How many people are looking forward to the Winter Classic this year?
[poll id=55]

While we’re at it, of the three teams at the top of the Southeast division standings, who’s best poised to win the division? (still a long way to go on that one, anything can happen, but consider it a “what if” question):
[poll id="54"]

And seeing I asked this question last summer but got such a low participation turnout, I’ll ask again for impressions of OK Hockey, owners of the Lightning. Yes, it’s a loaded question but I might as well ask:
[poll id=49]

Feel free to use the comments to voice opinions on any of the above topics.

I wrote off bringing in Jassen Cullimore in pre-season. Maybe that was a mistake. Or maybe circumstances would make it look like it was?

Jassen’s not putting up big numbers for the Panthers — that’s no shock — but he’s stable. Though he’s only played in 21 games this season, he’s averaging 14:38 of ice time and is a solid plus 7 at this juncture. If Cullimore was back on the Bolts, however, the situation he would be playing in would be different from where he is now…

Here’s the Lightning defense numbers for you to look at:

Look at Brad Lukowich’s numbers. He was supposed to be 3rd pair this season (with Boyle, Ranger, Kuba and O’Brien playing in front of him). With Dan Boyle’s injury, Brad’s been asked to do much more and he’s averaging almost 18 minutes of ice time… And weighing down the D with a minus 16. I’m not putting blame on Brad as so much pointing at the numbers.

If Cullimore were here, it’d likely be the same case — more games, more ice time, more asked of him and lower numbers.

However, those numbers would likely be better than Doug Janik’s. The other drag on the defense in his non versatility on ice, Janik’s TOI average of 11 minutes or so puts more pressure on the kids (2nd year player Shane O’Brien and rookie Mike Lundin) to cover. Of course, others have had the opportunity to step in and beat Doug for a roster spot — but that didn’t happen. So Doug is playing where and as he should — as a #6 defensiveman… All while I was expecting the rookies (be it Lundin, Smaby or others) to serve the role and be brought along slowly.

Dan Boyle’s return can’t come soon enough… But then again, getting the ownership situation squared away couldn’t come soon enough either — having a de-facto roster freeze doesn’t help remedy the ills of the franchise.

I watched parts of the Lightning game last night… Parts. Oddly it was always the parts where the Lightning stood around and couldn’t move the puck up ice. They played a poor mans dump-and-chase and had no desire to do much more than give the Capitals what amounted to even-strength power play opportunities.

John Tortorella is pissed and wants “no excuses” for the loss. Of course, he wouldn’t flat out call his team pathetic or inept… But that’s exactly how they are playing. There’s a lack of passion once you get below Lecavalier, St. Louis, Richards and Prospal. Jan Hlavac is doing so poorly he’s been demoted to the fourth line (note to my friend Jes Golbez — it appears you were right when you scorned the addition of Hlavac this summer).

I feel flat out sorry for Karri Ramo who has played his ass off the last few games. Here’s a 21 year old goaltender standing toe-to-toe with one of the NHL’s elite netminders in Olaf Kolzig and what’s happening? His team gives up in front of him.

Read that again: his team gives up in front of him.

That’s the only way to term last night. They flat out gave up. I won’t say that everyone on ice didn’t try or put an effort out there. They did, however, fail to look like they were competing in the end. And the lame duck season will continue unless the ownership situation solidifies soon (meaning don’t expect cavalry to swoop in via a trade or management change any time soon).

Meanwhile, Caps land is rejoicing a new found glory in their new coach… Oh, and the win. RJ can find two positives — and only two and that’s not surprising. Ramo, Lecavalier, and then suckage… that was last night.

A casual October has left the Lightning in 2nd place in the Southeast division but trailing the Carolina Hurricanes with thanks to that casual-October. Today and tomorrow will be the biggest test — endurance wise — the Lightning have yet to face this season as they play back to back games.

Is Jason Ward a better fit on the 2nd line than Michel Ouellet? He’s not a natural goal scorer but… well, Michel Ouellet isn’t proving to be much of one either. The difference is there is more click-age between Bradmaster and Jason Ward than with Ouellet.

