One of Boltsmag’s longtime readers introduced me to a game that he and a few local bloggers up north put together for Washington Capitals fans and Toronto Maple Leaf fans. It’s called Pick SPG and it’s a pick’em game but not of the traditional sort where you pick the winner of games…

Nope, you’re picking production:

SPG is an online game where you predict which players on your favorite NHL team will get the first shot on net, take the first penalty, and score the first goal for each period in a game, including overtime & the shootout.

There’s more information about the game on the SPG website. Gary would love to add more teams (the Lightning specifically) but there has to be enough interest in order to do it… That and someone dedicated to administrate additional teams.

You are not making the most of first impressions in hockey circles. Just saying.

He’s gone. It can’t be so… But it is?

The last few months I have not been comfortable with the direction of the Lightning. Seeing Brad Richards go was painful – though I am told it was a done deal for a while. Now this.

John Tortorella may have lost the players at one point or another but I believed in his style and how he handled things. Though there was resentment and bitterness at times between the players adn their coach — he wasn’t paid to be Mr. Popular, he was paid to get results. And for a long time he was doign just that.

The rumors have Barry Melrose taking over here in Tampa… Which I took for a joke the first time the rumor surfaced months ago. I still find it a joke, and Oren Koules will not be investing wisely in his purchase if he has already settled on this choice.

As for John, I wish him only the best as he has brought only the best out of the players here in Tampa. His name being engraved on Lord Stanley’s Cup is proof of that. And I don’t think it will be the last time it occurs either.

That last poll? About the #1 draft pick? It’s irrelevant. Brant James article in the St. Petersburg Times this morning shows why. Steve Stamkos will indeed be the top pick for the Lightning.

Why so sure? Because when a sports franchise employs a Hollywood marketing blitz comparable to what has been used the last year for The Dark Knight (in theaters later this summer) hyping a prospect, you know they are big on them.

Seen Stamkos?

(hats off to the guys who thought up the flash mob viral marketing, if it was Koules people or an ad agency somewhere in the Bay area)

I gave no coverage to the Lightning winning the Draft Lottery… But I will ask you for your thoughts on what the Lightning should do with the pick.

[poll=46]

And While we’re at it — and local media lacks any coverage of this stuff — head on over to MyNHLDraft and view some fo the mock drafts and other draft and prospect information.

Holiday Greetings to everyone out there! The NHLFA just sent out this press release that probably won’t get much attention until Wednesday:

We are pleased to announced an opportunity for two fans to bid and win opportunities to be public relations assistants at the 2008 NHL All Star Game weekend in Atlanta held January 25-27. Two fans will help the NHL’s public relations department and assist the game’s best players as they fulfill media availability. The two fans will also spend some quality, private time with the Stanley Cup.

Half of the proceeds from the auction will be given to the charity Hockey Fights Cancer. The other half of the proceeds will go to the NHLFA.

The NHL has stepped up and presented us with a wonderful opportunity for two fans to get up close to the game’s best players. It will be a very memorable weekend for two lucky fans.

The online auction begins on December 25, 2007 and concludes January 12, 2008 at 21:00 hrs (ET). Please (join us on) www.nhlfa.com to bid on these opportunities.

A merry opportunity for two merry causes.

Merry Christmas everyone.

The NHLFA — National Hockey League Fan Association — is celebrating their 10th anniversary this season. For those of you who do not know what the Fan Association is, it is (or was?) an attempt to give fans a direct say in National Hockey League matters.

Jim Boone, one of the founders of the NHLFA, sent out this email:

This note is being sent to the 29,633 Members of the NHL Fans’ Association.

Welcome to the 2007-08 hockey season, hopefully the most exciting season of
NHL hockey ever.

This is a special season for the NHLFA, since it marks our 10th anniversary.
It seems like yesterday we recognized a lack of representation for NHL
hockey fans and decided to create a Web site and announce to the hockey
world we were accepting Members at www.nhlfa.com. Within a few short months
we had over 3000 fans join our team. Today we are inching close to 30,000
fans and are proud to say that we are the largest body of NHL fans in the
world.

Our colorful plans 10 years ago didn’t materialize as colorfully as we had
hoped, but nonetheless we skate forward and continue to nurture the NHLFA.
We have forged trusted relationships with the NHL, the NHL Players
Association and many hockey media. We are respected in this industry and
have gained a reputation as a valuable source of NHL fan opinion. Our
credibility is our strength.

