Raw Charge: FanPosts

SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice

2010-03-20T00:48:01Z

>> Take SB Nation Survey

Hello sports fans! We're always striving to provide you with the best experience possible and it's been quite some time since we checked in with you.

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Team press release: Bring Mike Smith to School day

2010-03-18T20:44:40Z

I realize some people are upset with the performance of goaltender Mike Smith this season. Many of them would even suggest that he's been taken to school by opponents when he lets one in.

This, however, is just too literal.

LUCKY STUDENT SET TO ‘TAKE MIKE SMITH TO SCHOOL’
Goaltender to Visit Plumb Elementary School in Clearwater

TAMPA BAY - Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Mike Smith will visit Plumb Elementary School in Clearwater (1920 Lakeview Rd., Clearwater, FL 33764) on Friday, March 19 as part of the "Take Mike Smith to School" contest, sponsored by MetroPCS. The winning student was fifth-grader, Samantha Dickuns.

"We are extremely pleased to participate in the successful Take a Player to School contest for the first time," Lightning Senior Vice President of Corporate Sales and Marketing Partnerships Patrick Duffy said. "We look forward to growing the contest in the future and would like to thank MetroPCS, as well as Mike Smith, for allowing us to offer this amazing event to Samantha and her classmates."

"MetroPCS is thrilled to team up with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first time on this exciting program," said Mike Riley, VP/GM of the Central Florida region for MetroPCS. "The Take a Player to School contest provides local area students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the day with their sports heroes. At MetroPCS, we strive to not only support, but also enrich the lives of the communities in which we serve."

Smith will arrive at the school at 8:25 a.m. in order to participate in the school’s morning news and announcements broadcast over in-house television. He will then move on to Dickuns’ classroom to answer students’ questions and sign autographs for approximately 22 students.

The appearance will take about an hour, from 8:25-9:25 a.m.

Students in grades K-8 in Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties had the opportunity to register for the Take Mike Smith to School contest at any local MetroPCS store as well as during Lightning home games at the MetroPCS Client Services Lounge or Guest Services behind section 101 at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Season Ticket season is here: Reductions and locked prices

2010-03-10T16:28:33Z

The Tampa Bay Lightning sent out a press release yesterday to officially launch the "Bring It Back" season ticket renewal campaign. The reason this story is not beign given front-page priority is because both dailies in the Tampa Bay market have already covered the story (the Times and the Tribune) and there is nothing I can further add or articulate in this story.

The key thing to underline is that April 3rd is the cut-off date to get renewals and new purchases in at these prices. The full press release from teh team is below the fold.

LIGHTNING LAUNCH 2010-11 SEASON TICKET PROGRAM TO "BRING IT BACK"

Purchases of 2010-11 season tickets by April 3 will deliver the highest value to season ticket holders

TAMPA BAY - The Tampa Bay Lightning has launched an aggressive season ticket sales campaign for the 2010-11 regular season, the club announced today. Current and new season ticket holders will be able to realize outstanding value if they lock-in their commitments by April 3, 2010.

All fans purchasing 2010-11 season tickets prior to April 3 will receive an average savings of 4.9% from the 2009-10 season. Current season ticket holders who renew by April 3 will receive an even greater average savings for their continuing loyalty.

"These are difficult economic times for our fans," said Lightning business advisor Sean Henry. "Our goal is to ‘Bring It Back’, and first and foremost we need to bring back our fans. In addition to providing these outstanding values, we hope to bring back our fans by bringing back the passion, the excitement, the grit, the winning attitude, and the great fan experience in the St. Pete Times Forum.

"Our fans need to purchase their season tickets now to capture these terrific values," said Henry. "Season ticket prices will never be lower, and the benefits being offered for those who lock in their seats by April 3rd will never be better."

Season ticket holders renewing or purchasing new season tickets by April 3rd will receive substantial playoff benefits---they will guarantee their seating location for potential home NHL playoff games in 2010, save up to 15% off the face value on those seats and have the opportunity to sign up for "Cheer Now, Pay Later," which allows fans to pay for playoff tickets after the games have been played.