On the blue line, the question is which D-man stays and which one goes when Dan Boyle comes off Injured Reserve? Matt Smaby seems like the most likely suspect at this time — and I feel sorry for him knowing that things in Norfolk are complicated defensively right now.

At any rate, Jaspers Rink has a rundown on tonights matchup (with complimentary quotes from me and RJ to boot).

The game is not a brush-off campaign that the Lightning can fart around with – it’s another must Southeast Division matchup. Yeah, it’s a long season, but with the team ending slow the previous two, winning now will likely prove vitally important if they end the season lackluster once again this season.

Hartley’s gone in Atlanta.

TSN.ca’s reporting Don Wadell has cut loose Bob Hartley and will take over duties behind the bench for the Thrashers. While TSN.ca notes the slow start, they should have made a point to stress the team has lost 10 straight if you include the Rangers sweep of the Thrash in the 2006-07 playoffs last April. One could have expected both Wadell and Hartley to be handed walking papers after a retooled-for-the-playoffs team fell down and went boom, but that wasn’t the case. Hartley survived, Wadell survived.

Now Bob is gone… And one has to wonder how much more time ownership will give Wadell to make something out of the team he’s been stewarding?

If there was one thing apparent watching Johan Holmqvist and the Lightning defense against the Florida Panthers on Friday, it was the fact that they drove home the idea things would be different this season early on. How many odd-man breaks Holmer thwarted and how many times the Defense swept in from behind to rescue Johan is beyond count for me. Indeed, something was different tonight.

Holmer stops 30 of 31, Chris Gratton scores twice and the Lightning hang on to win 2-1.

The most disturbing thing about this game was the M-V-P line being pass-happy while the Panthers were clouding passing lanes rather well. Add to the fact that the Lightning tended to shoot low on Craig Anderson — resulting in Lightning shots eating goalie padding — and the teams 23 shot performance doesn’t particularly wow those who have seen the Bolts offensive surge the past two games.

This game was won on defense and between the pipes — hats off to Johan and company for doing what the Bolts failed to do last season and (mostly) shutting down the Panther offense. Their lone goal being a flukey, bouncy, roll-around tip in that got through Holmqvist’s pads. The team improves to 3-0 and heads on the road to Miami.

Johan Holmqvist starts in net tonight for the Lightning against Florida…

…

Let me say it again, maybe this will register for some of your die hards and some of you non-die-hards. Johan Holmqvist starts in net tonight versus the Florida Panthers. In six games versus the Kitties in 2006-07, he was 1-2 with a 4.88 GAA and a .841 save percentage. Do I need to go on? To put it shortly, Johan was a disaster versus the Panthers for one reason or another. Versus numerous opponents last year, he looked fine if not great in net. But when it came to the Panthers it wasn’t the greatest performance that he could put up… And that’s putting it lightly.

18 Goals allowed and 113 shots faced in six games. That’s only close to 19 shots a game for the mathematically challenged. That’s unacceptable.

But here we are, it’s a new season, a new start… Will Johan make the most of this tonight or will we see Marc Denis getting his first action of the season to spell Holmer? I’m hoping for the former and fearing the latter. I made a big deal about the Lightning playing a division rival on Saturday and this is just as big… Division rival trying to reverse it’s losing ways with a new backstop with a reputation all his own. If the Lightning fall into the same trap as last year against the Panthers, this could end badly.

That’s why I’m wariest about Holmer regressing into 2006-07 form for tonight.

Atlanta visiting Tampa Bay on Saturday night was overshadowed in the south with college football (LSU hosting Florida and a full slate of college football games in the ACC, Big East and SEC) that got everyone’s attention.

It hit me during the 2nd period, before Brad Richards break away short handed goal, how big a game this first match-up between the Thrashers and the Bolts was. It wasn’t just the 2nd game of the Lightning’s season but it was a matchup between a bitter division rival — last year’s Southeast division champion. A team that gives the Lightning fits at times and takes advantage of the Bolts when they aren’t firing on all cylinders.

The Thrashers vs. the Lightning is something hockey fans in the area should know is a big deal… how come it felt like anything but going into this game? It’s a long season but to be competitive, the Lightning are going to have to play well against all SE teams, not who they chose and when they chose.

