Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/04  at  02:03 AM

Lisa Marie,

I couldn’t agree with you more.  When people whine, or brag about the effort they make to get to the games, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the quality of their being a fan.  I just want them to know that they can be blown away with the effort it takes to get to a game, so quit complaining, or bragging, about your effort and let’s just talk about hockey.

Posted by  Lisa Marie Phillips, Anna Maria Island, FL on 07/03  at  11:07 PM

My point about the owners was well said: they’re not to be trusted in any way shape, or form.  I bet they’ll move the team.
All this back and forth about who travels furthest...sheesh!  Just because I drive 100 miles for each game, doesn’t make me a better fan, just poorer!

Posted by  MC, Jacksonville, FL on 07/03  at  10:33 PM

Section 103 at the Forum or Peckham and the Chief at home? The product on the ice will tell all…

Still reading that San Jose appears to be the front runner, so what are the speculative scenarios?

Rivet and Erhoff?

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/03  at  10:00 PM

I’ve spent a lot of time and money traveling to see a sub par team ever since they came back to work, but I don’t complain about the travel or expense.  If you are a fan, you are a fan of the team.

The new owners wanted to get rid of Boyle and Richards last winter and settled for one at that time.  They were right about dealing Richards, so how do we know they won’t better the team by dealing Boyle?

Neither were All Star quality.

We don’t see the same speculation about our two true All Stars, do we?

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  09:54 PM

Gotcha Mike-but it is actually just over 7 hours to Vancouver each way (assuming there is not a long line at the border-which rarely happens) & to actually see a Tampa game is over 3,000. My point was at least in Vancouver I could see Danny play more than say Ottawa (never-not sure you could pay me) or San Jose.
MC-that is actually a big part of my issue. I love Danny & don’t want to see him personally go either but with the comments made by the owners and then their oposite actions it makes me question how much they can be trusted-at this point the answer is they can’t at all. So how long before they do move the team to Las Vegas or somewhere else?? They say they have no intention of moving but they also said they wanted Boyle.

Posted by  MC, Jacksonville, FL on 07/03  at  09:43 PM

Its not that its all about DB in my current disdain of this news.

I spent a lot of road time and cash to watch a very sub par team last year. Even had a friend from Uruguay come to a game, who liked the Canadiens, only to have my nose rubbed in crap for 2 1/2 hours, (a 5-1 home loss).

With all the flash and emphatic quotes by the owners, to only see them flip around when they realize they spent to much money is ridiculous to me. I only hope the roster gets solidified, and a good NHL product is put on the ice.

I love this team too much to watch it fall in the crapper. I hope I am eating crow in the end and wrong about all of my comments today.

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/03  at  09:35 PM

Man, I feel for you having to drive that far.  Do you know how far I have to commute to see the Lightning from Bangkok?  10,000 miles one-way.  I really don’t have too much sympathy for someone that has to drive a couple of hours.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  09:12 PM

If he has to go - and that is a big if - I still say say no - they may threaten to waive him but I can’t think that even they are that stupid to get nothing for him - you make other trades to get returns on your assests - I would not mind him going to Vancouver. This is purely selfish on my part as instead of driving to Seattle this year to watch Riku (since he will be in Norfolk this won’t be an option) I just drive another 2 hours north to see Danny play. Tickets a heck of a lot more though! Sigh - I thought the travelling days were over since they were good enough to draft their next goalie here in town (awesome choice though).

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/03  at  08:48 PM

Yeah, I understand.
Im just not ready to blast the owners like everybody else has. If they can get two decently talented defensemen for him, then I say they did an okay job. Boyle just isn’t worth all that cash, in my own opinion, and the Lightning need defensive defensemen, not offensive defensemen.

And, I just heard that Ottawa is probably out of the running for him. Bryan Murray doesnt think that he has enough to give up for Boyle. San Jose is still the frontrunner, with Atlanta, Vancouver, and possibly Columbus still in the mix.
I personally think a trade to Atlanta would be decent. If the Lightning could get Enstrom and some other people, it would be a pretty well done trade.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  08:38 PM

Jordan - I keep seeing every blaming Feaster - and yes he was obviously in on this - but the fact is OK was in on the contract and signed off on it. Feaster has probably had nothing to do with any of the free agent signings so I really don’t see this as being on him (for once). The lack of depth - yes - the lack of other d-men - yes - Danny Boyle’s current contract and the glut of forwards we signed - no. If OK had issues they never should have signed off on it. They by the way were also behing the Brad Richards deal so that can’t be all on Feaster either.

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/03  at  08:04 PM

It’s not just the owners’ fault…
Jay Feaster shouldnt have signed Boyle to that huge contract. I hate to say it, but I really dont think that he is worth 6 million a year. 5 million tops...maybe, not even that....
If he wasnt being paid as much, none of this would be going on…

Posted by  Lisa Marie Phillips, Anna Maria Island, FL on 07/03  at  07:52 PM

The new Lightning owners have kicked the Tampa Bay fans in the gut; not because they were behind the Richards trade last season, and not because they’ve made a mockery of themselves and the staff with their self-aggrandizing video and eager headline seeking.  The new owners, coach and management lied to the fans during the season ticket holders’ drive by saying they would keep Dan Boyle.  Boyle himself is not the issue here; players come and go.  They deliberately, publicly deceived the fan base upon which they depend for their existence.  We now have Hollywood producers as owners, a television star coach, two assistant coaches with suspect pasts, and a shredded patchwork of a team.  We deserve to be the laughing stock of the NHL.

