With the good comes the bad: Mount Suckmore nominations sought

I list them collectively because collectively they nearly killed this team. They’ve got to be as close to an automatic spot on this list as anyone.

I list him separately, because one can argue the most bone-headed of deals weren’t entirely his fault—‘cause he wasn’t in charge. Again, though, he should be on the list for obvious reasons.

The single absolute embodiment of failings of the last two season… A hot shot pick, a big flashy name, a lack of substance and experience in the current league…

I’d think a lot of fans would simply start jumping on OK Hockey — the braintrust — as the guys they’d suggest for the entire list collectively. MT just suggested them as a singular nomination.

But can Melrose be ignored or forgotten? A head coach of his notriety and how quickly he flamed out? How poorly he ran things? How brazen he was and how hapless the team was under his leadership?

16 games as head coach… The total example of OMG/WTF of the past two years… There is bad, and there is BAD…

His acquisition alone was probably the worst panic-move that the Lightning could have made, considering the circumstances. Phil Esposito loses young Chris Gratton, and makes a fool of himself with the entire Fuzzy Fax situation. After the league settles the dispute and rules in the Flyers favor… Well, instead of taking FIVE first round draft picks (1998-2002) as compensation, Phil sends those picks back to the Flyers for Karl Dyhukis and Renberg.

Renberg was played up, and he went ahead and played down. He went from a tellar Flyers team and playing time with Lindros and LecLaire on the Legion Of Doom, to the Tampa Bay monstrosity of 97-98.

He never reached the vaulted status he had with the Flyers in the mid-1990’s ever again in the NHL. He only lasted a season and change in TB… He was traded back to Philly for none other than Gratton by coach/GM Jacques Demers in 1998

As much good as Jay did and as much appreciation all of us had for him after winning the Stanley Cup, it was his blind devotion to Jake Goertzen and crew that lead ultimately to the lowest of lows in Lightning organizational history. While Jake Goertzen could be on Mt. Suckmore, he served at the insistence of the GM. It’s a miracle any player drafted during the 2002-2008 year ever reached the NHL with the Lightning.

Hey, how come there’s only one player on this list so far?

Split Marty and Vinny up, assigned improper roles, different lines every period.

About the only good thing he did was give me plenty of material for my blog.

lawton, barry, melrose, feaster

player one:

tanguay, rumble, meszaros, smith/denis

scratch that…. new list. since we talking about first round picks how bout these…..

1996: 16th overall mario larocque
1997: 7th overall paul mara
2004: 30th overall andy rogers
and ill go with 2001: 3rd overall alexander svitov

Please make ONE nomination per post, and then make your case about the nominee.

I

Why me? Well, look at my stats. In 18 years with the team, I have recorded no goals, no assists, no blocked shots and no saves. I haven’t fought to defend my star players, and I haven’t put my body on the line. I’m never on the ice in the final minute of play, and I clearly will never be in the starting lineup. The only thing close to a positive is that I’ve maintained an even +/-. Seriously, I don’t even know when they keep me around.

He’s been brought up a couple of times but I’d like to give a little more on him and why he’s a worthy candidate for Mount Suckmore:

If you recall, 2005-06 was a inconsistent season in goaltending. One day you’d have John Grahame standing on his head and mesmerizing you and the next you had him making so many bone-headed mistakes, you didn’t understand why he was in the NHL to begin with.

So, in a move attempting to deal with the hole in goal, Jay Feaster shipped out Swedish goalie property Fredrik Norrena and LW Fredrik Modin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Denis. It was a robbery — for Columbus. Even if neither player excelled for the Blue Jackets… Neither had to do much to show they were a solid addition compared to Denis.

Denis’ likeness was plastered on the St. Pete Times forum, he was paid a huge contract, the expectations were through the roof before he ever played a game. And boy, did he come crashing down quickly. I believe he was the first player ever bought out by the Lightning under the current CBA (there were no buyouts before 2005).

Yet, his acquisition was the beginning of a more pronounced downward spiral. With Modin out of the top six, the Lightning were downt o one effective offensive line combo. Their PK suffered… It was just a very poor gamble that hurt things.

“Gut” answer, with little real logic: Svitov. No idea why I never really liked him – probably because he didn’t play much for the quality of draft pick used to select him and the players who could have been selected instead… even though he was arguably the piece that won us the Cup!

It’s all down to expectations that have been laid down for a player though, and anyone who didn’t reach them – that’s not always the player’s fault so I try and take that into account: The classic example is everyone’s favourite defenceman-of-the-future, Andrej Meszaros. Oh wait, it was just OK who thought that. Well, and Paul Holmgren, clearly.

OK traded far too much for him in the first place (always had a soft spot for Picard, without considering the return from the second round pick the extra first rounder would have freed-up), throw a whole load of money at his direction based on a few good seasons in a very good situation and the result was almost always going to be a big fail on the ice.

Was Mesz simply unable to reach expectations because he was never that good in the first place? Was the pressure too much for him? Or was he just taking the money and running? I’d say the former, so is it fair to include him on this list?

If you’ve ever read Esposito’s book then I don’t even have to explain the damage he did. Basically he took all the franchise momentum from the first 4-5 years and threw it in the garbage.