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- Lightning Holiday College Classic no more?
- Steven Stamkos on Entertainment Tonight
- Lecavalier hits the ice - literally - back in Tampa
- Top 10 Olympic moments
- Lightning single game seats go on sale Sept. 4
- Lightning training camp details announced - opens Sept. 16
- Vinny will be the new captain (and other Lightning tidbits)
- Ron Campbell to remain as adviser to Lightning
- Top 10 NHL Arenas
- Lightning make additional European game official
- NHL National Television schedule released
- Top 10 NHL road stops
- Torts voted off the Island
- Lightning preseason tickets to go on sale
- Lightning season ticket deal selling fast (plus a couple of other notes)
Monthly Archives
BRANDON - Wow, what a day yesterday was. I took off from Toronto just before 5 p.m. By the time my plane touched down in Memphis for a brief layover, the puck had hit the fan. I was getting text messages and voice mails left and right as soon as I landed. It really sent me into a scramble on my 40-minute layover (which had to include a chance to grab a quick bite to eat that ended up just being a smoothie and a pretzel thanks to the long lines for real food in the airport. And boy, did that Memphis Bar-B-Q smell good.)
All this scrambling had to be done with a rapidly reducing battery life on my phone that was on the verge of death just before take off. Right about now, you might say, “well Erik, maybe you should have just plugged your charging in while at the airport in Memphis!!!’’ And you would have an excellent point. But you see, I tried to fish my charger out of my suitcase when I dropped off my rental car at the airport, but after not finding it right away, I had to get to the terminal (which turned out to be another adventure) so needless to say, my phone charger was not on my person. Moral to the story, keep your charger in your carry-on bag.
OK, now, back on track. Once I landed in Tampa, I first had to find a pay phone, which again, might sound like a simple task so I could check in with the boss. I walked down to one end of the baggage claim area, but to no avail. I found one, finally, by the escalator, but of course, it was out of order. So it was another walk down to the other end of baggage claim before I found a working phone that I could actually put money into in order to make a phone call.
Needless to say, I couldn’t sleep once I got home. UGH…
Now, after finally getting my charger out of my bag and putting a quick jolt into the battery, I was able to make a phone call or two. And this is what I gathered.
As was reported in the paper today, Torts is out as head coach. Not a shock. I have a tremendous amount of respect for John Tortorella as a person and as a coach. He is the only head coach that I have worked directly with since I took over this beat at the start of the 2001-02 season. I admire his honesty. I love his passion. I think he is one of the top coaches in the game right now and he won’t have any problems finding another position, if he hasn’t already. He is going to be missed around here. He is a great salesman for the game (even though he would never want to admit to that or want to assume that role) and his charity work, especially with kids, is as good as it gets. But I also think, as he admitted when he told Jay Feaster back in April, that the locker room needs a new voice. I wish John nothing but the best in his next stop, wherever it may lead him.
This is also what I was able to surmise from conversations last night. Barry Melrose is not a done deal. No definitive offers have been made to anybody and the team is still talking to other candidates. And to clarify one other thing, no deal with Melrose, or anybody else for that matter, can be done anytime soon, and certainly not in the next couple of days. Oren Koules and his group were told by the executive board of the NHL the other day that the only issues that can be dealt with right now are those of a time sensitive manner. A head coach, is not a time sensitive matter. Nothing can be done until the board of governors meeting on June 17 in New York. So even if a deal was in place, it certainly couldn’t be announced.
Now my reaction to the Melrose news is the same as many of you guys. I’m not sold on a coach who has been behind a television camera the past 13 years, and not behind a bench. I also can’t believe that if this were to be true, that Melrose will command a $2 million annual salary - NHL coaches not named Scotty Bowman don’t make that kind of money. When Torts signed his extension before the 2005-06 season, he was one of the highest paid coaches in the league - his salary for this coming season, $1.3 million.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see what transpires in the coming weeks, but changes are definitely in store. And what does this all mean for Jay Feaster? My guess is he won’t be the GM after the ownership change, but that he will stay with the organization in some capacity. He’s too intelligent about the CBA and is too strong of a spokesperson for the team and salesman of the game. It wouldn’t be a surprise that whomever takes over the president role - possibly Len Barrie? - will also be the GM, but in title only as Koules will likely be the one calling all the shots.
I’ll leave you with this note as well. Some other tidbits that came out of conversations last night - a contract extension with D Alex Picard has already been reached (again, these can’t be announced until Koules is officially in charge), an entry level deal has been reached with D Kevin Quick, a deal for Ryan Craig is nearly complete and talks with Vinny Lecavalier are on-going and would have progressed further except that Vinny’s agent, Kent Hughes, is also the agent for Luc Bourdon, the Vancover defensman who was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident on Thursday. And though talks with Chris Gratton have not officially begun, it sounds like it won’t be any kind of an issue. There’s even talk of Steven Stamkos living with Chris and his family next season.
UPDATE 9:15 P.M.