Additionally, those who purchase by the April 3rd deadline will qualify for other outstanding benefits----a VIP party held that afternoon at the St. Pete Times Forum, featuring Lightning personalities and alumni, interest free payment plans, free merchandise and more. Early renewals will also be entered in a contest to win great prizes from the team, including a road trip with the team in the 2010-11 season, rounds of golf with Lightning personalities, post game meet and greets and autographed items.

Specific highlights of the 2010-11 Season Ticket Program feature a reduction of 9% percent for plaza level sideline tickets (from an average of $81 per game to $74 per game) and 11% and 17% reductions in Channelside Club tickets, depending on seating location within the club. Also, "Times Toppers" seats (sponsored by the St. Petersburg Times in select sections of the Terrace Level) will remain flat at $6 per game ($239 for the season), which will continue to make affordable season tickets available to Lightning fans.

2010-11 Early Season Ticket Renewals (by April 3)

Frozen or reduced

Early Per Game

Seating Location 2009-10 Renewal Price Price

XO VIP Club (Row A) $12,999 $9,999 $238

XO VIP Club (Row B) $6,999 $5,999 $143

Channelside Club (4th Floor) $6,500 $5,799 $138

Channelside Club (5th Floor) $6,500 $5,399 $129

Plaza Sideline $3,399 $3,099 $74

Plaza Middle – Attack $2,199 $2,199 $52

Plaza Middle - Defensive $1,799 $1,799 $43

Plaza Corner – Attack $2,199 $2,199 $52

Plaza End Zone – Attack $2,199 $1,799 $43

Plaza End Zone - Defensive (Row C-J) $1,799 $1,799 $43

Plaza End Zone – Defensive (Row K & Up) $1,499 $1,499 $36

Club Sideline $3,299 $2,999 $71

Club End Zone $1,799 $1,799 $43

Terrace Sideline $959 $959 $23

Terrace Corner & End Zone $559 $559 $13

Times Topper $239 $239 $6

Prices do not include applicable taxes and fees. Prices are subject to change and availability.

2010-11 Early New Season Tickets (by April 3)

Great value

Early New Per Game

Seating Location Season Ticket Price Price

XO VIP Club (Row A) $9,999 $238

XO VIP Club (Row B) $5,999 $143

Channelside Club (4th Floor) $5,799 $138

Channelside Club (5th Floor) $5,399 $129

Plaza Sideline $3,099 $74

Plaza Corner $2,199 $52

Plaza End Zone $1,799 $43

Club Sideline $2,999 $71

Club End Zone $1,799 $43

Terrace Sideline $1,199 $29

Terrace End Zone $599 $14

Times Toppers $239 $6

Prices do not include applicable taxes and fees. Prices are subject to change and availability.

Two Goalies

2010-03-09T20:37:32Z

I was a fan of the Islanders in the late 1970's and I really liked the way they would play Chico and Smith. I think the Lightning are in a similar promising situation. A big difference is the Lightning must get some more accountability from their defensemen. I agree with other posts that the defense is extremely weak at times.

The Lightning also need to figure a way to develop four strong lines. Right now they have 1 sometimes 2 lines that are dangerous. Most other shifts are spent in the neutral zone or worst yet bogged down in our own zone.

The over/under point statistic still doesn't tell me if a line is really taking it to the other team or if they are just going through the motions.

Also curious why the lightning are such a dismal road team. Their road record is down there with all the worst teams this year- yet I really like this team. They show moments of great hockey playing!!!

I like Zenon and I wish there were a few more guys on the team who would throw down when push comes to shove.

Last Nights Game VS Atlanta

2010-03-07T15:22:41Z

Very impressive effort last night in every way,I really like the new guy Teddy Purcell,trading Jeff Halpern raised my eyebrow but quoting Brian Lawton "He was a very highly skilled player buried in a team with tons of offensive depth",based upon what I saw last night,he was right on the money,so far,looks like a good trade,I knew all along Vincent Lecavalier would get it going for the rest of the season while everybody wanted to trade him,I did'nt,OK Mr.Tochett and Mr. Lawton,don't touch this line up and we have a good shot at 8th maybe even 7th,the players obviously want it and the fans like me disparately need it ! ps. keep starting Antero Niittymaki ! ~GO LIGHTNING~

If I Were Brian Lawton

2010-03-06T16:26:06Z

If I were Brian Lawton, 1) I would have agreed to pay Evgeny Artyukhin his million a year salary,ordered the coach to teach him discipline 2) Sent Ryan Malone to the minors as soon as he stopped putting up points 3) traded Alex Tanguay for whatever I could get (draft pick) 4) Demand my coach to start Antero Niittymaki every game and offer him a $10,000 bonus per game for every win... #4 alone is enough to get this team back on track and make the playoffs

Raw Charge Presents: Nickname That Player!