And seeing the Thrashers are the reigning kings of the hill — with thanks to the Lightning not playing as it needed to at times down the stretch last season — and meeting them head on and trumping them in a contest should be looked at as imperative even this early in the season. Getting lucky and playing them on no rest (Atlanta only mustered 13 shots as proof of them being tuckered out) is a positive and the Lightning didn’t waste the opportunity.

The M-V-P line (Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier, Vaclav Prospal) continued it’s play as an offensive juggernaut that became apparent last season. Proposal especially is benefiting at the moment from Vincent Lecavalier’s incredible play, netting two goals with thanks to Lecavalier and redirecting a Martin St. Louis shot.

Meanwhile, Brad Richards finally stepped to the plate and scored twice — both on special teams (SHG and PPG). All in all it was a good night of play and a 5-2 victory to show for it.

…Now if there had only been more hype to this game before hand, as it may carry great weight come spring 2008.

Chris at the Tourney of Logos has done a solid job all off season covering the RBK Edge change over and keeping fans involved via polls and other user-created-content requests.

At any rate, he’s got a Southeast Division concepts post that leads off with a Lightning design that I myself have sorta pondered but have never been able to pull off…. It’s a very modern design of the Lightning crest that eliminates basically all we know.

But it works. At least for me.

I won’t post it here, there is more than one concept but it’s the top one that captivates me. It’s also a little late now for a new Lightning concept but like I said, this one compelled me… Some people might hate it but it’s such a nuevo concept… Hmm

The fire sale in Nashville continues as Tomas Voukon has been shipped into the Southeast division and to the Florida Panthers for the Panthers first round pick (#10 overall) and 2 second round selections.

This also confirms the Lightning had #47 snatched up by the Panthers this year (which was the conditional pick in the Chris Gratton trade).

Are these the Washington Capitals new jersey’s?

….I’m more interested at this moment in what is going to happen to Thrashers after last night’s humiliating close to the season.

…and Nashville too, sorta, as there big deadline risk is not paying off.

In Atlanta, I have to wonder if their deadline retooling and harsh close to the season (not just the playoff sweep but unconvincing, backing-into-the-playoffs effort) will result in firings of both Don Waddle and Bob Hartley or one of the two (or neither?)

As for Nashville, I never thought that the Forsberg trade was worth it and right now the Preds are proving it to me. In fact, some Preds fans are thinking the entire deck of cards is about to collapse.

At any rate, I should be focusing on Tampa Bay’s own problems (a full game of hockey, gentlemen) more than other teams around the league right now… But these two circumstances are interesting none-the-less.

So the Lightning have their playoff berth in hand (backed in, it feels, once again). What they don’t have is prime seeding right now in the top 3.

That can change.

The best thing the Lightning can do right now is play like they control their destiny. Last season, they fell flat on their faces when seeding mattered against a weaker opponent. I’m hoping that doesn’t happen again, but that can be the case tonight.

The Thrash got tripped up, dropping tonights game versus the Capitals 3-2

93 Points for the ATL. 92 Points for the TBL… 2 games left for both franchises with one head to head matchup remaining — that being the last game of the season.

With a roster loaded with veterans, loaded with experience, added-to at the deadline for a playoff run… The Carolina Hurricanes are hear-by vanquished to the land of one-hit-wonders.

Yes, that’s right, by way of Tampa Bay’s victory over the Canes tonight (and coupled with the victory by the Montreal Canadiens). the defending Stanley Cup Champions are eliminated from playoff contention. The best the Hurricanes can manage is 90 points, the same point total as Les Habitantes who own the tie breaker with more victories.

And the Lightning? They currently stand one point behind Atlanta for the division title (while Atlanta has one game in-hand).

I’m wagering that tonights game in Raleigh will be the make-or-break game of the Lightning’s 2006-07 season. With a loss, you can register John Tortorella’s guarantee as bullshit through and through (no offense to John. It won’t be your mistakes or miscues that result in a loss). The race in the east is too tight to figure the Lightning will slink into the playoffs someway, and somehow.

