Lightning announce season ticket renewal campaign

Posted Mar 5, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Mar 5, 2012 at 03:42 PM

The microchip jersey program will continue, and any new season ticket purchase will included a personalized jersey with the chip inserted in the sleeve. In addition, renewal packages for existing season ticket holders includes a special commemorative 20th Anniversary season patch for their jerseys as well as being eligible for special giveaways.

The details are below from the official news release from the team:

In preparation for the team’s 20th Anniversary season, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced today the launching of the 2012-13 season ticket renewal program for current season ticket members. Full and half-season members will begin to receive hard copies of their renewal packets over the next few days or they can immediately access their accounts at the newly created bethethunder.com website. Fans interested in becoming new Lightning season ticket members for 2012-13 can also go to bethethunder.com to look at pricing and seating opportunities.

Highlights in the season ticket packages include per game price decreases of nearly 1,500 promenade (lower) level seats, more than 5,000 seats priced at $18 or less per game on a full season basis and an average per game price increase of just 1% overall. The Lightning’s revolutionary micro-chipped jersey concept returns, guaranteeing 25% discounts for food and beverage and 35% for merchandise for all full season seat members. Fans will also notice a 43-game schedule for 2012-13, one more than the 42 played at home in 2011-12, as an additional preseason game has been added to the slate.

“We are pleased to announce our season ticket pricing structure for next season and offer great renewal opportunities now,” said Chief Operating Officer Steve Griggs. “We believe our team, the transformed Tampa Bay Times Forum and our in-arena fan experience, combined with one of the lowest average season ticket prices in the National Hockey League, offers tremendous value to our season ticket members.”

For the first time in its history, the Lightning is presenting a “Loyalty and Recognition” program offering enhanced benefits and amenities for long-time full season ticket members and other special benefits for season ticket members that regularly attend home games. Additionally, the Lightning will be automatically entering all renewed accounts into their 30 days of prizes giveaway, which features hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes such as, Busch Gardens tickets, flat screen televisions and trips to the NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Although limited numbers remain, new full season ticket members committing now for the 2012-13 campaign will receive a micro-chipped, personalized Lightning home jersey good for the same great discounts current members are enjoying at all home games. Renewing members will be entitled to these same discounts again next year and all season ticket members for 2012-13 will receive a commemorative Lightning 20th Anniversary patch for their jerseys.

As part of the renewal process, season ticket members can reserve their seats for the 2012 NHL Playoffs should the Lightning qualify. The popular “Cheer Now, Pay Later” plan is available, allowing members to watch Lightning playoff action before paying for their tickets.

For more information on the renewal process, new season ticket purchases, 2012 NHL Playoff Tickets, the loyalty and recognition programs and the 30-day prize giveaway, fans are encouraged to log on to bethethunder.com or call the Lightning sales team at (813) 301-6600.

 

---

Newest Tampa Bay Lightning member Cory Conacher talks about signing his first NHL contract

Posted Mar 1, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Mar 1, 2012 at 10:13 PM

Cory Conacher turned out to be the surprise of Lightning training camp this season. But the undrafted free agent out of Buffalo’s Canisius College played the season with a contract from Tampa Bay.

That changed on Thursday when Conacher signed a two-year entry level contract that will slide to next season. The 22-year-old is expected to finish the remainder of this season playing for the Lightning’s affiliate in the American Hockey League, the Norfolk Admirals, although he could earn a call-up at some point.
Conacher, a free agent invitee to training camp who has played the season under an AHL contract, currently sits second in the AHL with 30 goals and is third with 64 points heading into Friday’s game at Adirondack where Norfolk will look to extend its franchise record winning streak to 11 games. Despite playing well and this season while having to wait for his first NHL contract, Conacher said he never felt any extra sense of worry that he would not land his first NHL deal.

“I was anxious, for sure, but I’ve always had a lot of trust in the organization and I trust them one-hundred percent,’’ Conacher said. “Especially since we are winning down here in Norfolk it wasn’t really on my mind, so I didn’t worry about is much as I would have if things were not going as well as they have been down here.’’

During training camp Conacher impressed the Lightning coaching staff with his work ethic, hockey sense and tenacious attitude. After a strong first impression, the 5-foot-8, 170-pound winger, was rewarded with his showing by playing preseason games alongside Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. Conacher continued to show improvement in his positioning and willingness to get to the net in the offensive zone during his preseason opportunities.

While making that solid impression during training camp was important for Conacher, continuing to show improvements this season with the Admirals was the next step in the process. That was a big part of ensuring he earned his first NHL deal.