2009-11-24T00:08:01Z

[Note by John Fontana, 03/05/10 5:21 PM EST ] late in the season but re-opened just for fun. --JPF

The headline pretty much speaks for itself. During game threads we've bandied around nicknames for various players, but I haven't seen an easy reference guide for readers - particularly the quiet lurkers - of player nicknames. That's why I'm starting this. What nicknames do you have for Lightning players? Add your own in the comments below let's get this guide going.

We have so far:

#4, Vincent Lecavalier: Vinny, Enzo
#5, Mattias Ohlund: Odin
#6, Kurtis Foster: Fozzie, Fozzie Bear
#8, Matt Walker: Tex
#9, Steve Downie: Downs, Downer
#11, Jeff Halpern: Halpy, Bob, Pigpen
#12, Ryan Malone: Bugsy
#13, Alex Tanguay: Tangs, Tangers
#14, Andrej Meszaros: Mesz, The Butcher, True Grit
#17, Todd Fedoruk: Fridge
#19, Stephane Veilleux: Carrot, Big Red, Gumdrop
#26, Martin St. Louis: Marty, MSL, Mighty Mite
#28, Zenon Konopka: Zeke
#30, Antero Niittymaki: Frank, Niitty
#38, Paul Szczechura: Chewie
#41, Mike Smith: Smitty
#43, James Wright: Wrighter, Killer
#77, Victor Hedman: Den Yxa, The Axe, Big Vik
#91, Steven Stamkos: Stammer, Seen

Let the naming begin.

Players currently without nicknames: David Hale, Lukas Krajicek, Mike Lundin, Matt Smaby

pathetic

2010-03-05T16:02:36Z

The managment in Tampa Bay just improved upon the "How low can you go" idea,this is it right here,the worst ! Rick Toccett isnt good enough to coach a high school team and if Brian Lawton cant see that fire him too ! I know a high school goaltender that would have won in Washington last night, 4 goals for = win,very simple math,I guess 2+2=5 to the fools managing such a great team of players,AGAIN Antero Niittymaki didnt get the start ! WTF ???

Lightning Make Coaching Changes. How Will It End?

2010-02-26T03:19:42Z

Even though NHL teams are on break because of the Olympics, the Lightning have been busy making changes in the coaching staff. Wes Walz has been replaced by Jim Johnson as an assistant coach with Tampa Bay and Walz was offering the head coaching job at Norfolk.

Walz refused the head coaching job at Norfolk and has been fired, so where does that leave the Admirals in all of this turmoil? They are in the process of fighting for a playoff spot as well and now they find themselves "head coachless" and will be looking for their third head coach of the season. What does this say to prospective coaches out there that may be offered the Ads job? Don't get too comfortable, you could be gone at any minute? That's not a good way to offer stability at the minor league level.

So, the question becomes what does that say about the confidence, or lack of, that the Bolts have in Rick Tocchet? Is the writing on the wall and his days are numbered? Will he survive the rest of the season or will he get canned in the middle of the upcoming playoff drive?

For me, the answer to the first question is yes, I do believe his days are numbered in Tampa. And I think he knows it as well. For the second question, the answer may be a bit more muddled. I think that changing the head coach at this point in the season would not be beneficial to the team. It would mean a new coach would need to implement a new system to the team AND keep them in the playoff hunt. I'm not going to say impossible, but just about damn near. Implementing a new system is for training camp, not the middle of a playoff race. And part of the answer may also lie in the way Tocchet handles this unexpected change and how he incorporates Jim Johnson into the team. And what about Jim Johnson? How will his presence at this late date be of any benefit?

Is there a plan? If so, is it to keep the current system intact for the playoff run? Then wouldn't it make more sense to keep the coach that's been using it? Or perhaps it's to wait and see if the Bolts fall out of the race and back into a lottery position. Pardon the question, but are all bets off then? If Tampa Bay does not at least stay within striking distance of the eighth playoff spot, the change could very well come before the end of the season.

