ended up with the downtrodden Islanders, and Hedman with the defensively-challenged Lightning, could not be considered a surprise.

Both should play in the NHL this fall, and there's no question Tavares becomes the face of this Islander franchise. A draft night crowd at Nassau Veterans' Memorial Coliseum went crazy when the pick was announced. It wouldn't even be a joke to say it was as loud as they've cheered in years, and it's clear Islander fans don't think he's a soccer player.

Hedman is a 6-foot-5 defenseman who should be a main anchor on the Tampa Bay blue line within a couple of years.

For Duchene, what happened next had to be considered a dream come true. Every young hockey player dreams of the chance to be drafted. Duchene's dream went one step further, because not only did he get drafted, but it was his favorite team growing up that made the pick.

Duchene grew up a huge Colorado Avalanche fan. During an interview with Duchene after the pick, TSN showed a photo of a much younger Duchene sitting in his bedroom, surrounded by Avalanche memorabilia. The Ontario native is a bit small, and might not be ready to play in the NHL this season as he continues to develop his game.

The first three picks went as expected, and there is some serious impact potential among these three players. In fact, it could be argued that they've already made an impact by giving their fans hope, if only for one night.

John Tavares, Victor Hedman, Matt Duchene Top Three in NHL Entry Draft originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offseason Roadmap: Southeast Division

Tom Mantzouranis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:37:00 EST

Filed under: Capitals, Hurricanes, Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers

It's officially the offseason, meaning the time is right to look into the future. We continue our division-by-division preview of the potential wheeling and dealing with the Southeast Division.

The Southeast is probably going to be the most boring division in hockey this offseason. Three of the teams don't have the financial capability to make the sort of splash they need, and the other two were good enough to mostly maintain the status quo.

Still, we've got two top-5 draft picks to look forward to, as well as the ongoing sagas surrounding the stars for both Florida franchises.

Atlanta Thrashers: We know (or are being told) this much: the Thrashers are hanging on to Ilya Kovalchuk. But to have a chance of keeping him around past this year, the last of his deal, they'll have to put a better team around him. With only $30.8 currently committed to 17 players, they've got the financial situation to make it happen this year. But considering that they'd be stocking up their roster in an effort to have the chance to ink Kovalchuk to a huge contract next year, they have to spend this year with an eye on ensuing seasons. In other words, they have ample cap space, but they have to ration a chunk of it on Kovalchuk in lieu of making a splash this offseason.

But they might not be too far from being competitive, anyway. They've got very solid young pieces locked up cheap in Zach Bogosian, Bryan Little, and Anssi Salmela.

They need some top-line guys to pair with Kovalchuk and a top-four defenseman. And they've got some pieces to deal, including the No. 4 pick in this week's draft and depth at goalie in a weak free agent market at the position (especially if they re-sign Kari Lehtonen, who's a restricted free agent). That won't be enough to net any real "wow" guys, but it could still improve the team's quality and depth (which is sorely lacking). With slight improvements on the roster and the continued ascension of those young guys, the Thrashers could be in the playoff chase next year, or at least show enough potential to convince Kovalchuk to stick around and watch it blossom.

Carolina Hurricanes: They've got their coach of the future (for the second time) locked up, but the Hurricanes have trouble brewing on the blue line. Dennis Seidenberg and Anton Babchuk are free agents (unrestricted and restricted, respectively), and the team is uncertain whether they can retain both, or either. After all, they have some key players to lock up at forward too -- Erik Cole, Tuomo Ruutu, Jussi Jokinen, and Chad LaRose -- and would like to add a physical defenseman, as well, to diversify the back end.

This is probably a team that is going to lose some of its talent, which is unfortunate given that they were closer to the Stanley Cup Finals than their conference final against the Penguins indicated.

Florida Panthers: They took a gamble keeping Jay Bouwmeester at the trade deadline, opting to push for the playoffs instead of getting a return on their impending departure. They're still trying to get something for his negotiating rights, but first things first -- how about hiring a general manager?

The Panthers are like the Thrashers in that they won't be able to spend a lot (the team will also have to pay the rising David Booth a handsome raise in restricted free agency), so they'll be counting on the continued improvement from those like Booth, Stephen Weiss and Karlis Skrastins on top of some additions from the farm, to again get even close to the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Lightning: The team is still sort of in a mess, with the biggest questions surrounding the future of Vincent Lecavalier. What direction they decide to go in, and we'll know that answer soon, will give away their concept of next season.