Can you please take a minute to answer a brief mini-poll? Please complete the poll by Sunday, October 14 at 11:59 p.m. ET. We will share the results of the poll with you next
week.

I’m surprised the NHLFA has not grown larger than 30,000 members. There are no dues, there are no meetings (that I am aware of). With the power of the Internet, people join groups with ease. I’m wondering why there hasn’t been more of an electronic push to make the league relevant?

I mean, jeez, Rory Fitzpatrick got the Netroots (in this instance, grassroots-internet-based hockey fans) to almost land him on the All-Star ballot last season. Where’s the Myspace group? Where’s the Facebook community? Where’s the email list? Where’s the blog network of supporters? Or are hockey fans too apathetic to really take part in an organized coalition of fans? You saw these protest groups by the dozen during the lockout and yet how many of them can say that they are still around?

The NHLFA is not irrelevant in any case — simply look at the fans that belittle Gary Bettman, Colin Campbell and other league changes and issues and you will find a passionate fanbase that wants to influence the game of hockey… But with such a rabid base come volatility (”Get rid fo the southern teams! Add more teams to Canada! Ban the salary cap! Ban the New York Rangers!”) and a voice of moderation representing those fans is needed.

Now the question is, can the NHLFA take the next step forward and make itself more relevant to the fans and the National Hockey League? Or will it continue to muddle on and remain on the outside, looking in? I interviewed Jim Boone in 2004 at the beginning of the NHL lockout and he cited costs and time among other issues that hold back the NHLFA (a non profit entity). There are ways to get around those issues, of course, but reaching out to members and the Internet hockey community is the first step in finding that. Boone and Jim Spendlove (his partner) need to take that step.

At any rate, there is a mini survey being conducted at by the NHLFA with some current league issues being among the questions.

With much thanks to Chris at NHL Tournament of Logos, I’ve been made aware of a video of the logo unveiling on YouTube:

Chris also left some comments in the other thread regarding how he feels on the new jersey:

I think the new uniforms look amazing! After 15 years in the league’s most boring sweaters, we finally have something sharp to wear on our backs! The extra splash of blue has me sold. I’m filling out the pre-order form as I write this.

My own thoughts are just left with shock and awe. I have to admit I like the white jerseys more than the black which has usually been the other way around the last few years. I’ve commented that I prefer the logo on black instead of white and yet from the video — it looks better the other way around. The crest with the text is terrible though and hard for me to swallow but other elements are brought along nicely. Some people hate the new number-on-the-front trend but I don’t mind it.

Seeing a player in full gear wearing this thing may change my perception or clarify it. But right now I’m a bit lost. **shrug** Not sold but not pushed away by it.

Update I need to taper the positive and so-so comments with something negative. Lets give Tapeleg at Jerseys and Hockey Love some time on the soapbox:

After seeing the new Tampa Bay Lightning jerseys that were unveiled today, I had one thought…

“Please, don’t let the Avalanche screw up this bad.”

I just don’t get it. Do we need a modern era of hockey jerseys? When (most) any fan of the game from the 70s would tell you that it isn’t a jersey, it’s a sweater, you have to wonder if we need something that looks like a bad science fiction outfit.

I can’t say I disagree with his point. This is the truth of most of the RBK Edge designed jerseys and new logos that have been unveiled.

We’re about a half hour before the grand unveiling of the new logo and uniform for the Lightning. I’m not in attendance at Times Palace but will do what I can to keep everyone informed as things progress.

Meanwhile, giving more credence to the alleged new digs, Chris and his NHL Tournament of Logos has a New Era ballcap with two of the allegedly new Lightning crests.

Update: For the observant, the Lightning have failed to do much updating or allusion to the new logo on their web site. Of course, the Lightning’s web site has been consistent in horridness over the years, so it shouldn’t be too surprising… Still, this is a major buzzworthy event and the lack of trying to churn that buzz a little more makes one wonder how committed the Lightning are to marketing this thing (the jersey/logo).

Update #2: Erik over at the Tribune has a large large LARGE version of the new logo posted on his blog. (Hat tip to Chad who posted this on Sun Sports). You’ll need to scroll down an extral long way to get to the image.