And what about general manager Brian Lawton? His contract is up at the end of the season. Is he merely cutting his losses and trying to save his own job or does he honestly believe that this change is in the best interests of the Lightning and the drive for the playoffs that they find themselves in?

This also begs the question, what does new owner Jeff Vinik think? Even though he is not OFFICIAL yet, did he give his blessing for Lawton to make the coaching move or was it all on Lawton's shoulders? You would like to think there was some communication between the owner and general manager, even if it isn't an official relationship yet. Is Lawton now the new owner's hatchetman or is he honestly trying to improve the team?

21 games to go.

So many questions. So little time to answer them.

Off Topic (sort of): Hockey Players at Midnight (and no, it's not what you might think...)

2010-02-19T18:04:15Z

I know that minor league hockey teams, at least in parts of the United States, will use "gimmicks" to get fans to attend or try to attract new fans to the game. I will say that the Charlotte Checkers games have usually had some of the highest attendance numbers of any of the ECHL teams, but they will also occasionally use some sort of gimmick to entice new fans to attend. This one was called "Midnight Hockey."

My first experience with "midnight hockey" was an interesting one. Before I go any further, let me qualify myself by saying I have been watching (and sometimes playing) hockey for the past 30 years or so, even though I live in the great state of South Carolina, which is also where I grew up. Not exactly a "hockey hotbed" state. In fact, growing up anywhere in the Southern/Southeastern United States did not lend itself to having a lot of hockey available for watching "back in the day" before cable TV or satellite dishes, so the beginning of my true love affair with hockey began on February 22, 1980. Does that date sound familiar? It should to anyone that follows hockey in the United States. It was the date that the US defeated the (at that time) Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympic games being held in Lake Placid, NY. So I have an anniversary of sorts coming up.

I've been to numerous hockey games since that time, from the NHL (Carolina Hurricanes) to the ECHL. But I had never experienced midnight hockey until now. So at 11:45pm on Thursday Feb 18th I found myself sitting in the stands at the Time Warner Cable arena (hereafter referred to as "TWC arena" for the sake of saving some typing) in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina to watch my hometown Charlotte Checkers take on the Toledo (Ohio) Walleye in an ECHL matchup that started at 11:59pm. I guess the start time at 11:59pm instead of midnight was so they could be sure that folks would show up on the right date, since some people might have trouble determining which day the midnight game is on. Had they announced the game at "midnight on Friday" there are those that would have possibly showed up at 11:59pm or later FRIDAY night instead of Thursday night...

So anyway, I have discovered that a midnight start makes for an interesting crowd. TWC arena is located in downtown (or uptown, if you prefer) Charlotte NC and is the home of the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL. The checkers are the ECHL affiliate of the NY Rangers, and have been for many of its 17 years of existence. They are a reincarnation of the old Southern Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers, who weren't affiliated with any NHL team when they played in Charlotte between 1973 and 1977.

Anyway, I digress.... So with a midnight start time on a Friday morning and with kids having school later that day, there were very few youngsters in the crowd. Kids are a mainstay of the Checkers, as they are with any hockey team, but this was not your kid's hockey game. Since TWC arena is downtown, it is in very close proximity to the downtown "bar district". So after several hours of partying in the bars, folks were invited to come cheer on the Checkers. I know security was not allowing folks in that were intoxicated when they showed up (I did see a few turned away), but there were a few tipsies in the gathering crowd. Once inside, it was a different matter and the usual "soda and nachos" lines were replaced by long lines at the beer concessions. One good plan that was in place for this game was all alcohol sales were stopped at 1am, no matter what point it was in the game, as opposed to cutting off sales after the second intermission, which is the usual rule.

