Por (Dustin) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Hey Erik any confirmation that Ramo will finally get the start he’s deserved for a few months now?

Por (Bolt Fan) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

It’s not a great surprise that he would sit.  Stamkos just wasn’t ready for the NHL.  He reminds me of Joe Thornton, when he first came up.  He was supposed to the the next big deal, but was a real disappointment to Boston and didn’t get on track until he was traded.  Don’t take that to mean that I think Stamkos should be traded, but it might take a few years for him to mature to the point of being able to compete.

Por (Nancy Pacini) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Let the rumors begin.  Mike Brophy wrote a column today suggesting Vinny and Stamkos are being shopped to cut the budget.

Por (goaliepost) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I’d like to know that as well.

Por (Drew) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Mike Brophy is an ignorant buffoon. I’m amazed anyone in their right mind would read anything that creep spews.

Por (Katya) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Lightning should do what is right for Steven - send him down to minors.  One thing that I agree on with Melrose is that this kid is not readu for NHL.

Any news as to who is in the goal?

Por (Bolt Fan) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Katya, if they try to send Stamkos to the minors he must clear waivers.  If they waive him, someone will take him for nothing.  The only option that they had, but not anymore, was to send him back to Junior.  To do that, they had to have done that before he played his 10th game.

Now, they are stuck with him until he matures to play in the big league.  When Vinny came up, he was mature and ready, same for Crosby.  Some players are just not mature enough at 18 or 19 for the big dance.  One day, he will probably be hell on skates, but everyone has to wait till the kid becomes a man.

Por (Britt) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Can’t send him to the minors, it’s either the big club or back to juniors. Unfortunately he needs to be in the minors, but there are rules against it (the CHL didn’t want the AHL taking all of their good players from the teams so if you are eligible to play in juniors and have a team, you cannot play in the AHL). I think being in the NHL is better for him than being back in Sarnia, he is just having some trouble. Needs to stop gripping that stick so hard.

Por (Britt) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Oh and he can be sent back to juniors at any time. The 10 game thing was just whether his contract will start this season or in whatever season he plays past the 10 game mark. There is another game amount that if he reaches his contract will count against our cap, but none of it matters for his being able to be sent back to Sarnia. He can go back any time they allow him to as far as I know.

Por (Dustin) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Erik is Ramo getting the nod tonight?

Por (Bolt Fan) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Britt, unless they’ve changed the rules, he isn’t eligible to go back to
Sarnia after the 10 games.  Maybe Erik can shed more light on it.

Por (Britt) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Here is a website explaining it. The 10 game mark only represents his contract.

http://proicehockey.about.com/od/collegeandjuniorhockey/f/nhl_juniors.htm

And it is the 40 game mark he has to reach for his free agent time to start.

Por (Nancy Pacini) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Yes Drew, Brophy is an ignorant buffoon with a well-known reputation for ridiculing most teams south of the 49th parallel, and the main reason for my canceling my subscription to The Hockey News.  My post was meant as sarcasm for all the folks who act as if the sky is in imminent danger of falling into Tampa Bay.

Por (Katya) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Thank you for correcting me I do not know all the details but I guess it would be nice for Steven to be SOMEWHERE where he can play and develop into the player he will become one day.

So who is in the net?

Por (Britt) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

According to the Lightning Insider ( http://lightning.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=403213 ) Ramo will be in net. Hopefully the boys show up to play in front of him unlike last night. Should be interesting to see how he does.

Oh and I hope I didn’t come off as being mean earlier. There are some funky rules for rookies and a lot of stuff that people get confused about (lots of silly dates). I know I did at first and I had to look all this stuff up so I just wanted to help others out too.

Por (Erik Erlendsson) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Just to clarify, yes, Ramo is in goal tonight. Also, Stamkos can be sent back to junior at any time if the Lightning feel that is the best for him, which they do not. The Penguins did this with Marc-Andre Fluery the year he was drafted, spent half the year with Pittsburgh before going back to junior. Also, Rick Tocchet said Stamkos is not going to be sitting out consecutive games and this is just a chance for him to take advantage of some practice time and to get in some solid workouts to get him stronger. I’ll have some comments from both guys posted as soon as I get to the rink.

Por (Dustin Keene) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Thanks for the updates, hard work and your time Erik :D.

Por (Britt) on January 09, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Thanks EE, appreciate your updates. Can’t wait to see what they have to say about everything.