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Goodbye is always the hardest part (even if it’s only for the summer)
Posted By Erik Erlendsson at Apr 07, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Updated Apr 07, 2008 at 03:25 PM

BRANDON - The longest day in the season of a hockey beat writer is definitely a day like today. A day when the players all filter through the Forum (in this case out in Brandon) hold their meetings with the head coach and then the general manager in separate meetings (and today they were in separate parts of the building). For some guys, it’s their last function with the organization. For others its the first summer of preparation for next year. For others it’s routine. And for Tim Taylor, it happened to be his last function as a player.

It’s a long day and despite a plotted out scheduled, it always seems to run a couple of hours behind by the time all is said and done. Today was no exception. The last scheduled meeting was at 11:50 a.m. I didn’t leave the Ice Sports Forum until 2:50 p.m. Of course, the job is not done for today either as the NHL draft lottery will be held tonight and it obviously has a huge impact on what Tampa Bay does over the summer. Should they retain the pick, the Steven Stamkos slots right into the second-line center spot. Should they continue to have a black cloud over their head and end up with the second pick in the draft, it opens up a whole new avenue of possibilities as to how they handle the summer. Feaster already stated today that one team, which doesn’t own a pick in the first round, has already been in contact with him to say that they will be in contact no matter what pick Tampa Bay ends up with. And if Tampa Bay does end up picking second, don’t expect them to take either defenseman Drew Doughty or Alex Pietrangelo or Zach Bogosian because of the position they play. Also, because of some issues involving Kyle Beach - who has been described as a bit of a head case and would be a risk at such a high draft position - and the lack of a IIHF agreement with Russia, then Nikita Filatov is probably off the board as well.

So in summary, that means unless Tampa Bay lands the top pick, of which they have nearly a 50/50 chance of doing so, then expect them to move the pick in some capacity this summer.

Some notes of interest coming out of Monday: Andre Roy informed us that he actually did receive a suspension from the league for his throat-slashing gesture toward the Philadelphia bench on March 6, the game in which might end up being his last with the Lightning. It was never released by the league and Feaster said those cases are generally handled by the league, so that’s why the team did not reveal the suspension. But Roy said he was definitely suspended - and fined - because his paycheck was a bit light shortly after he was told of the news. Seems kind of strange the league handled it that way. You’d think that if they wanted to curb those type of activities in order to protect the league’s image, then they would publicly acknowledge the fact to let everyone know they have handled it and won’t tolerate it. Ummmm, just strange.

Also, defenseman Paul Ranger said he is not sure which direction they are going to take in regards to his shoulder at this point. He is scheduled to see a specialist either this week or next week. From there they will decide whether surgery is necessary or not. Ranger said he is feeling a lot better and has a lot of his range and motion back, but there was still some pain involved from time to time.

Vinny Lecavalier showed up sans a sling today for his right shoulder, but he was keeping the upper part of his arm pinned close to his side. He said the sling isn’t a necessity as long as he is comfortable without it. No surgery date has been set at this point and it also hasn’t been decided as to whether he will have anything done on his right wrist at this point. He said there is a good chance that 5 or 6 weeks after his shoulder surgery he might have the wrist procedure done, but that getting them both done at the same time likely isn’t an option. He said he doesn’t think that Matt Cooke intended to hurt him during Thursday’s game in Washington and even mentioned that he felt Cooke sort of let up at the last minute. Chalked it up to bad luck more than anything else, although he once again mentioned that he didn’t have the puck and the hit should have been avoided.

Shane O’Brien doesn’t hold any ill will for sitting out the final stretch of games and feels that he will be ready for camp next season. Neither he or Tortorella would mention the reason for the string of healthy scratches, but you can bet it has to do with O’Brien’s lack of physical play in battles and for repeatedly making similar mistakes. As is the case with Tortorella - assuming he’s back next year, and he probably will be at this point - next season everything starts fresh.

Dan Boyle is glad to put this season behind him. Fortunately, he will direct his attention toward his summer wedding, which will probably take place June. The ceremony will be low scale, probably on a beach with a few friends and family members. Congrats Dan!!!!! (and good luck)

Check back in later after the draft lottery for some more thoughts and maybe even a comment or two from Feaster on the results of the lottery.

Send Us Your Comments

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/15 at 11:51 AM

Greg...that’s not what I’m saying at all. I think we should pay the going rate for quality d-men...I just don’t see 22 as a quality dman...that’s all I’m saying.I also think Torts needs to put a premium on Defense as his “system” has not done much since the demise of the red line.With all the odd man rushes and breakaways there’s not too many goalies that will look good behind that swiss cheese we call D. A good coach adapts and I’ve yet to see Torts adapt. Agreed on Luke..stay at home does not = good stay at home. We need good defensive defensemen in here.

