Posted by  Brent, Lutz on 07/01  at  04:41 PM

P.S.  Go RAYS!  Beat those whiners from boston.

Posted by  Brent, Lutz on 07/01  at  04:40 PM

Seems like we should find a place for MacDonald since he gave up 12 chiclets and had 52 stitches in a 30th place season!  Loving the moves of OK Hockey!  Hopefully someone can explain to Mr. Davidson what this all means! 

Go Bolts!

Posted by  Go SOX Go, Boston on 07/01  at  04:18 PM

I been an Olie fan for 12 years, ever since we both got are mask painted by Mike Myers and been a fan since. I’m sure going to take some trips to Tampa in January and February…

Posted by  billy, sunny florida on 07/01  at  02:05 PM

berlin i love the lines but oullett is not going to play if we get rolston and verbata would go down to play w/ jussi and halpern/craig

I LOVE HOCKEY IN TAMPA lol… quality people coming in with a passion and ideas to get us out of our little mess…

Defensively: its time to address the defense using free agency. if rolston doesn’t sign go after the big defense men..

in my opinion melrose and company knows that the NHL is getting faster and all that so they are buying into the two way players: Verbata, Rolston, halpern, all those guys. This will help our D out even if they aren’t top quality boys…

Go lightning and thanks Erik

Posted by  Anne Legault, Avon Park, FL on 07/01  at  02:04 PM

berlin, love your line up! I can hear the fans now shouting “4th line! 4th line!!” whenever our elite players take a hit… LOL!! GO BOLTS!!!  All we used to shout was “We want Roy!”... three for one sounds better, oh, but the penalty box will be busy!

Posted by  tom counts, florida on 07/01  at  02:00 PM

I like the signings…should have plenty now. Lets not turn into the “yankees” of hockey….trading away all our future draft picks for players who we dont know if theyll pan out or not. We dont want to leave the cupboards bare. Malone and Vrbata should have an immediate impact. I just hope that players like Picard and Smaby dont get lost in the mix. Those two really played tough physical hockey on defense which we lacked most of the year.

Posted by  dale, fl on 07/01  at  01:58 PM

So is Artyukhin back in the mix, I haven’t heard that he was? 

I guess Darche, Andre, MacDonald, Carlson are out of the picture. Craig will fill in for Halpern, then what? If all these guys are at training camp there will be some tough calls to be made.  I hope Nick makes the cut.

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/01  at  01:39 PM

berlin that 4th line you made…definately is brutal. If Artyukhin is on the ice, “oh yes, there will be blood.” lol

Posted by  Greg, Tampa on 07/01  at  01:28 PM

Leadership - Kolzig has spent basically all of his career on crappy teams that never went anywhere? - just because you’ve been in the league along time doesn’t mean you are a leader - and he didn’t like sitting on the bench last year behind Huet so I don’t buy into the idea that he just wants to be a backup.  If they pay him anymore than a million dollars it’ll be a waste because Homer could do exactly the same thing for that price.

Posted by  berlin, sarasota on 07/01  at  01:13 PM

Here’s how the lines should be in my opinion.

Prospal Vinny Marty
Malone Stamkos Vrbata

Oulette Halpern Jokinen

Tarnasty Gratton Artukin

You can’t tell me that 4th line doesn’t sound brutal for opposing teams.Not to mention they can score.
Problem is it leaves no room for Roberts or Rolston to start anyway.And I really hope we keep Craig Mcdonald around he seems to outwork everyone and do so many things that don’t always get noticed.But we really need some defensive signings.Last years D was horrific!!

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/01  at  01:11 PM

But Kolzig brings a leadership background that Holmer can’t bring. It would also bring a similar situation to what Smith had with Turco in Dallas. Kolzing knows where ever he signs he will likely be backup. He spent the end of the season as backup and the man knows he is almost done. Let him mentor Smith, Ramo and Riku like he has his goalies in Tri-City (Pickard and Price). Nothing like a guy that has been in the trenches as long as he has to pass that on.

Posted by  dale, fl on 07/01  at  01:07 PM

thanks justin, i feel better.

go bolts!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by  Greg, Tampa on 07/01  at  01:07 PM

All we need is a backup goalie - you don’t trade Richards for Smith without giving Smith a legit chance to be the #1 guy - and Homer is just as good a backup as a 50 year old Kolzig and we’d probably be able to get him for a third of the price - besides Kolzig has never been a backup so you can’t say for certain that he’d be content as a backup.

Posted by  Bill Smith, Central FL on 07/01  at  01:06 PM

Yea. Additions may spell the end of Grats and Roy in Tampa. If goaltending is addressed, maybe we will have a chance

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/01  at  01:03 PM

Well Dale, we just have to see what happens. So far it looks good. Loading up on talent may have not worked for some teams but it did good for Dallas, Did good for Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philly…But the people we have on our roster right now, its a little far fetched but half our roster could make up the eastern all-star team.

Posted by  dale, fl on 07/01  at  12:52 PM

I like the signings so far, however, I’ll like then alot more when the bolts are 16-6-3 after 25 games. These guys need to come in and be a Tampa Bay Bolt, like Vinny, Marty, & DAN are. They have got to be team players.  The Rangers, Canuks and others have failed tring to build teams in this fashion.

Sorry, the cup is half full and I shouldn’t be worried, right?

Posted by  DoubleA, Largo on 07/01  at  12:50 PM

The comment wasn’t directed towards the people on here already. It was just a general comment. Before all of this news a good percentage of the comments were negative. You know who you are!! I just thought it was amusing.

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/01  at  12:47 PM

Why resign Homer? That would put us back at step one.

Posted by  Greg, Tampa on 07/01  at  12:39 PM

forget Kolzig, Auld or Conklin just resign Homer

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/01  at  12:39 PM

The attitude has definately changed. As soon as I heard that Koules was taking ownership I was more than pleased and knew that he’d turn the team around (well, we will see when the season starts.). It is pretty funny though, everyone who didn’t want “Mr Hollywood 1st time franchise owner” will more than likely be buying Malone Tee’s.

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/01  at  12:32 PM

DoubleA why do you assume that those currently on here are the same that were unsupportive of the new owners? I wasn’t - a little unsure but not unsupportive. Pretty much anything could have been better than Palace Sports.

Posted by  DoubleA, Largo on 07/01  at  12:28 PM

I love how most peoples attitudes have completely changed towards the new ownership now that their making all these moves in free agency. Be real fans and support your team no matter who’s playing and who’s making the decisions upstairs!!!

Posted by  Steve, Lutz on 07/01  at  12:24 PM

Great, let’s move on Kolzig and a stay at home defenseman (Smith would be great). Then we can unload a defenseman (Kuba?) and an extra forward (Craig? or Ouellet?) to get back some draft picks and cap space.

Posted by  BOLTS RULE !!!!, Tampa on 07/01  at  12:23 PM

how could Rolston not want to come to Hockey Bay, This team is going to win with alot of scoring next year, so what if the other teams scores 3-4 goals, with these lines we should be having 7-9 goals a game.

Kolzig would be great for Smitty to be around and pick up a little goalie knowledge from, Conklin would be competitive with Smitty and both would be on top of their game because they want to play. Looks like a great Free agent period so far, looks like I’m glued to the computer to see what TB does next.

GO BOLTS !!!!

Posted by  Geografer, Spokane, WA on 07/01  at  12:14 PM

With Vrbata we don’t need Rolston. Hope the get Olie as the Leafs have signed Cujo to a one year contract. That leaves the back-up options smaller - though I would still love to see Conklin come in.