“The first couple of weeks or so, the first one or two games in Norfolk, it was probably my worst hockey of the season because I had been on such a high in Tampa, then I come down to Norfolk, I tried to settle in instead of playing the same way I played in camp,’’ Conacher said. “But (Lightning assistant general manager and Norfolk general manager Julien) BriseBois sat me down and said there was a reason I was here and it’s all about development and wanted to make sure my head was in the right position. I took those comments serious and since then I’ve just tried to get better and better every day, listen to what the coaches have to say and what the veterans have to say, so that when you do get that chance to get called up, or if I stay in Norfolk the rest of the year or even next year, to make sure I keep learning and get better is the most important thing. You’ll get that chance if you continue to do that, and I have full faith and trust in the organization to give everyone an equal shot if they deserve it.’’

Achieving a first NHL contract is a big accomplishment for an undrafted player just out of college, but Conacher knows it’s just a step in the process.

“I’m only half-way there,’’ he said. “Obviously it’s a dream to sign that contract, but at the same time, it’s not just signing the contract, it’s actually playing in the NHL and being able to say you played in the NHL. So I have to earn the contract and earn the position in Tampa and play in that first game with Tampa. But that’s not what I’m focused on, we have games here this weekend with Norfolk, so this is not something I’m going to let get to my head. I’m just going to keep playing the way I’m playing. And until I get that opportunity to play in Tampa I’ll keep going hard here in Norfolk and hopefully down the stretch we’ll be lucky enough to win a championship.’‘

---

Video: Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Guy Boucher after a 2-1 victory against Washington

Posted Feb 19, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Feb 19, 2012 at 01:10 AM

Guy Boucher held back in this video, but you can sense the pride he had following a key victory against Washington, Tampa Bay’s second victory since starting to sell some of their players. But you can judge that for yourself:

---

Video: Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos after a 3-1 loss to Los Angeles

Posted Feb 8, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Feb 8, 2012 at 12:48 AM

Birthday boy Steven Stamkos is in anything but a celebratory mood despite scoring his league leading 35th goal of the season after Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Just see for yourself below:

 

---

Dutch website reports daughter of Phil Esposito has died

Posted Jan 31, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jan 31, 2012 at 12:22 AM

According to Dutch web site IJshockey.com Carrie Selivanov has passed away at the age of 43 due to ilness. Selivanov is the daughter of Lightning founder and NHL Hall of Famer Phil Esposito who married former Lightning winger Alex Selivanov, a player/coach for Dutch hockey club Hague.

No details were immediately available.

Below is the translation from Google, with the original in Dutch below that:

“The wife of player / coach Alexander Selivanov Hague is deceased. Reported that the organization in The Hague.

Details about the death are still missing. It is also not clear what the tragedy will mean for The Hague. Selivanov has gone home to Germany. His wife is a daughter of hockey legend Phil Esposito.

Alexander Selivanov IJshockey.com wishes, his family and friends lots of strength with the loss.’‘

Original:

“De echtgenote van speler/coach Alexander Selivanov van Den Haag is overleden. Dat meldt de organisatie in Den Haag.

Details over het overlijden ontbreken nog. Ook is nog niet duidelijk wat de tragedie gaat betekenen voor Den Haag. Selivanov is naar huis in Duitsland vertrokken. Zijn echtgenote is een dochter van ijshockeylegende Phil Esposito.

IJshockey.com wenst Alexander Selivanov, zijn familie en vrienden heel veel sterkte met het verlies.’’

---

Oberg among four Lightning players heading back to Norfolk

Posted Jan 25, 2012 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Jan 25, 2012 at 01:31 PM

With Tampa Bay off for a week and Norfolk playing a pair of weekend games, the Lightning sent Evan Oberg, Trevor Smith, Mike Angelidis and Pierre-Cedric Labrie back to the AHL. During their call up the three forwards combined for one goal and three assists, not a bad contribution from the trio of forwards, and that doesn’t even count JT Wyman, who had a goal and three points in five games before he was injured. Oberg, who has been recalled seven times before getting in a game, took three shifts on Tuesday against Columbus but had a nice play in taking out Rick Nash in the slot area.

Here’s the official release from the team:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned defenseman Evan Oberg, as well as forwards Mike Angelidis, Trevor Smith and Pierre-Cedric Labrie to the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League today, Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced.

Oberg, 6-foot, 191 pounds, made his Lightning debut in his sixth recall last night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, logging 1:21 in ice time with one hit.  He was acquired by the Lightning with Mike Kostka from the Florida Panthers on December 2 in exchange for James Wright and Mike Vernace. He has played in 25 AHL games this season with Norfolk and the San Antonio Rampage, recording two goals and eight points with a plus-3 rating.  Oberg has played in 13 games with the Admirals, notching two goals and six points.  He has played in 138 career AHL games with the Admirals, Rampage, Rochester Americans and Manitoba Moose. Oberg has also skated in five career Calder Cup Playoff games, all with Manitoba during the 2009-10 season.