Posted by Greg M, Tampa, FL on 04/14 at 08:57 AM

Boltsfan, so you are probably the guy that said we should have overpaid for Cullimore and Sarich? Look at Lukowich he was the most stay at home defensemen on our team this year and when he was playing he was our worst player on the ice. Oh, and if you ever watched the Lightning you’d realize that stay at home defensemen aren’t a big part of a Tortorella run team - for better or worse!

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/13 at 07:24 PM

Dogg...it’s because our current ownership keeps the reigns on the salary very tight...if we were free spending to the cap it would not be a big deal. Point is we don’t and with that limited amount of spending I feel that the 6.7 could be better spent on 2 stay at homes that would that would be a better bang for the buck. We would not miss the minimal offense he provides but would sure love the better D they others would provide. oh and it’s dude...lol

Posted by LightningDogg, on 04/13 at 09:33 AM

boltfan
LOL We only complain because we care. Seriously dude (or dudette) you should stop obsessing over $alary. Brian Rafalski DET-$6M,Niklas Lidstrom DET-$7.5M,Wade Redden OTT-$6.5M,,Sergei Gonchar PIT-$5.5M,Zdeno Chara BOS-$7.5M,Roman Hamrlik MON-$5.5M,Adam Foote COL-$4.6M,Scott Hannen COL-$4.5M,Sheldon Souray EDM-$6.25M,Kim Johnsson MIN-$4.8M,Mathieu Schneider ANA-$5.5M,Sergei Zubov DAL-$4M,Robert Blake LAK-$6M,Ed Jovanovski PHO-$7M.
The point being, Boyler would get the $$ somewhere else, so why not keep him and give him a couple more years with us??

Posted by Brittany, St. Pete on 04/13 at 08:12 AM

boltfan, I think that we agree, we were just saying things differently. If he doesn’t step up his defensive game, then we are definitely over paying him. We don’t need a 6.7 mil forward who we have playing defense. I hope next year we either have a veteran stay at home dman to pair with him, or Smaby stays with him because that is the kind of partner Boyle needs. Ranger and Boyle just don’t work well together. Boyle is more offensive minded and takes those risks so he needs a partner who stays and plays very solid d. I think if he gets that partner, things will look much better with him (hopefully)

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/12 at 07:42 PM

Brittany...you make very valid points. My major beef is that if we were paying him 2 million per year he’d be fine...the fact that we are now paying him 6.7 million per year means the microscope is on him and so far he’s failed the first test. Being a Tampa fan I hope he is awesome next year...but I just don’t see him ever being able to live up to his contract because he’s just not that good defensively and that needs to be priority 1. I still call overrated and overpaid

Posted by Brittany, St. Pete on 04/12 at 10:54 AM

boltfan - I think it is a bit unfair to crucify Boyle for his +/- numbers this season. Yes, it is atrocious, but the guy had one hack of a crappy year. He came back and was immediately put out there for 30+ minutes a game before he had time to brush off the rust. Then they sent off Richards and I think Boyle thought he needed to prove to everyone that they kept to right player. He went out there and was trying to do too much. I think we should all wait until next season to cast him off; if the numbers don’t improve then we have something to be upset about it.

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/11 at 02:12 PM

Cookie....factor 22’s numbers over a full season...9.5 goals, 39 assist and an astromically bad +/-...those do not even come CLOSE to the elite in the league but he is getting elite money. You have to compare apples to apples..other players play hurt too..no excuses. I doubt ATL will dump will dump a 52 goal scorer...but 22 is NOT a 52 goal scorer...LOL..

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/11 at 02:07 PM

LDogg....I totally agree with you on adjusting the D scheme...Torts is making all these guys into ballerinas. BUT...something must be said for having the worst +/- in only 1/3 of a season..it can’t simply be overlooked. He’s a defensive liability that is no longer overshadowed by the occasional offense he chips in. We will regret that salary when we need cap space for others...I still contend he’s overrated and overpaid.

Posted by Cookie, Valrico, FL on 04/11 at 09:42 AM

I totally agree with you LightningDogg. Look at Kovalchuk. He had 52 goals, 35 assists, and yet was a -12. I don’t think Atlanta is going to get rid of him either.