My cousin, Bridget, and I went to the game. She shares my passion for the great sport of hockey and is my "hockey buddy" in Lancaster, SC where we both live. We've gone to many a game in Charlotte and even a couple of Carolina Hurricanes games in Raleigh over the years. So when she suggested we take in the midnight game, my response was "OK, sure." Well this game was actually more interesting in the stands than on the ice. Unfortunately, the Checkers didn't fare so well in this game, losing to Toledo 7-0. Guess the guys were a bit confused by the late start time. Thrown off their usual routine or something. But the Walleye were not confused by the late start time at all. They scored 2 goals on their first 3 shots and scored pretty much at will. They had 1 PP goal and 6 even strength goals. They scored in every period, 3 in the first, 3 in the second and 1 in the third. At least the Checkers were consistent. Consistently BAD, but still consistent. The highlight of the night was watching (and listening) to the crowd in the stands, especially when there was an on-ice bout in the second period between resident Checkers bruiser T.J. Reynolds (currently holding the top spot on the team with 207 PIM) and Toledo Walleye Adam Keefe. T.J. won the fight handily but it didn't help the outcome of the game. Actually the Checkers might have had a "fighting" chance (sorry, couldn't resist) if they could have just stopped Evan Rankin of Toledo. He scored five goals. Yes, you read that right--FIVE goals. He had a hat trick three minutes into the second period. Without him, it would have only been 2-0. Ouch.

The good and (unfortunately) bad part about the game was also what was the most entertaining--the crowd. There were 4500 people that showed up for that midnight game. That's a bit smaller crowd than what the Checkers usually have in attendance but what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in volume; that was the good part. But the bad part was a large number of the crowd had no clue about hockey. Checkers fans are knowledgeable hockey fans, at least I'd like to think so. There are the casual ones as well that have to ask "what's icing?" and such, but for the most part the fans in Charlotte understand the rules and regulations and how the game is played. I know that there are a certain number in every crowd at every level of hockey that just has to make a fool of themselves for the entertainment of themselves and their friends, but the late night hour brought out a whole lot more of them than usual. They weren't interested in hockey or learning about it. The didn't ask questions or make intelligent comments. They were there for the beer. And to shout obscenities at the opposing team's players and coaches. THAT got out of hand and I did remark to the people directly behind me that if they didn't curb the profanity I would see that they were escorted outside. And yes, shouting obscenities at the games in Charlotte WILL get you tossed if someone complains. And I was going to. But they toned it down and just made up for it by making fun of the players names and the logo on the Toledo sweaters. I swear, if I had to listen to "What's a walleye?" one more time....and for those that do not know, a walleye is a variety of fish that is native to most of Canada and the northern US. This was explained to the idiots, but their comprehension skills were a bit impaired I guess.

But the nice thing about the bad score is most of the drunks left after the second period (or after beer sales were stopped). The third period crowd consisted of hardcore hockey fans, maybe two-thirds of the original crowd. You know the ones--they stick around no matter what the score or how bad the home team is getting blasted. And another bit of entertainment was the fight in the stands with about 2 minutes to go in the game. No idea what started it but it garnered as much attention as the earlier on-ice bout. It was two guys, both wearing NY Rangers jerseys. Maybe they thought it was Madison Square Garden or something, I dunno. But security escorted them both out in different directions. I don't know if they finished the fight outside or they just both went their separate ways, but they were gone when everyone left several minutes later. Hopefully it was the latter.

A cool walk back to the parking deck after the game (game time temperature was 27 degrees Fahrenheit) and my first "midnight hockey game" experience was complete. I'd do it again anytime. Just hope for a better score the next time. And watch your language.

Off Topic: Sixth Blogging Anniversary

2010-02-10T16:23:33Z

I’m hoping that this site will show that there is support for Southern Hockey, which is routinely put down in various hockey-circles I come across. The Tampa Bay market is the premiere southern US market for Hockey. Yes, we’ve been to hell and back with regards to what the Lightning has gone through over the years – three owners (one of mysterious background, one of football background and currently an arena/sports professional), four 50+ loss seasons in a row, 3 venues (from the barn-like Expo Hall, to the Baseball-stadium-in-waiting Thunderdome, to Ice Palace / St. Pete Times Forum (AKA the Times Palace) ]…

But it’s the trials and tribulations that define fans and how devote an area is to a team.

-- John Fontana, February 10th, 2004

Today marks the sixth anniversary of Tampa Bay Lightning blogs and my sixth anniversary of covering the Lightning on the blogosphere.

I gotta say thanks to SB Nation for bringing me on (James Mirtle and Tyler Bleszinski specifically), and Cassie McClellan for keeping me going or else there wouldn't have been a sixth anniversary. I'd have likely petered out by now and given up.