Dealing him means the Lightning are content with blowing it up and re-building around Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, whom they likely will select with the second-overall pick. That's not a bad duo to build around, as Hedman will probably play in the NHL from Day 1. However, by sacrificing the most iconic player in franchise history for a bounty that surely won't have equal value, it's a clear message that Lightning fans should expect another three or so years of equal misery.

They could keep Lecavalier and his enormous contract, on the other hand, and bank on Hedman and some scotch-taping to a woeful blue line being enough to allow the Lightning at least out-score their way out of the land of laughing-stocks.

Washington Capitals: This team is better than their exit point indicated, and when you've got the best scorer (arguably player) in the league and a young goalie who looks to have a bright future, you're going to be OK. And the Capitals have depth up front behind that all-world talent. Still, there's going to be some turnover here. But there will be a reliance on filling those spots from within -- Kari Alzner on defense, perhaps Chris Bourque and Keith Aucoin up front.

Offseason Roadmap: Southeast Division originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Getting Ugly in Tampa Bay

Adam Gretz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Economics

Somewhere Barry Melrose is smiling, perhaps even laughing maniacally, at the news that Tampa Bay Lightning co-owners Oren Koules (pictured right) and Len Barrie are meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday to determine which individual has the authority to make decisions for the team.

Quick refresher course: The Lightning were, by far, the busiest team last offseason (and during the season itself) acquiring every player they could get their hands on, and, in some cases, badly overpaying them. A season that started with playoff predictions from ownership ended with the second-worst record in the league, and Melrose, hired on June 27, was ultimately fired after just 16 regular season games, sparking a public feud between he and the two owners. While Melrose didn't exactly get his wish of Tampa Bay not winning another game the rest of the season, he was relatively close.

Just seven months later, the fighting now seems to be taking place within the walls of the front office, as John Romano of the St. Petersburg Times describes the insanity currently unfolding in Tampa:

In essence, the commissioner is determining custody of a hockey team. And so the humiliation of an ownership group reaches a new crescendo. If you thought it was bad when Dan Boyle called them liars, or John Tortorella described them as cowboys or Barry Melrose accused them of being meddlers, then this is worse. This makes them look like complete incompetents. Which, hopefully, is the message Bettman delivers.

A few more tidbits on what is wrong in Tampa Bay this season:

1) As Romano pointed out in his column, former head coach John Tortorella referred to Koules and Barrie as "a couple of cowboys" and added: "But how it all goes about and how you treat your people and run your business is very important in this league. I look at the club and how some things have been done and how they treated Danny Boyle and really lying to the kid, and some of the other things that have gone on there, it's a total different team. Do I think the team needed to be blown up for it to get back to competing? No, I don't."

2) An offseason of splurging on free agents netted nothing but bad contracts and lopsided trades. After shipping Dan Boyle to San Jose for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart and a first-round pick, the Lightning turned around and packaged the first-round pick (and defensemen Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard) to Ottawa for defenseman Andrej Mezsaros. Following the deal, general manager Brian Lawton called Mezsaros an "elite player" and promptly signed him a six-year contract extension. Just a few weeks later, Matt Carle was sent to Philadelphia for Steve Eminger and Steve Downie, while Downie quickly found trouble playing for Tampa Bay's minor league team. So, basically -- and I hate looking at trades this way -- Tampa Bay has only Ty Wishart, Andrej Mezsaros, Steve Eminger and Steve Downie to show for Dan Boyle, Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard.

3) After inking Vincent Lecavalier, the team's captain and the face of the franchise, to an 11-year, $85 million contract extension, his name repeatedly came up in trade rumors, and will likely continue to do so until he's actually traded or he retires. Or, as Romano explains in his column, until Koules is no longer involved in the team's decision-making.

The talk is that Koules wants to keep Lawton as GM, wants to trade Lecavalier to get out from under his $85 million contract and wants to pare the payroll to the low $40 million range. Barrie is not as solidly behind Lawton, wants to build around Lecavalier and is in favor of signing some free agents to get the payroll closer to $50 million.