With a win, though…. With a win….?

On a personal note, I apologize once again for being MIA so much. There have been several stories that should have been blogged but my focus has been elsewhere.

On ANOTHER personal note, if Boltsmag suffers downtime — please do not mistake it for me shutting down this site. It’s only hosting/server issues.

OK, someone tell me directly that I shoved my foot in my mouth… Or better yet, the Lightning shoved my foot in my mouth.

In a quick reversal of fortune — that can quickly change again if the Lightning let up — they go into tonights home game versus the Ottawa Senators with a shot at first place in the Southeast Division and the #3 seed in the east. The Thrashers hath fallen to the Pittsburgh Penguins this afternoon (2-1 final) and that puts pressure on the Lightning to perform.

Packed house at the arena expected tonight, as the Lightning box office was selling standing room only tickets as of this morning. Times Palace will be rocking if not for playoff calibre hockey (or so we hope) but also with people wanting to see Vincenzo tally #50 on his scoring belt for the year.

March Madness ain’t shit compared to playoff push hockey.

It’s go time in Atlanta… First place in the SE at stake for both clubs.

Technically the Lightning are the #3 seed in the East right now, and that hangs in the balance as they have the opportunity to claim a true point margin lead over the Atlanta Thrashers in the standings tonight when they face off in game 2 of a home and home series with the Panthers at the Forum.

Will this be a rivalry game, with vengeance in mind for the Lightning who played disappointingly against the Panthers the other night? Or will this be a schooling by the Lightning? Putting the Panthers firmly in their place as a bottom dweller of the NHL?

En fuego and now in the lead, chat away if you’re not at the game…

Here kitty kitty kitty….

WIth a win, the Lightning return to a farmiliar place — the top of the Southeast Division. That’s with a win…. 60 minutes of solid hockey and a team effort are all it takes to get there…

Alex and Vinny and Marty, oh my!

Alex and Vinny and Marty, oh my!

Game night at Times Palace and as Ski (he of Best Bucs Blog fame) so eloquently stated, it truly is go time in the southeast.

The one lick of credibility the division has lacked since it’s inception has been bonafide playoff contention by a number of teams at one point. Right now 3 are in the hunt and all are grouped near the top of the division. Probably not a first but it’s certainly an unexpected bonus for Bolts fan…

Scoreboard watching in February.

And while we’ll be paying close attention to things on ice with the Thrashers, Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes, what we really have to look at is what Don Waddle, Jay Feaster and Jim Rutherford do to put their teams over the top… Waddle specifically is in a bind with the last two Stanley Cup champions on his teams heels riow.

Of course, this rambles past the main draw for tonights game, and I will leave you with exactly what I started this post with….

Alex and Vinny and Marty, oh my!

Alex and Vinny and Marty, oh my!

I didn’t listen to tonights radio broadcast of the Lightning vs. Capitals game, but from what was passed on to me – it sounded familiar in a negative sense and (upon reading the recap) familiar in a highly positive sense.

The negative sentiment was directed at the Lightning special teams not taking advantage of opportunities and the Lightning offense not capitalizing more against the Caps (but they were facing Olaf Kolzig). When I heard Vinny Lecavalier scored on a 5-on-3 to tie it, visions of last season danced before my eyes and memories of listless and uninspired play with lone goals on lop sided Power Play opportunities (if at all).

Dan Boyle’s game-winning, overtime goal (also scored on a power play) cemented that thought in my mind.

But lets get to the good news. The one stat that stands out to me is Marc Denis 40 saves. Denis, whose stats were less-than-stellar during scrimmages over the past few days, let in an early goal (on the 2nd shot of the game) but settled down. I wish I had seen the game to be able to comment on the defensive effort in front of him and what not…

Sorry for the blind-eye comments on the game… Bolts win the Preseason opener 3-2 in overtime.

Bolt Prospects reports that Timo Helbling has been released and has had the fact confirmed by Jay Feaster. News off that site also suggest Helbling has signed a two-way deal with the Washington Capitals.

Step right up and witness the 2006-07 Tampa Bay Lightning schedule!

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