I know I sure didn't expect where 2004 would take the Lightning (Stanley Cup Champions) or the NHL (subsequent lockout) when I started this, nor did I expect to last this long.

That being said, you keep reading them and I'll keep writing them, 'k?

Report: Hawks Interested In Meszaros

2010-02-09T22:46:29Z

(promoted from the fanposts -- JPF)

With the NHL trade deadline looming just after the olympic break, a recent report says that the Chicago Blackhawks my have some interest in Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Andrej Meszaros.

Recent reports, from the Chicago Sun-Times and repeated by TSN and others, have speculated that the Chicago Blackhawks may be interested in trading for Meszaros, who on Saturday night scored the OT winner against the Calgary Flames.

One trade possibility, reported by Canada's TSN, says the Hawks have interest in Andrei Meszaros, a defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

To get him, TSN surmises, the Hawks might have to part with forwardKris Versteeg, forward Patrick Sharp or young defenseman Cam Barker. Other sources say the Hawks might go after the Carolina Hurricanes' Niclas Wallin, the Los Angeles Kings' Sean O'Donnell or the Ducks' Scott Niedermayer.

via cache1.asset-cache.net

Could It Work?:

Well, it may actually make sense. First off, the trading of defenseman Niclas Wallin to the San Jose Sharks (whom the Hawks had interest in) narrows their options. It also makes sense because of the salary cap hit of Blackhawks forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, as well as defenseman Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet. Blackhawks management knows that they must make salary cap room in order to have the depth to compete every year, as well as keep their superstar players around.

The Bottom Line Is:

Anything can happen. We all know that there are some fans out there who are dissatisfied with the play of Meszaros. He just hasn't seemed to be all he was hyped up to be when he was in Ottawa. When he got traded to Tampa Bay we were expecting a promising young defenseman who could play well in his own end and put up modest numbers offensively, and at times, it seems he is doing neither.

Poll

Will the Lightning trade Andrej Meszaros?

No

13 votes

Yes

19 votes

Hell if I know

17 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

Welcome, new guy!

2010-02-09T04:58:49Z

(promoted from the fanposts --JPF)

Hello Mr. Vinik. Welcome to the Tampa Bay area and the St. Pete Times Forum.

Whoops, watch your step when you walk in the front door. That thing laying on the floor is The Bar. You know, the one that is traditionally raised or lowered by ones predecessor prior to starting a new endeavor? That's actually good news for you; you don't exactly have a tough act to follow. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that you're replacing the worst owners in the history of Tampa Bay professional sports.

There are some who will tell you that dubious distinction belongs to Hugh Culverhouse and/or Vince Naimoli, but both of those guys made their mistakes in the process of establishing brand new organizations from the ground up, not shredding the last remnants of pride and dignity from one that had recently won a championship. That's basically all Oren Koules and Len Barrie did, starting with the Dan Boyle debacle. Former coach John Tortorella called Koules and Barrie "cowboys". Coach Tortorella was a charitable man. Because real cowboys don't walk into the OK Corral and immediately take aim at their own feet. They did have awfully nice hair though, didn't they?

Anyway, they're gone and you're here. Let's move forward. I've gone to the trouble of preparing a "To Do (or in some cases, "To NOT Do") list...

Don't trade the stars - Yeah, it's your team and you can do what you want and yeah, even Gretzky got traded and yeah, fans should know better than to get too emotionally attached to individual players in professional sports. But still, just don't do it. At least not right away.
Do go to the games - Win or lose, fans like to look up at the owners box during a game and see the lights on. It speaks volumes about commitment.
Don't be a jock sniffer - Koules got a huge kick out of skating with his players like he was one of them. It always reminded me of the time when Eddie Einhorn made the Chicago White Sox stop batting practice so he could find the keys he dropped while shagging balls with the players during spring training. That's bush league in the worst way and nobody wants to see it.
Do spruce the place up - Coats of paint and some extra sweeping and scrubbing, at least in areas where patrons don't walk on carpet and sit on cushions, have been needed for some time now. Not sure why that hasn't been done before but that would be a nice gesture.
Don't screw the employees - Just after the Rays started letting fans park at their games for free, Lightning ownership was charging employees who were coming to the games to work.
Do make lots and lots of money - There aren't enough diehards in Tampa Bay to support an NHL team, but that's the case in MOST cities. If the team wins, people will buy tickets to watch them play, including the casual fans and front-runners. They've done it before and they'll do it again. If that puts some extra cash in your pockets, we really don't mind.