4) After signing Radim Vrbata to a three-year deal in free agency, the Lightning placed him on waivers in December so he could return to the Czech Republic, while both sides have to be suffering from a case of buyers remorse when it comes to the Ryan Malone contract (Malone for signing in Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay for signing Malone to that contract).

On the plus side, it's not all bad in Tampa Bay (really, it's not). Assuming cooler heads prevail and the team keeps Lecavalier, the Lightning have a legitimate franchise player in their 29-year-old captain to build around.

As owners of the No. 2 pick in this weekend's NHL Entry Draft, they're assured of the opportunity to land a potential franchise building block in either Canadian phenom John Tavares, or Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman (depending on what the Islanders do with the No. 1 pick). On top of that, last year's No. 1 overall pick, Steve Stamkos, rebounded from a slow start and ended up scoring 23 goals to go with 23 assists as a 19-year-old rookie on a horrendous team. That's not a bad start to your career.

The question, of course, is how can the two-headed monster in the owners box screw up the positives this franchise has going for it?

It's Getting Ugly in Tampa Bay originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHL Draft Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Draft

Over the next week, FanHouse will preview the top players and teams in next Friday's NHL Draft. This is the second post in a six part series.

Last spring, the lottery balls bounced Tampa Bay's way and they were awarded the first overall pick. Former GM Jay Feaster selected Steven Stamkos with that pick, but has since resigned. His successor, Brian Lawton, has already made his mark on the organization with numerous trades during his first year and will have the chance to further shape the roster with the second overall pick next week.

Probably the biggest trade that Lawton is known for is the one that he didn't make last season. For months, rumors of Vincent Lecavalier being moved circled and carried on through the media but never came to fruition. Now, with Stamkos in the mix and looking like he could become the star he's been touted to be (23-23-46 in 79 games) and Lecavalier still on the roster, the Bolts have an overabundance of talented scorers.

Much of what the Lightning do with their pick will depend on what the Islanders do ahead of them with the first overall selection. If the Islanders decide to select Victor Hedman with the first pick, the Lightning may add yet another scorer to their roster.

Previous First Round Selections
2008, No. 1: Steven Stamkos
2006, No. 15: Riku Helenius
2005, No. 30: Vladimir Mihalik
2004, No. 30: Andy Rogers

Organizational Needs
The Lightning had five players score 19 or more goals last season and already have quite a few proven scorers. Despite finishing 25th in the league in goals scored, they actually have more pressing needs. They were 27th in the league in goals against and went through four different starting goalies during the year due in part to both poor play and injuries. Young prospects Mike McKenna and Karri Ramo struggled when given the reins this season but 2006 first round pick Riku Helenius is also on the way to help fix their netminding troubles. This team is in dire need of defense both on the blueline and between the pipes.

What's the Plan?
If the Islanders take John Tavares, it should be a no brainer for the Bolts to take Victor Hedman. However, if the Islanders take Hedman, the Bolts will be in an interesting position. They should take the best player available at that point (Tavares) but there could be a lot of teams interested in moving up to grab him. It would probably be in their best interest to seriously listen to those offers, but in the end, taking the best player available -- another potential franchise scorer -- is the best bet. Besides, if he turns into an All-Star down the road you can always trade him for defense.

NHL Draft Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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John Tavares Sets the Record Straight About Draft

Kevin Schultz — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:33:00 EST

Filed under: Islanders, Lightning, Maple Leafs, NHL Draft

(Getty Images)

Some of the biggest stories around the NHL these days that don't involve the words "Stanley" or "Cup" center around the NHL draft, which takes place later this month. The Islanders won the right to the first overall pick at the lottery in April and are now faced with a tough choice. They can take a young stud like John Tavares, Victor Hedman or Matt Duchene, or they can trade the pick. Tavares is predicted to be the best player available and today cleared the air about where he would like to start his NHL career.

Over the last few months many media outlets -- especially in the Toronto area -- have circulated rumors that Tavares would turn down a chance to play with the Islanders and other teams not named the Maple Leafs if they selected him. Things got a bit more heated when Leafs GM Brian Burke declared that he had called the Islanders and would try to do everything he could to draft Tavares, who was born in Mississauga, Ontario just outside of Toronto.

Today, Tavares spoke to Islanders Point Blank and cleared the air about his intentions and emphatically declared that he would play for the Islanders or any other team that selected him.