UPDATE #3: And here we are with the dark jersey from TBL.com:

I’d like to add the Lightning finally updated their web site. The jersey above is posted as a splash screen when you venture to TBL.com

UPDATE #4: And now you can see both white and black sweaters. Images of the players in uniform will likely be posted later but I’m getting away from the PC. Here they are for your viewing pleasure:

Also note the poll here at Boltsmag has been updated for opinions on the new sweater:

[poll=14]

UPDATE #5: Let me let Chris at the Tournament of Logos be known to have been at Times Palace and his report on the new Uniforms.

Chris has also (in comments) given us a link to a YouTube video of the unveiling. I must say that seeing the jersey’s actually be worn seems more appealing than when they are simply shown in 2D.

The Dallas Stars report that Rob DiMaio has been added to their scouting staff.

Here’s wishing nothing but the best to Rob and hopes he makes further recovery from post concussion syndrome.

(personal note — I get admitted to the hospital tomorrow)

Checking email this morning from a mobile device, I had received an anonymous heads up that the Lightning were to be sold and everything announced this morning. Naturally I was skeptical because this was a totally anonymous email of course…

Of course, Palace Sports and Entertainment has talked previously about bringing in another owner to soften the financial hurt but to outright sell the team along with the lease to the St. Pete Times Forum (which has been one of the top arenas in the world under Palace Sports management)? There hasn’t even been whispers of this…

Yet it’s all over the place now — The Tampa Bay Lightning have been sold:

The Tampa Bay Lightning will host a press conference today at 11:00 a.m. in the XO VIP Club on the arena level of the St. Pete Times Forum to announce the sale of the team, the leasehold rights to the St. Pete Times Forum and adjacent properties. Thomas S. Wilson, Chairman and Governor of the Lightning, will introduce a new ownership group, Absolute Hockey Enterprises, which includes Doug MacLean, Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. A purchase agreement has been signed by Absolute Hockey, but the ownership transfer is subject to approval by the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors.

Oren Koules is a film and TV producer who is behind the Saw franchise as well as having his name associated with TV’s Two and a Half Men while Jeff Sherrin is a Real Estate executive from Coral Springs. One has to wonder if property rights in the Channel district associated with the Lightning/St. Pete Times Forum lease aren’t one of the factors in this ownership group.

One also has to wonder why Palace Sports is getting out entirely — not holding onto a slither of the ownership of the team in an effort to keep control of the arena? Could it be a pre-emptive move to get out of a faltering financial market? Of course it could simply be the fact the majority of the Palace Sports empire is in Michigan while the Lightning are far away from the Palace Sports epicenter.

More to come as this unfolds…

EDIT 9:17 AM: You can find nothing on Sherrin through Google search. How bad is it? This post comes up near the top of “Jeff Sherrin, Coral Springs” searches. Yikes. His company, Venture Outlet Centers, doesn’t have a web site that turns up in search results either.

EDIT 9:30 AM: Per TSN:

Sources tell TSN MacLean will be the Chairman and CEO of the Lightning while Jay Feaster will stay on as GM and John Tortorella will remain as head coach.

EDIT 10:06 AM: About an hour to go before the press conference begins, a staff meeting has just concluded at the St. Pete Times Forum with Tom Wilson explaining things to staff. It’s believed he discussed the timeline of events about being approached to sell the Lightning, and while Palace Sports has ignored and written off offers in the past, they listened this time. The team is not relocating and Palace Sports would have received a larger amount of money if they were open to the idea of selling to a relocation-minded group.

It’s been almost 2 weeks since the leaking of the Lightning’s new crest and logo and from the poll here on Boltsmag (as well as polls posted on team forums) the reaction to the logo/crest isn’t that positive.

There are aspects I like and I dislike about the logo and both of them have been spoken of in both negative and positive undertones. I don’t know if any of the fans out there can really truly have an opinion until we see the uniforms with the new artwork upon them, but as it stands right now — fans aren’t rallying around these things.

I hadn’t found Erin Chenderlin’s Tampa Bay Lightning blog until Ski mentioned it on a post he did on another site.

Unfortunately Erin won’t be continuing her blogging endeavors as she’s taken an internship with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Congratulations, Erin, and good luck with things.

By chance through a friend I’ve been lured to an image on ModSquadHockey that shows a modified Lightning crest/team logo. It’s much of the same yet it’s very different and follows Jay Feaster’s “modernized” foreshadowing.