A native of Forestburg, Alberta, Oberg has played in five career NHL games with the Lightning and Vancouver Canucks. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by Vancouver on April 10, 2009. Oberg was then acquired by Florida with the Canucks’ third-round choice in 2013 in exchange for Chris Higgins on February 28, 2011. Before joining the professional ranks he played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Angelidis, 6-1, 200 pounds, made his NHL debut last night with Tampa Bay, scoring his first NHL goal on his first shot.  He finished the game with a plus-1 rating in 4:01 of ice time.  Angelidis has played in 38 games with the Admirals this season.  He has registered 10 goals and 21 points this season with a plus-8 rating and 95 penalty minutes.  At the time of his recall, Angelidis ranked fifth on Norfolk for goals, tied for sixth for plus/minus and seventh for points. 

A native of Woodbridge, Ontario, Angelidis has played in 353 career AHL games with Norfolk and the Albany River Rats.  Angelidis has also skated in 22 career Calder Cup Playoff Games, notching two goals and eight points. 

Angelidis spent his junior career with the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League, amassing 96 goals and 161 points in 284 games.  He was undrafted and signed by the Carolina Hurricanes on July 27, 2006.  The Lightning signed Angelidis as a free agent on August 3, 2010.

Labrie, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, was recalled to the Lightning on January 6 and played in seven games, recording one assist and 10 penalty minutes while averaging 4:57 in ice time.  He made his NHL debut on January 7 against Montreal and recorded his first assist and point on January 21 at Phoenix. Labrie has appeared in 29 games for the Admirals this season, recording six goals and 19 points with a plus-17 rating and 63 penalty minutes.

A fifth-year professional, Labrie has appeared in 284 career AHL games between Norfolk, the Peoria Rivermen and the Manitoba Moose. In those games, he has scored 31 goals and 85 points with 483 penalty minutes.

An undrafted forward, Labrie was originally signed by the Vancouver Canucks on July 9, 2007. Vancouver traded him to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for forward Yan Stastny on March 3, 2010.

Smith, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, played in four games with the Lightning after being recalled on January 16, recording two assists.  He earned his first NHL helper on January 21 at Phoenix.  While with Tampa Bay he was a plus-4 and averaged 7:54 in ice time.  Smith has played in 39 games for the Admirals this season, recording 16 goals and 44 points.  At the time of his recall he led all Norfolk skaters in points, was second for goals, assists and power-play goals with six, and was tied for second with a plus-17 rating. Smith has played in 321 career AHL games with Norfolk, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Syracuse Crunch and the Springfield Falcons.  In those games, he has registered 108 goals and 236 points.  He has also appeared in 10 career Calder Cup Playoff games, notching two goals and seven points. 

A native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Smith has played in seven career NHL games, all with the New York Islanders during the 2008-09 season.  He has one career goal.  He was signed as a free agent by the Lightning on July 5, 2011.  He was originally undrafted out of the University of New Hampshire where he was an All Hockey East first team and a Second Team All American. 

---

Marty St. Louis returns to Tampa Bay Lightning practice on Tuesday

Posted Dec 20, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 20, 2011 at 07:38 PM

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Less than two weeks after being struck near his left eye with a puck, Lightning right wing Marty St. Louis has returned to practice with the team.

St. Louis traveled with the team to San Jose Tuesday morning and joined his teammates on the ice for practice at HP Pavillion in preparation for Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks. St. Louis was wearing a full metal cage to cover his face as he went through drills. No determination has yet been made whether he will be able to play on Wednesday against San Jose or Friday in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

During a morning skate on Dec. 8 at Madison Square Garden in New York prior to a game against the Rangers, teammate Dominic Moore accidently fired a backhand wide of the net that struck St. Louis near his left eye. St. Louis left the ice with blood coming out of the area around his eye just as he was set to appear in his 500th consecutive regular season game. He spent the night at NYU Medical center after suffering a broken nose and a hairline fracture of his orbital bone. His eye was swollen shut and a blood clot developed as he was kept off physical activity until the clot dissipated.

He was cleared for activity on Friday and began working out, doing an hour session in the gym while attempting to do some stickhandling with a tennis ball, but reported the vision in his left eye was still slightly blurred. St. Louis remained back in Tampa to continue workouts while the team travelled to Columbus, Ohio, to take on the Blue Jackets and at the time was unsure whether he would travel with the team.

---

Anisimov apologizes to the Lightning, Tampa Bay accepts

Posted Dec 9, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 9, 2011 at 06:42 PM

After creating controversy with a goal celebration against the Lightning on Thursday, New York Rangers forward Artem Anisimov issued an apology to Tampa Bay on Friday.