Look, ultimately we know that all professional sports owners are kind of like used car salesmen. Ultimately, we just hope to get one whose line of BS won't result in us being screwed. Which reminds me, what line of work were you in before you decided to buy a hockey team?

last nights game vs Calgary

2010-02-07T22:23:29Z

I just wanted to express my views on last nights game against Calgary,
I thought Antero Niittymaki was his rock solid self but the rest of the team played very poor in front of him for 58 minutes,I'm ecstatic to get the two points but hope the guys will consider themselves lucky to get the win last night,once again Niitty proved himself good enough to deserve every start,our playoff position improved but it will take a better effort to have any success against the Canucks...GO BOLTS !!

Off-Topic / NHL Rule Question

2010-02-01T16:57:53Z

(Firstly, sorry if posting in the wrong place....)

Just quickly after clarification on a rule that's been bugging me for ages (and something I don't see often enough to remember, and so clarify) - coincidental minors... there are times when it results in a change in the on-ice numbers, and others when it doesn't change anything.

NHL.com's rule page makes it about as clear as mud water, and from what I can understand, it results in a reduction of on-ice numbers unless there are one or more penalties still on the clock?

So..... is that:
a) Right?
b) Include misconduct / fighting penalties that do not affect the team?

Not only have I worried for ages, but I'm trying to parse NHL.com's play-by-play data for my own statistical analysis, but the reports aren't quite right so I'm having to calculate the PP times manually :(

thanks

2010-02-01T14:41:57Z

thank you for your post Gobaby about the incometance of "coach" toccett,see my other posts here,youre right,an average coach could make the playoffs with this lineup,the problem is whoever is chosing the starting goaltender,who would bench a goalie whose save percentage
is in the top 5 in the league (Ninimakki) only rick toccett,he may as well bench Marty St Louis and Steve Stamkos,after all,theyre scoring lots of goals !! we can't have that !! whoever has the reigns of this team doesnt have "win" as an objective if mike smith is considered a #1 goalie,I feel for Nitti and the rest of the players on this team who are probably thinking to themselves WTF?? mostly I feel for us,the fans who have supported this team for so long even if we were constantly losing,I"M SICK OF IT!!,I say fire the dork toccett,give Adam Oates the job and maybe dork toccett and flopping founder smith will go off and get married or something...

win in Washington

2010-02-01T03:18:49Z

This game today would have been a win with our hot goalie (Antero Ninimakki) in net !! Against a team as good as the Caps,probably 2-0 !! All the brilliant offence , hustle and grit by players like St Louis,Stamkos,Malone,Lecavalier,Halpern and all the rest is being waisted because someone favors Mike Smith in net as apposed to stellar goaltender Ninimakki, thats BS !!!! Give the fans a break that have supported this team for the last several years,win or lose...

goaltending

2010-02-01T03:02:52Z

Whoever is responsible for insisting on starting Mike Smith instead of Antero Ninimakki should be fired !!!!!! Nitti is playing outstanding
!! 5-0-1 in the past six games and the coach benches him??? If coach Toccett picks the starting goalie,fire him ! If GM Lawton picks the stating goalie,fire him !!! This team MUST make the playoffs and the only prayer they have is with Nitti between the pipes,the offence is clicking,the defence is solid,the power play is kickin butt,need I remind everyone that,at one time,this team was 9-4? and Nitti's save percentage was in the top 5 goalies in the entire league ? DUH!!! next thing you know someone insists on starting Mike Smith and a short time later the Lightning are 11-13 WHF???

James Wright - Maybe It Was Just Too Soon?

2010-01-24T22:42:40Z

This is cross-posted from where I regularly write, but since John suggested last night to post the link after I was done writing it since I was doing it while hanging out on the game thread, here is the fan shot. Feel free to disagree.

After playing 48 regular season games with the Lightning, James Wright has been sent back down to the Vancouver Giants. In the 48 games he played, this 19 year old center recorded 2 goals and 5 points. He was fifth among the Lightning in hits with 51. He was drafted 117th overall, in the fourth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He surprised everyone this year when he made the team and got promoted to the top line with Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis. Wright had a good camp and due to fantastic two way play he was promoted up to the top line, but eventually he caught in the line juggling of head coach Tocchet and never found the solid chemistry with a line. His movement in the lines were due to a lack of production of the Lightning star players, that caused Tocchet to keep mixing up the rest of his roster.