Posted by  Mitchell Margo, tampa on 07/03  at  07:16 PM

good for marc, didn’t like his play in tampa, but nice stand up guy.
hopefully he can ressurect his career, hopefully its in hamilton though, lol.

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/03  at  06:53 PM

In other news, Marc Denis signed with Montreal.

Posted by  Mitchell Margo, tampa on 07/03  at  06:16 PM

oh ok, thanks for the info.
yea i know its got nothing to do with the big team, just trying to get excited about our minor league depth for once, lol.
hopefully he can develop into a roster player though.
man the comments just keep piling up.
if boyle doesn’t get traded, are we still in the market for a physical d-man, i still would love to have cullimore, probably won’t cost over a million.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  06:11 PM

Seen this kid play the last several years - a lot. Not great - not bad - but not great. Let’s just say he isn’t one of those players that you notice when they come on the ice. This has nothing to do with Boyle - this is purely a signing for Norfolk. This kid will need a few years there before he is “NHL Ready”.

Posted by  Mitchell Margo, tampa on 07/03  at  06:08 PM

hey guys, not relating to the boyle talk but did you see this scott jackson, that the lightning signed.
he’s 6 foot 4, physical and he was st. louis’s 37th overall pick but never signed with them.
this guy must have potential.  thats a pretty nice signing. hopefully we hear about him in the near future.
just a little question for discussion.
Would you guys rather have 2 good young proven d-men for boyle, or one good young proven d-man and a 1st round pick for boyle? or more.  i would say more.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  05:56 PM

Why would you want Blake for Boyle - Blake is a stay at home d-man and is what 38 or so. All you would save on salary would be $1.667 million - not worth it. My guess too is that Robbie got himself a no-trade clause. He lives in CA year round and I am sure he isn’t willing to leave. I am actually surprised he would go that far north - Phoenix would be closer to home - of course there isn’t any surfing there (yet).

Posted by  Berliner, Tampa, FL on 07/03  at  05:52 PM

SJ loves the idea of getting Boyle. If his value is at his highest right now, the smart business move says to move him, get some draft picks and your selection of defensemen. I dont know what I think about Mclaren (although I used to love the guy) given his knee-injury but he still played over 60 games last year. But I will say this, he block shots very well and is scared of nothing.

Ottawa has Meszaros to offer. And honestly, I would LOVE to pull Volchenkov away from them. Talk about a shot-blocker: we could get down to 15 S/A per game. This seems like a lot better potential than SJ. With Ottawa’s options, I really dont even know why SJ would be in the conversation, unless we are sending them Boyle for Rob Blake.

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/03  at  05:46 PM

Yes, I understand both of your points.
I just dont think that the Lightning will get a whole lot for Boyle. Maybe they will get two young defensemen and a pick or two, but that would most likely be all. And, depending on the defensemen, could be either a good deal or a really bad one. Hopefully it will be a good one if they do trade him.

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/03  at  05:43 PM

If Boyle says no, he could lose his say in where he ends up.  The team can waive him and whoever is first in line on the waiver wire can claim him and his salary.  While it’s true that the Bolts get nothing in return, they do get rid of the salary.

If Dan wants to play hardball, he does it at his own peril.  Better to have some say in where you end up than to have no say at all.  Even Richards saw the benefit of that.

I have never said that Boyle was stupid; merely that he can’t play defense.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/03  at  05:33 PM

Jordan - not to echo Mitchell - but that is also exactly my point. You don’t give him up for just anything. Besides - San Jose just signed Rob Blake to a one year $5 million deal. Gotta wonder if they are still that interested.
Danny - JUST SAY NO!!!!

Posted by  Mitchell Margo, tampa on 07/03  at  05:29 PM

yea jordan, i know ottawa would never trade Volchenkov, thats basically the point im trying to make.  the lightning should not trade boyle unless they are going to win the trade by a landslide and people are questioning the other team for trading for boyle.  I’ll say it again, i wouldn’t trade boyle unless you are getting a lot more than hes worth.
You gotta love the dreams though right!

Posted by  brendan sean o'Leary,  on 07/03  at  05:25 PM

they should keep Boyle and trade some of the third and fourth line stiffs

Brendan Sean o’Leary

Posted by  sandy grumblatt, pinellas on 07/03  at  05:20 PM

DAN I would say NO to the trade of any team and let the bolts lose out on a trade for yoy. They just signed you to a lomg term deal then they try to kick you in the teeth.
Dan I wish you the Best and hope the owners come to their senses and drop this CRAZY idea.
You will always have fans in Tampa.
OWNERS WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
WHAT A JOKE?
soon to be ex-season ticket holder
Dan Fan Forever.
Sandy