One other note gang, prospect defenseman Dane Crowley is not going to be signed by tonight’s midnight deadline to have all 2006 North American draftees signed to a contract or relinquish their rights. Crowley, therefore, will become an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any other team after July 1. He was a sixth-round draft pick who finished his junior career this season with Everett of the WHL this season and then played in five games with Norfolk on an amateur tryout contract. It doesn’t mean the team is done dealing with Crowley as they are expected to continue to try sign Crowley to a two-way American League deal, which has been on the table to Crowley for a while. It just means that Tampa no longer has exclusive negotiating rights. Crowley is the team’s only 2006 draft pick who needed to be signed by tonight’s deadline.
Posted by Brad Holland, Palmetto on 06/04 at 10:38 AM
Anyone who thinks that Don Cherry would consider the Bolts job is WAY OUT in left field. He’ll never coach again; neither will Scotty Bowman. Grapes is happy with Hockey Night In Canada and his sidekick Ron Maclean. Scotty is happy being with the Wings and living in Sarasota.
Posted by joan heelan, Illinois on 06/03 at 08:25 PM
I think Torts should have been fired a long time ago. Watching him on tv is a disgrace to hockey.
All his 4 letter words etc on tv for all to see. People like him turn other people off to hockey
Posted by Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 06/03 at 05:14 PM
Ex-Oiler, you may have a point. It’s not the players that are so much the problem, but the inept ownership and management.
Posted by Ex Oiler, Sarasota on 06/03 at 04:34 PM
The thing is Mike would the other coaches want to be associated with the Dolts?
Posted by Greg, Tampa on 06/03 at 04:32 PM
Well Mike the hockey expert from Thailand, Torts beat a Calgary team that didn’t have a lot of talent on it - and everyone in Calgary to this day will say they really one that series in game 6. Oh, and yes Melrose lost with an old Gretzky but they were also up against the best goaltender of all time in his prime playing the best hockey of his life. Perhaps you should try and remember that the coach actually doesn’t get to step out onto the ice during the game - of course maybe they do in Thailand.
You people need to realize that there are not any great coaches available - because great coaches don’t typically find themselves unemployed.
Posted by Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 06/03 at 03:57 PM
Greg, I won’t call you an idiot like you did Rob; however, Melrose couldn’t win the Cup with the greatest hockey player in the history of the world, while Torts did it with much lesser players. There are lots of other coaches out there with much better credentials, who have coached more recently and who haven’t been negative about the Bolts.
Posted by Greg, Tampa on 06/03 at 12:12 PM
Rob you’re an idiot - Scotty Bowman is retired and if he wanted to he could coach any team in the NHL so why would he pick the Bolts - plus he’s also been out of coaching for about 10 years. Oh, and Melrose actually does have a good track record as a coach - he took the Kings to the finals and before that he was a pretty accomplished minor league coach. Oh, and don’t blame him for cheering on Calgary as he is from Western Canada. Torts is a good coach but it was pretty obvious the players in Tampa tuned him out a long time ago.
Posted by Robert Ensor, tampa on 06/03 at 11:52 AM
I am a season ticket holder, but have waited to renew until i see the direction of the new ownership. I have real concerns with Barry Melrose as a potential coach. #1 he doesn’t have a great track record as a coach. #2 he is been out of coaching for 10 years. #3 As a commentator during our stanley cup season he was always negative toward the BOLTZ.. He was overtly for Calgary in the finals. finally, there are other better coaches available than BM, Isn’t Scotty bbowman available? --- I still think Torts is a great coach and should get one more chance to turn this around-- if BM is the caoch I will have a hard time justifying renewal of my season tickets..
Posted by shale, tampa on 06/02 at 02:38 PM
There is a reason why Ramsey is not here any longer. Just imo when your out on the Plaza at the Forum til wee early hours in the morning on a consistant basis it must be hard to wake up and be functional as an assistant not alone as a person to coach in the NHL.
Posted by Don, St. Pete on 06/02 at 11:37 AM
How about Craig Ramsey as a candidate for head coach? I like Rammer and he knows this team pretty well.
Posted by earl scott, springhill on 06/02 at 08:16 AM
Koules is a “shock” movie producer....the world he lives in is not the same world we live in....we pay our hard earned $$$ to go see a game we love and support the players on that team. Koules uses “shock” to get to his audience....it is what he knows....why would he deviate from that when it has served him so well....he must think that to “sell” this team to the area fan base, and/or, make it a winner, he must “shock” it....well, Melrose WILL be that shock...but hockey is not a movie...you can script the moves and wins night after night.
Posted by AJ Johnson, Wesley Chapel, FL on 06/01 at 11:08 PM
... and any of you who think of Tortorella as anything less than one of the very best coaches in the league must think that A) rascal flatts is a good band and B) they play country music.
stick to what you idiots know like shuffleboard and horse exploitation i mean “racing.”
Posted by AJ Johnson, Wesley Chapel, FL on 06/01 at 11:05 PM
way to go Oren Klueless… the first move of many to turn recent Stanley Cup champs into a Mickey Mouse organization as Gretzky once labeled the devils.