Once and for all, I want to be clear that it would be a privilege to be drafted by the New York Islanders. Please let everyone know that. I can't believe some of the stuff that's been out there. I like the Canadian media and I'm on the web reading like everyone else, but some it has gotten out of hand.

That was pretty definitive to say the least. Any more questions, class?

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft takes place June 26th and 27th in Montreal. The Islanders, Lightning and Avalanche own the top three picks respectively.

John Tavares Sets the Record Straight About Draft originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lady Byng Nominees Announced

Adam Gretz — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:10:00 EST

Filed under: Devils, Lightning, Red Wings, NHL Awards

Pavel Datsyuk has owned the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy the past three seasons, and he's going to have an opportunity to claim another one as the Red Wings' star is, once again, one of the top vote-getters in 2009. Joining Datsyuk in the top three are New Jersey's Zach Parise and Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis.

The 30-year-old center matched a career-high with 97 points this season, fourth best in the NHL, while also setting a new personal-best with 32 goals. One of the best -- and most underrated -- players in the NHL, Datsyuk is the total package as a player, and is also one of the all-time great draft day steals, going in the sixth-round of the 1998 draft, 187th overall.

Should Datsyuk win again, he'll be the second player to win the award four straight seasons, joining former New York Rangers forward Frank Boucher who claimed it between 1927 and 1931.

The members of the Detroit media that had votes weighed in on the voting process, as Helene St. James expects Datsyuk to win, while Bruce MacLeod says he voted for both Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom in the top-five, while also making a case for Calgary's Jarome Iginla to be "the poster child for a new attitude" for the award.

The player I'd like to mention is Jarome Iginla. I think he should be the poster child for a new attitude about the Lady Byng. Let's not make it all about penalty minutes and let's focus on sportmanship and gentlemanly conduct. The thing I like about Datsyuk winning the Byng is that he's physical, hits people. I just think that outside of Detroit, people don't realize that and are voting just on low penalty minutes and high performance. I think players that hit like Datsyuk and especially Iginla, but have a high level of integrity and sportsmanship. I'm pulling for Datsyuk to win. But in the future, I'd like to see guys like Iginla be named as finalists -- competitors with class.

It's a fine argument, but it also begs the question: Why didn't you vote for Iginla?

Parise is looking to become the first Devils player to ever win the Lady Byng, as the 24-year-old forward is coming off a breakout season that saw him register 94 points -- fifth best in the league -- while also finishing third in the league with 45 goals. According to Tom Gulitti at Fire & Ice, Parise was surprised to learn that he was a finalist for the award.

After being the subject of trade rumors for much of the season, St. Louis ended up leading the Lightning with 80 points in 82 games, while scoring 30 goals for the fifth time in six years. Not that it matters much, but former Tampa Bay forward Brad Richards was the last player not named Datsyuk to take home the award, winning in 2003-04, the same year Tampa Bay won its first Stanley Cup.

NHL.com's John McGourty cites the players' points-per-penalty ratio as a way to "judge the most worthy recipient," which surely angers Bruce MacLeod who argued -- in his push for Iginla to get more votes -- that it shouldn't be about penalty minutes. After all, it's described as being "awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."

No mention of fewest penalty minutes. Actually, If you were to type that description into a Google search you might get a picture of Pavel Datsyuk.

All award winners will be announced on June 18, 2009, at the NHL's award ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Monday, the league will announce the nominees for the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender.

Lady Byng Nominees Announced originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Look at Tampa Bay's Draft Strategy

Kevin Schultz — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Lightning, NHL Draft

Thanks to the lottery on Tuesday night, we now know the order of selection for the draft. The Islanders will lead off from the pole position and, as I discussed earlier in the week, they've got an awful lot on their plate. But what about the other teams that sent representatives to TSN studios on Tuesday night?

Well, today we have an inside look at the war room of the Tampa Bay Lightning*. Since Oren Koules and Len Barrie took over the franchise last year, the Lightning have made some interesting personnel decisions. They hired and fired Barry Melrose as coach, shipped out Dan Boyle and Matt Carle, leaving the team almost devoid of defense, and had Lecavalier trade rumors swirl around them faster than a tornado. After the jump, I'll give you a little more insight into what is going on behind the scenes.

* - May not actually be the what the Lightning are planning.

A Look at Tampa Bay's Draft Strategy originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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