Anisimov sparked a bit of a melee following his shorthanded goal in the second period, turning toward the Lightning goal after scoring and feigning like his stick was a shotgun and firing a shot in the direction of the Tampa Bay net. Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier immediately charged after Anisimov that set off a scrum that resulted in 38 penalty minutes, including an unsportsmanlike call on Anisimov.

“I just want to apologize to Tampa,’’ Anisimov told assembled reporters following practice on Friday. “I didn’t mean something by it. It’s just my celebration and, when I score goals, I want to do something unusual. I apologize to Tampa. . . . I never do that celebration again. It’s a good lesson for me… No more shooting.’’

Lecavalier said it was nice to hear the Rangers’ rookie issue the apology.

“It’s good that he realizes what he did was wrong and apologized for it,’’ Lecavalier said.

Steven Stamkos, who was also outspoken regarding Anisimov’s antics following the game, accepted the apology but didn’t want to dwell on the situation.

“I’m sure he realizes now that he can’t do that in the NHL and at least he came out and as man enough to apologize and realize he made a mistake, that’s all you can ask for,’’ Stamkos said. “But now it’s gone, it’s done and over with now. We got the two points and it’s really not that big of a deal any more.’’

---

Lightning’s Marty St. Louis struck near the eye with puck

Posted Dec 8, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 8, 2011 at 02:08 PM

NEW YORK - Tampa Bay Lightning forward Marty St. Louis is expected to miss tonight’s game against the New York Rangers after taking a puck to his left eye Thursday morning.

St. Louis was to appear in his 500th consecutive regular season game. He has not missed a game, regular or playoffs, since November of 2005 when he sat out two games with a broken finger.

On Thursday during the team’s morning skate at Madison Square Garden, the team was working on a drill in the corner when an errant puck off a backhand from Dominic Moore struck St. Louis near his left eye. St. Louis immediately dropped to the ice with blood pouring out the area above his eye. He needed help getting off the ice and at one point stumbled on his way back to the bench area.

After being looked at by team medical trainers, Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said St. Louis was taken to NYU Medical Center for further evaluation.

“He’s got some swelling and that’s all I know right now,” Yzerman said.

Since returning from a broken leg at the end of the 2001-02 season, St. Louis has appeared in 749 of a possible 751 games and currently holds the third longest active games played streak in the NHL behind Calgary’s Jay Bouwmeester and Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.

That streak is expected to end tonight.

“We’ll see what the extent of it is, but right now it doesn’t look pretty,” Lightning head coach Guy Boucher. “It just keeps on pouring. We have to prepare as if he’s not going to be available.”

Tampa Bay is also with defenseman Pavel Kubina, who will miss his third consecutive game with a lower body injury, although he did skate with the team Thursday morning.

Nate Thompson will also miss tonight’s game with an upper body injury. Thompson did not play the final two periods on Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

---

NHL realigns, Tampa Bay Lightning to be in a new division next season

Posted Dec 5, 2011 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 5, 2011 at 10:54 PM

From the league earlier tonight:

The NHL’s Board of Governors on Monday approved a radical realignment plan, eliminating the current two-conference, six-division setup in favor of a configuration that features four conferences based primarily on geography. Two conferences will have eight teams and the other two conferences will have seven teams.

The Board authorized Commissioner Gary Bettman to implement this proposal in Monday evening’s vote, pending input from the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

The vote, which required a two-thirds majority of the League’s 30 governors, passed on the first of two days of meetings here at The Inn at Spanish Bay. The League’s new structure will go into effect starting next season.

The makeup of the yet-to-be-named four conferences is as follows:

* New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Washington and Carolina

* Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay

* Detroit, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg

* Los Angeles, Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Colorado

The four conferences are designed to alleviate geographic concerns among several current Western Conference teams that had been unhappy about their extensive travel through one, two, and sometimes even three time zones. Some of those teams argued that the late start of road games in the Pacific time zone were affecting fan interest, especially among younger fans. 

The new alignment also enables the NHL to create a balanced schedule in which all teams will play each other at least twice every season, once at home and once on the road, giving fans a chance to see every team and superstar in the League. The remaining games will be played within the conferences.

In the seven-team conferences, teams would play six times—three home, three away. In the eight-team Conferences, teams would play either five or six times in a season on a rotating basis; three teams would play each other six times and four teams would play each other five times. This process would reverse each season: An eight-team Conference member that plays an opponent six times in one season would play it five times the following season.

The top four teams in each Conference qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first-place team would play the fourth-place team; the second-place team would play the third-place team. The four respective Conference champions would meet in the third round of the Playoffs, with the survivors playing for the Stanley Cup.

---