Melrose, nor anyone else that’s available, could hold Tortorella’s jock even if he gave them permission.
Posted by shale, tampa on 06/01 at 10:12 PM
If there is an area to blame, I believe it should be the scouting department and not the coach. After browsing around the web, I found this about the past Lightning draft choices. Listed below is a link to all the Lighting draft picks in their history. I see an awful lot of blanks over the past 5-7 without any NHL experience and alot of number one draft pick traded (do not know whom or what they were traded for).
http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/TBL/draft.html
If anything must go first, it has to be the crappy scouting department.
Posted by Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 06/01 at 09:46 PM
Right on Shale,
There are so many, more qualified, coaches on the market at this time that Melrose shouldn’t be considered. He was a mediocre player, then a mediocre coach and now is mediocre broadcaster - not to mention that he needs a haircut. Why condemn the Bolts to total mediocrity?
Posted by shale, tampa on 06/01 at 09:40 PM
One last note. Do not think for a minute that Vinny is not keeping an eye on the situation as well. As we all know, he will be an free agent after this year and if the right staff (assuming that Torts is gone) he may or may not sign a new contract. No matter how much he loves the Tampa area. He is no doubt a top 5 player in this league if not the best and the $$$$$$ will be on the table for that caliber type of player.
Posted by shale, tampa on 06/01 at 09:36 PM
damn it...lost all thoughts. Did not know that there was a character limit.
Here is a list of qualified coaches right now along with a link to the site to see there career stats.
Ron Wilson
Joel Quenneville
Bob Hartley
Pat Quinn
Pat Burns
Paul Maurice
http://www.hockey-reference.com/coaches/
plus this does not include any deserving assistants or minor league coaches.
Posted by shale, tampa on 06/01 at 09:19 PM
Why the support for Melrose???? Pleae do tel me why he has not been a coaching since the early to mid-’90’s??? There must be a reason for it, and now he is going to the next Lightning coach?? Please, lets be realistic. Here is his coaching record…
http://www.hockey-reference.com/coaches/melroba01c.html
PART 2 to follow
Posted by Greg, Tampa on 06/01 at 03:32 PM
I was totally joking about Cherry - he isn’t going to be coaching in the NHL again. Oh and you can dream but there’s absolutely no chance of Babcock leaving Detroit.
Posted by Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 06/01 at 03:27 PM
Greg,
If Grapes would come here to coach, which would be a big if, he would certainly turn the place upside down. just ask Espo, as he played for Grapes and so did a number of people who became Hall of Famers.
Don’t forget that Mike Babcock has not had his contract renewed in Detroit for next year and he is currently out coaching his Pens counterpart in the Cup Finals.
Posted by Greg, Tampa on 06/01 at 01:55 PM
When it comes down to it Torts didn’t consistently get the best out of his players, totally ignored defense, and was too stubborn to make in game adjustments. The writing been on the wall for over a year and anyone that followed the team new a change had to be made.
As for the next coach forget about Barry Melrose I hear Don Cherry is available!
Posted by Matt, tampa on 06/01 at 11:40 AM
Mike,
You are correct in that he was an assistant in the NHL for 10 years. Thats 10 years of being an assistant without getting a head coaching job until the Bolts hired him. How good could he possibly have been? And it’s not like he was the assistant coach on bad teams either. There must have been a reason for him not to get a head coaching job until the Bolts. And I am thinking it had something to do with that attitude of his. And Melrose did take the Kings to the Stanley Cup.
My main question, What did Tortoreela ever do without a WORLD CLASS GOALIE? Look at the last 3 seasons for that answer....
Posted by Ex oiler, Sarasota on 06/01 at 10:44 AM
Come on Erik “ Get your head out of Torts Will you” So the guy won a Stanley Cup, what he did’nt do last season is what matters! The guy just was not on board, so lets stop talking about how he will be missed and his legacy. On another point Melrose has more experience than Torts did when he came here, So give the guy a chance. Lets face it. He cannot do any worse! Last is Last and thats what the team did was come LAST! 2M is just about right what with the price of gas and all!
Posted by chris, jensen beach on 06/01 at 10:01 AM
Lightning will always be known as the 1st team JT took to the peak,probably not the last. Seems like all positions need role players, even coach. Torts was what we needed at the time & now someone else does, all the best John. Not sure about Melrose but if Torts is gone feast should too, a new start is a new start all over. Hollywood style is not necessarily bad, just probably. Hope Ok doesn’t just grab the 1st flashy thing he sees, find the role needed now. God speed John & stay out of the SE please.
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Posted by Robert Ensor, Tampa on 06/08 at 12:01 PM
Gosh- Greg--- You don’t even know me.. Can’t we have a civil discourse about hockey without someone taking a verbal cheap shot when they disagree with someone.
There are some good coaches avaialble: Detroit assistant Todd McClellan for one - but of course no rumors of him talking to the Boltz.
Yes Melrose lost with an old Gretzky - But he never made it back to the playoffs (losing records both years)
In perfect world, the Detroit Red Wings would move to Tampa and Greg would move to Thialand with not internet access…