I cannot substantiate if this is real or not so take it with a grain of salt but I’d find it easier to believe this is authentic than on other concepts I have seen:

Click the above image for full size.

Boltprospects.com is down and out at the moment with thanks to a lightning strike. As it’s team of writers note — it’s an irony of ironies…

They’ll be back up in a jiff though, and surely will be live again before the NHL draft commences Friday.

A user over at FanHome has stated the suspected Lightning RBK Edge uniform redesign is false, but has also stated that the Lightning’s duds are going to be touched up a bit.

And while we’re on the subject of Uniforms, Sticks of Fire has a poll up on their main site asking which Tampa Bay sports team has the best duds? Go vote…

A couple of months ago, Mike Chen approached me about a contest he was running on his web site for the best worst player in the NHL — someone who was mediocre and who would be the best mediocre player in the game this year. I laughed at the idea but I’m playing along…

…yet it seems like hockey fans around the internet have taken that idea and run with it.

In a move that mimics Netroots activism in politics (rallying people online to achieve major goals), NHL fans on Hockey’s Future’s message board started a write-in campaign for Vancouver Canucks player Rory Fitzpatrick in an effort to mock the NHL’s All-Star voting system by skewering the results. Yeah, I just used some harsh phrasing to define the moment but you know what? I get a kick out of this and I’m all for it. I don’t just get a kick out of this, but I’m amazed that this movement has legs. Check out Calgary Puck, Something Awful, Lets Go Wings, TMLFans.ca and Canucks Central message forums. Myspace and Facebook social networks also have groups devoted to this Western Conference write-in campaign

And yes, this movement has it’s own website as well (sadly pathetic but it serves it’s purpose).

So whattaya say? Vote for Rory as your western conference write in vote!

The Lightning are on Sun Sports a total of 70 times this year. It feels like it’s been a long time since 9 Lightning games were not scheduled to be televised.

What are you doing Saturday?

Next up for bids on this crazy fangled inter-web…

…Tampa Bay Lightning season tickets

Full-season and half-season tickets for prime seats at the St. Pete Times Forum are being auctioned online through Aug. 11, at tampabaylightning.com. Packages include bonuses such as lunch with Lightning General Manager Jay Feaster, golf with Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito, a private tour of the Lightning’s locker room and autographed items from favorite players.

It’s a creative marketing tactic, that’s certain. Just don’t expect an ebay bargain (unless you are a die hard who wants one of the aforementioned extras)

Ingmar Berman holds a fondness for Rick Dudley. Behold this doorway to the past.

He’s much reviled, he’s much ridiculed and yet he was the major architech of the Lightning’s championship roster. Love him or hate him, Rick Dudley is the Natural Man.

I don’t know how long it’s been in place — I only first noticed it on Draft Day — but the Tampa Bay Lightning have added an RSS Feed to their web site.

…the only problem is that it “updates” by displaying the exact same stories over again as if it were breaking news. And when there IS breaking news, the RSS links from the Lightning web site lead to blank pages with nothing at all.

Back to the drawing board, boys…

Lots of people are expressing doubt after the drubbing Tuesday night… One of those people is not former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk:

“I know the guys,” he said.

Dave Andreychuk stopped wearing the Bolt in early January, when he was placed on waivers by the Lightning. He’s still being paid his contract, and he’ll eventually work for the club in another capacity.

Tuesday he was a fan. And a symbol.

“We can come back,” he said.

Martin Fennelly’s piece goes on… Speaking of how Dave’s influence still reigns over the Lightning — he talks to players regularly, though Tuesday’s game was his first at Times Palace since the end of his tenure on the Lightning roster.

When does Lightning show up best? In the dark…

Here’s a request for all fans attending the Ottawa series at Times Palace: wear black. That’s right, black (or something extra dark that is close to black).

It’s a show of pride, a show of support and a show of solidarity. Wear the Lightning’s home colors to the game. You don’t need the Lightning to hand out a t-shirt for you to show support.

Usually it’s the Lightning telling fans what to do… But the franchise itself can’t start every tradition. It’s up to the fans.

Just in case you’re coming to town or already in town from Ottawa for the next 2 games, here’s Witty Librarian’s Skeward Visitors Guide.