This is the statement released from the Lightning regarding his demotion:

"We are excited for James to get back to junior to continue his development. We feel the 20-plus minutes a night he receives there will be the best for his long-term growth," Lawton said. "He has made strides far greater than we projected this soon in his career and we look forward to seeing him continue that growth."

When the Lightning first decided to keep Wrighter with the team instead of sending him back to the WHL to play another year with the Vancouver Giants, I was a little bit surprised. My thoughts on the reason why you would keep a player that is still eligible to play another year in junior is because the player has nothing left to learn in the juniors. This may or may not have been the case with Wright, but I think the proper thought process in the decision about Wright had not been followed with the Lightning management. Anyone who reads my blog is well aware of what I think about the Lightning infrastructure and their tendency to make rash decisions, I believe the decision to keep Wrighter playing up in the NHL was made too quickly.

In the NHL, once a player plays more than nine games of his rookie contract, the team will forfeit one year off of the contract they signed with a player. The contract that Wright signed was a 3 year contract, which means that he has completed his 1st year, and is only under two more years before he is up for RFA negotiations. What this means to the club in the long run, is that the team burns through the contract faster making the player eligible to become a UFA faster. Basically that means the cheap rookie/RFA contract gets used up faster, which means the player will be able to demand big money as a UFA earlier or sign with a different team.

So when a team decides to play a player more than 10 games it is because they feel that the player is really ready for the NHL. When the Lightning just kept playing Wright, but never really announcing that they would keep him up in the NHL, I had a feeling it was based more on a "he's playing good, let's just keep him around" rather than analyzing the pros and cons of sending him back down to the WHL or keeping him in the NHL.

Not that I have any experience in evaluating when a player is ready for the NHL, but I think that Wright could have used another year to build up his size before making the move to the NHL. It was not as if Wright has been the type of player like Tavares, Kane or Myers who is currently lighting up the scoreboard and being a real difference for the team. Wright should have been allowed to play the 9 games, but then be sent back down to the WHL to play out the rest of the year.

I feel that the sub-par development and coaching system may hurt Wright in the long term. If the Lightning were only going to play Wright in the end on the 4th line then there was no point in keeping him with the Lightning as Wright really cannot benefit from skating with the likes of Konopka or Veilleux. In the past few games Wright did not play 20 minutes per game, he played 5:37, 11:28 and 9:31, averaging about 10 minutes a game.

So in the end, the decision to keep up Wright in the NHL appears to have been a mistake. I feel that if you aren't prepared to keep the player through the whole season, there is no point of even playing more than the 9 game maximum.

He will rejoin the Vancouver Giants to play out the rest of the year. He has been replaced by a waiver pick up of Nate Thompson from the New York Islanders. This post was by no means a critique on Wright, as I think he played well in his rookie season, rather that I believe that the decision to have him play was made rashly and that the coaching/player development was not able to have Wright play to his potential.

coaching/goaltending issue

2010-01-24T15:26:22Z

Team direction

well,Am Ithe only one who wants to take the bull by the horns and address the direction the Lightning are headed? Was Ithe only one who sat through every minute of lasts nights game to watch Antero Ninimaki stand on his head for his team for 65 minutes and stone 5 shooters in the shootout? I hope I'm not the only one who noticed,outside of the first 8 minutes of the first period,Antero had no team in front of him whatsoever ! I've yet to see such a stellar,acrobatic performance turned in by ANY goalie on ANY team so far this year,meanwhile,wanna be coach toccett is thinking "Duh,gee,I'll be glad when Mike Smith is ready to play",Mike Smiths career is OVER!! If he is returned to the lineup and starts again,that will exstinguish any and all hopes of a playoff berth this team,community and fanbase desparately need !! come on ! who's with me here??!! OK,the rest of the team had a bad night but they will bounce right back and be ready for Montreal,they'll regroup,watch some tape and make the proper adjustments, if Antero gets the start I think the Habs will go down, I would like for all you other Bolt fans to comment here,speak up!!!!!!