TSN is reporting that the Lightning have traded Freddie Modin and newly-signed goalie Fredrik Norrena to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Marc Denis.

As of right now I am echoing the sentiment of my friend here in Tampa who I just mentioned the deal to: “Did McLean by Feaster dinner first?”

Denis’ numbers aren’t spectacular but he hasn’t played behind the best defense in the NHL or anything. A .900 save percentage from last season is a sight better than what John Grahame and Sean Burke posted during 2005-06 for the Lightning….

The Tampa Tribune already has their article up:

”Marc Denis is a solid, steady, durable, proven No. 1 goaltender in the NHL,” Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said. ”He is a workhorse and a fierce competitor with one of the best glove hands in the league. He is also a young man who has not yet reached the prime of his career. We have scouted Marc extensively and had actually targeted him as early as the trade deadline this past season.

”Our belief in his skills and his ability to fit in well within our locker room has never wavered. We are confident Marc will bring us the type of reliable and consistent goaltending we need in order to return our franchise to the type of success we have enjoyed in the past.”

I dunno, folks, I don’t know. It’s not the fan-favorite factor that gets me about this trade. The Lightning aren’t particularly strong on the wing to begin with and losing Fredrik Modin is a huge blow as he, Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis have been a force for this team for the last few years. Who fills the void? Will Nikita Alexeev be brought back to get another chance to forefill his potential that he has failed to do time and again? Does Dmitry Afanasenkov (or Kantgetashotov as some know him as) get promoted to the top two lines while fans pray he learns how to finish? Do the Lightning search the free-agent market for a body? Or do greenhorns in the system get a chance to earn roster spots with the Bolts at left wing?

Also, Denis has played admirably but not other-worldly behind a suspect defense in Columbus… Now he comes to Tampa Bay where the defense is likely to lose one of it’s top four defensivemen (Pavel Kubina) to Free Agency. There’s a likelyhood another rookie will make the roster in order to save money… But then again, the free agency market for defensivemen is deep and Jay Feaster will more than likely wade into the water to find someone who can contribute to the squad…

More questions than answers with the Denis deal, in my opinion. Some may be jumping up and down because the Lightning secured it’s #1 goalie… but fixing a hole may have ultimately compromised the levee.

Young Nicholas learned, on his summer vacation, that you should phear Dan Boyle:

Photo taken at the Shots draft party on Saturday. Credit Boltsmag reader Marsha for the picture

I’ll likely be around for the Draft this evening but I wanted to make sure to make mention of James Mirtle — the bread and butter of hockey reporting online, IMHO — live blogging. The Blog is supposed to be featured on the Glove and Mail sports page. You can jump directly to James G and M blog posts right here.

You have to give props to the late-afternoon draft this year. It may be tough on your patience to wait for the draft to begin in Vancouver, but it certainly turns up the hot stove by at least 10 degrees.

And the Lightning play a dominant role the rumors that are raging on the pre-draft hot stove. There are reports the Bolts are after Evgeny Nabakov from San Jose, or perhaps Marc Denis from Columbus… There’s also a chance J.S. Giguere could be heading this way but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that.

I’ll try to report more as the draft progresses.

Rejoice, Lightning fans… Roberto Luongo is heading for the Pacific Northwest.

A constant thorn in the Lightning’s side since he came to the Panthers several years ago, Roberto Luongo has my respects as possibly the best goaltender in the National Hockey League… He is heading to Vancouver in a blockbuster trade that sends Todd Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers

Going seven games doesn’t improve things for the Edmonton Oilers next season…

Chris Pronger wants out after one season in Edmonton. Mike Peca is on his way out after one season in Edmonton and Sergi Samsanov is rumored to want out.

Definitely not the way to begin a Western Conference title defense.

We’ll know who he choses momentarily.

Just on a personal note — most people have seen Boltsmag has been mostly inactive the past few weeks since the Lightning were bounced in the first round by the Ottawa Senators… I know I said then that I’d be taking some time off, but I didn’t mean to go silent for days and weeks on end. There’s a ton of sports related things and of course Lightning related things that I have not commented on.

I mean, two prominent opinion writers in Tampa Bay are calling for Vincent Lecavalier to be dealt! Isn’t that news? Of course, it’s Martin Fennelly and Gary Shelton who can be as dense as hockey pucks when it comes to the NHL and the Bolts, but it’s still blogworthy.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Tribune has committed another blunder. Not as major or as memorable as their misprint gaffe from 2004 but disrespectful and simply amateurish none-the-less.

Meanwhile, regulars will have noticed there is a new poll up asking about defensive prospects. The top three are known for their first-round draft status with the Lightning from the last three NHL entry drafts… Smaby is the dark horse here who may very well make the jump to the NHL like Paul Ranger did last year.

One of my favorite blogs out there for the longest time has been Matt Baldwin over at Defective Yeti. He’s got a short summaration of the World Cup antics and it reminds me of some of the antics from a little sport on frozen water:

I also love the way how, after the ball goes out-of-bounds or there is foul, each player involved will stop, stare directly at the referee, and act out the call he wants the official to make. And then the ref goes ahead and makes whatever ruling he was going to issue anyway. It’s as if every team were made up of the galaxy’s most ineffectual Jedis.

Of course, the above could also remind one of the NBA or every other sport out there at one time or another… But this post in it’s entirety reminds me of antics from last season in the NHL.

The Lightning have tight finances and have to watch dollars they spend here and there. Fourth line center Martin Cibak is a UFA and likely would command a little more moolah coming his way.

So what does Jay Feaster do? He decides to bring back one of his free agents that were not going to command much money to begin with. There were two Bolts specifically in exile over the course of the last season and Eric Perrin was one of them.

He’s an exile no more, however, as the Lightning has re-signed him to a one year deal.

Two years to the day, we were kings of the world.

Goodbye to Lord Stanley’s Cup, which will be loved and nurtured by a new host in the coming days… Yet Tampa’s title reign will always be something the fans will take with them.

I couldn’t help but post one final shot from 2004. Much thanks to Sharon Loe for permission to use her photograph taken on that magical night.

Double redeux at that:

G. Fredrik Norrena? Check

G. Karri Ramo? Check.

G. Johan Holmqivst? Check.

Ramo’s contract is entry level but Holmqvist will be vying for a role in Tampa Bay (along with Fredrik Norrena). This brings the depth in goal to 3 — not coutning prospects. Rumors still say an NHL netminder will be brought in as well but they remain just that — rumors.