Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/07  at  07:58 PM

The info about J. Smith signing was wrong....he wont be coming to Tampa.....according to hockeybuzz.

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/07  at  07:41 PM

a Hockeybuzz blogger says a deal for Jason Smith is almost done, hes a very solid d-man. As for the forwards, word on the grapevine is that a couple will probably be dealt. Jokinen being the most likely....

Posted by  Goalman, Sarasota on 07/07  at  07:39 PM

I don’t get the Recchi move either unless there is another deal in the works that is going to take a couple of our forwards. Recchi WAS a great player,but is now 40. Please tell me we picked up a solid d-man and dumped Kuba. We could also say goodbye to Gratton. Throw in Ouellet!

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/07  at  07:24 PM

TSN is reporting that the Lightning have signed Mark Recchi to a 1 year, 1.25 million dollar contract....
I dont really understand this one.....

Posted by  Mike M, Gainesville on 07/07  at  04:14 PM

The management would have been pretty stupid not to talk up Boyle before the trade.  Vinny too might get traded but for who?  The Boyle trade has angered a lit of fans but the bolts got a first round D pick from 2006 (Wishart) and Carle is a former Hobey Baker winner, plus some future picks. Tortorella apparently thought that the only college hockey in the US was Maine and that mind set took the bolts to last place last year.  In the end Tampa may have come out way ahead on the Boyle trade, and I don;t think anyone will miss Luckowich.

Posted by  Jordan G, Riverview, FL on 07/07  at  03:45 PM

Maybe Vinny hasnt signed the contract yet because he wants to get a no-move clause or something, if he doesnt already have one lol, so he doesnt find himself in a Dan Boyle situation later on in life.....

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

The problem with Arty was waiting for documentation saying he wasn’t under contract in Russia

Posted by  Big bill, Kathleen,fl. on 07/07  at  02:47 PM

Where’s Artyunhin? Is there something theyr’e not telling us ?

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/07  at  02:46 PM

Steve, Where’s the source of this rumor. Find it and slap whoever started it. Vinny knows it’s business and I bet being unsigned he could have swayed the decision a little, plus they traded Richards who was pretty much his best friend and he’s still choosing to resign.

Posted by  Steve Dobbins, Tampa on 07/07  at  01:19 PM

Any reason why we haven’t heard about Vinny officially signing his big new contract? Latest entry on tbo is that he only agreed in principle. I heard a rumor that he’s a little upset about how the new ownership handled the Boyle situation.

Posted by  MC, Jacksonville on 07/07  at  01:17 PM

Eerily Quiet Today…

Posted by  Justin, Tampa on 07/07  at  11:58 AM

Usually people who boast about their “season tickets” usually have none. If you truly feel that way, go ahead and cancel, save the seat for a fan who supports the team regardless of who is on the team or who owns it.

Posted by  Mr. Blister,  on 07/07  at  09:04 AM

I also like the new owners’ moves made to strengthen all aspects of the team but do not like the owners personally - until we get a reasonable explanation of why the Boyle deal had to go down in such an underhanded way that it disrespected a player who had given his all for this team, my season ticket renewal is on hold

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/06  at  04:04 PM

The Bolts do need an experienced warrior on defense.  For the past several years, we’ve had young whiz bangs there and have been shown up for our lack of abiltiy to handle odd man breaks. 

When the whiz bangers spend so much time on the opposing team’s crease, one of the forwards, like Marty has to drop back to cover the point.  Marty might be defensively responsible, but he’s not a trained defenseman and has great difficulty dealing with a break. 

Let’s get a defensive defenseman who will take the body and not go fishing for the puck.

Posted by  Joe Corr, Winter Springs, FL on 07/06  at  06:27 AM

Jason Smith is too slow for the East.  He needs the more physical, defensive West.  He is a warrior, but was constantly exposed for his lack of speed with Philly.  The team already has it’s old leader in Roberts.  They don’t need Smith, play one of the kids.

Posted by  BILL BERG, Blairsville Ga on 07/06  at  06:00 AM

We must all know that OK HOCKEY has VERY good Hockey people in their fold and ALL are making SOLID hockey moves with every free agent and trades that are being made!!! Lets noty forget anyone has a very favorite player,but the BOLTS finished 30th out of 30 last year so this is not the Hockey Club OK wanted this year! They are trying to put together a Team to win the Southeast again and go as far as possible in Playoffs. Brian Lawton is a VERY SMART hockey man, PLEASE wait to see the final plan come training camp. We will are be VERY happy BOLT fans when you see the final 23 players that make the team and all 23 will be NHL players not Minor league quality!

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/05  at  09:51 PM

If they had tried to dump both Richards and Boyle at the trade deadline, it would have looked like a fire sale.  This way, they were able to extract a good bargain for Richards, then sign Boyle for a long term deal and get more than they could have gotten by dealing both in what would have seemed to be an emergency situation, where they had no real bargaining power.

Actually, it’s a pretty good hockey deal all the way around.  The only problem is in the devious set of lies that they spun in order to do that.  On the other hand, if they had put all the cards on the table, there’s no telling whether Boyle would have “leaked” the deal to the press and put the kybosh on the entire deal because he wanted to stay in Tampa with his honey.

Posted by  BW Galle, Tampa on 07/05  at  09:40 PM

Boyle got to much money, but they siged him before he became a free agent. Thus, they got something in return and dumped a ton of $$$.

Witht he forwards sgin, both Boyle and Lukowitch had to go (especially Boyle). Not enopugh pucks on the ice and Boyle is a defenseman!

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/05  at  09:13 PM

I’m with you Goalman.  It would be a positive move.  So far, the moves have been generally pretty good and they are strengthening all aspects of a team that had placed undo reliance on minor leaguers and called them NHL’ers.

Posted by  Goalman, Sarasota on 07/05  at  09:08 PM

Just read that Darcy Regier(GM of Buffalo) is saying that Jason Smith’s agent is close to a deal with the Lightning. If so, I think it would be a good aquisition. How about you Mike?

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/05  at  09:04 PM

There are many things that I like about the players and the team.  I’m not fond of the owners and management.

What’s wrong with calling a spade a spade?

Posted by  chad, Tampa on 07/05  at  08:59 PM

Mike, Is there anything about the Lightning or their players you like?

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

You have a good point, Berlin.  Since the owners have signed Artyukin to play with Tarnasky and Gratton, that probably means that both are gone now.

When they speak, we have to try to figure out what the owners are telling lies about.  Good to have such owners, as it keeps us on our feet.

Posted by  berlin, sarasota on 07/05  at  05:01 PM

Would be dumb to dump Ouellet. He had awesome numbers with the Halpern and Darch line.He’s a perfect fit.Course these bonehead owners probably don’t see that.Suppose they’ll get rid of Tarnasty too.

Posted by  Mike Joyce, Bangkok, Thailand on 07/05  at  03:11 PM

I think there is more to come.  This is a minor leaguer.  Can we move Kuba while we are at it?  He was even worse as a defenseman than Boyle.