Posted by LightningDogg, Leesburg, FL on 04/10 at 05:24 PM

boltfan
I think the +/- is the most overrated stat in the league. Look at ALL the +/- ratings for the Bolts - they stink! (Vinny -17, Marty -23, should we get rid of them?) It’s the same for any losing team. It’s almost impossible to have a + when your team gives up more goals than it scores! Compare *2007-08: G=221 GA=266 **2003-04: G=246 GA=192. Like I said before, nobody knows how much pain Boyle might still be in after MAJOR tendon surgeries! He obviously had trouble with his puck handling. Maybe a D strategy adjustment by Tortorella was in order???

Posted by boltfan, Tampa on 04/10 at 09:51 AM

LightningDogg...thing about this...in less then half a season #22 has the WORST +/- in the league for Dmen. That is the story to be told. Don’t even tell me it’s because of who he plays with...otherwise those guys would have the same pitiful +/- as well and they DON’T! He’s overpaid and way overrated. We need stay at home D in the off season.

Posted by LightningDogg, Leesburg, FL on 04/09 at 02:52 PM

Oh, 1 more thing related to the Boyle bashing:
*Nobody ever says anything negative about Kuba - yet, at 6’5” 225 lbs, when is the last time you saw him deliver a good hit? And he can’t even bring the puck out of the zone most times without flinging it off his stick like a hot potato to avoid contact! He was brought in to be a scoring defensman but he averaged .41 points a game this year (while Boyle averaged .68). And Ranger (a defensive D-man)averaged .43! Think about it.

Erik - sorry about the spelling above

Posted by LightningDogg, Leesburg, FL on 04/09 at 02:49 PM

Some end-of-season thoughts:
*I’m thrilled that we got the #1 pick - but let’s don’t go too crazy, the kid is 18 years old! I’m just hoping Stamkos (if we get him) gains some weight & gets a little experience with the big club next year.
*I’m really sick of the Boyle bashing this year! Nobody knows how much pain he still might have after MAJOR surgery to reattach tendons in his wrist.
*Vinny & Marty did NOT tank this year! While they both may have had sub-par years (by their standards) they averaged 1.14 and 1.01 points per game - very respectable numbers!
*The whole attitude of this team changed for the better when they brought in Andre Roy last year. PLEASE don’t let him get away. WE WANT ROY!!!!
Thanks Eric - GO BOLTS in 09!

Posted by Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 04/08 at 04:57 AM

I saw Vinny shaking his wrist, like it hurt, during a TV time out shortly after I got back from Bangkok. I assume that Vinny has been playing a substantial part of the season with a very sore wrist. Could that explain the disappearing act?

Posted by Cookie, Valrico, FL on 04/07 at 09:46 PM

Erik, I too would like to thank you for your great coverage. Hope you and the kids have a great time at Disney. About the Roy incident, do you know if the league fined Philly for replaying the fight numerous times? A little one sided if they didn’t!

Posted by Geografer, Spokane, WA on 04/07 at 05:23 PM

I have been watching Beach for the last 2 years in Everett. I really don’t see how this kid can be ranked as high as he is. He is out of control. Any team that takes this kid is nuts. During Spokane’s recent 4 game playoff sweep of Everett he once again proved this by taking many bad, selfish penalties that ultimately hurt his team. In Everett’s last home game against Seattle (nothing was on the line – playoff standings had been decided) he was involved in many fights & altercations that were completely unnecessary - so much so that he was scratched for their final game in Seattle in order to avoid any more problems. In 2 years he has yet to learn any self-control - taking him would be a complete waste of a first round pick.

Posted by Chris C, Lakeland on 04/07 at 05:14 PM

Any update on how the sale of the team is going? Is the team waiting to see how that goes before they get in personel and player moves..like he did at the trade deadline??

Posted by matt, ODESSA on 04/07 at 04:46 PM

If the Bolts end up with the 2nd pick and Feaster deals it and ends up without a pick in the 1st and 2nd(bc of Gratton trade) rounds, he should not only be fired but shot as well. And if you put Beach on the same team with Halpern and Gratton I seriously doubt his character flaws would come up. Those 2 would be great players to have mentor Beach. Especially Halpern; Beach’s game is very similar to Halperns. Nice little jab at Torts possibly not being here, any truth or just a thought? And if Waddell pegs Torts to coach ATL next yr any chance the Bolts get some form of compensation?

Posted by Greg M, Tampa, FL on 04/07 at 03:43 PM

Erik, great job covering the Lightning this year I was wondering what your thoughts were concerning the disappearing act Vinny and Marty did during the last 20+ games this year.

Also, I agree that if the Lightning don’t get the top pick tonight they should definitely consider trading down in the draft as the organization seems fairly well set on defense and in goal.