Karri Ramo (whose name I mispeeled in the previous story) and Jay Leach have been called up by the Bolts.

This doesn’t get me excited whatsoever. Ramo needs time. Leach? Career AHL’er.

Oh, it gets better:

Ramo said at practice that he’d been told he would play Thursday night against Toronto.

So the Bolts are prepared to potentially toss Karri Ramo to the wolves, eh? Fantastic. I’m not doubting Karri Ramo entirely - except he has no numbers to justify some of the hoopla I’ve seen about this move… The chips are also down and this isn’t the type of situation anyone would want a young goalie to be used under.

Yeah, it’s been quite a while but Ryan Craig actually appeared in the news, he’s been sent to the Norfolk Admirals on a conditioning stint after his lengthy time on IR.

But I don’t honestly know how this will play out in the end. It’s not like Craig MacDonald has played poorly. Or Darche…

The one telling sign that there is trouble in the House of ‘Ning (and by God I vowed to never use that nickname to describe the Bolts, shame on me!) was Jay Feaster loading up on defensive depth this off season. Those acquisitions have bogged down the Norfolk Admirals in while they have been short on forwards. The Lightning franchise as a whole lacks offensive depth at this time as well (and please, no one cite Alexander Polushin. That ship has sailed)

Last weekend, at the request of Jay Feaster, Mike Egener was inserted at wing on Blair Jones and Kyle Wavnig’s line. Mike was Jay Feaster’s first draft pick as GM and has been bounced around in the minors while trying to adapt his game to the “New NHL™”. While Matt Smaby, Vladmir Malhik and Andy Rogers have kept the Lightning’s attention as defensive prospects, Mike seemed to fall out of the teams graces (even if certain fans by the name of ME kept hoping he’d get his shot).

So the Egener Experiment commenced. And lo and behold what happened? OntarioFan’s comment surmises Egener’s weekend on the wing:

On a unrelated note. Mike Egener had a good weekend playing forward and surprised the coaches with his ability to battle in front of the net and actually score. Few realize that because his father was in the army and the family moved often that he was forced to play defence to make new teams. He began as a forward and played that position until he was 11-12 and was a goal scorer! If he is given a lengthy chance he might be an asset.

Mike clicked on the wing? BoltProspects.com furthers the tale of the Wing and the Eg:

With the Norfolk Admirals short on forwards to start the year due to four recent signees experiencing work visa issues, and a hoard of defensemen vying for coveted starting spots, it seemed like the perfect time for a career change of sorts for Egener. At Lightning General Manager Jay Feaster’s request, Egener was moved up to the wing. The 6-foot-4, 213-pounder responded with an honest effort each night, physical play, and even chipped in a rare goal against his former team, Springfield.

Egener’s career high for goals in a year - at the WHL, ECHL, or AHL level - is three (2004-05 Springfield).

…

“We are going to continue experimenting with him on the wing,” Feaster told Bolt Prospects. “We need his toughness in the line-up and we think he is a better fit on the wing. He likes it and is having some success.”

So what can be made of this in all honesty? A fast skater, booming slap shot who has played defense most of his amateur and professional career now playing a proactive role on offense instead of reactive role on defense? While Boltprospects article compares Egener’s position switch with Ben Clymer’s switch in 2001-02, I’d like to think the sky is much more the limit for Mike and what he can accomplish for himself and the team. A power wing with two way prowess is a commodity in this league.

As some of you may have noticed, we have a new poll here asking who amounts to the biggest off-season acquisition for the Bolts?

I added two names that were brought in specifically for depth — Lampman and Jancevski who both have a shot at the #6 D-man role. The poll race truly should be between four players and the roles they may or may not be playing with the Lightning this year:

Center Chris Gratton: Welcome back Grats. I’m still a little miffed that we gave up a 2nd to get Chris back in the fold but he’s an upgrade to Tim Taylor in that he’s younger, he’s willing to do more, he’s got a reputation for scoring somewhere near 40 points a season — which is much more than Taylor chips in — and has leadership abilities (though he will not be wearing the A or C while Vinny, Marty and Brad are around or Tim for that matter). I know I vented because this is Gratton’s third tenure with the team and he’s played the journeyman roll in the league since his last appearance in a Lightning uniform (Buffalo, Colorado, Phoenix, Florida with the Flyers having been his 2nd team after his initial spell with the Bolts)… yet I couldn’t help feeling like this is where Chris is supposed to be after seeing him at the jersey unveiling and reading some of his quotes regarding the turnout for Ice Fest. He was part of the 1996 first-playoff team but you realize what he’s missed out on in TB? The ascent of the franchise from dismal or also-ran status (even in 1996 where the team was competitive) to the Cup championship team. Hockey’s not so new here any more, Chris, nor taken as a novelty… Welcome to HockeyBay. Gratton will likely helm the third line while chipping in on special teams…

Oh, and Bruce? The insinuation he is capable of replacing Brad Richards remains ridiculous.

Defensiveman Brad Lukowich: For all the hell that Marc Denis and Johan Holmqvist have gotten for quality-of-play last season, I found (more times than not) lackluster play in front of them from lower defensive lines to be as much of a problem as keeping the puck out of the net. Note Holmqvist’s 9-1 shootout record and how he plays one-on-one… Then complicate that picture by throwing 2 guys who are supposed to be helping him and extra attackers in front of him and you see Johan as merely a passable goalie and a highly questionable #1. Why is that the case? Answer: Because Corey Sarich is not a poke-check artist and Nolan Pratt is a 7th defensiveman playing on the third pairing. Oh sure, Boyle, Kuba, Ranger, Janik, Richardson and O’Brien can receive blame and get crap thrown at them too for dropping the ball at times too. But the point is that adding Brad Lukowich back to the mix brings in stability, experience and shot-blocking expertise to the blueline. This will likely help relieve some pressure on the goalies which could make a very big difference in the team’s record. But that remains to be seen.

LW Jan Hlavac: You see those skates that Jan is scheduled to wear on ice this season? They once belonged to Fredrik Modin. How’s THAT for high hopes and expectations? The hope is that Jan plays the role of power-forward next to Brad Richards and contributes… But for a player who has been out of the NHL for the last two seasons (three if you include the lockout 2004-05 season), that’s a mighty tall order.

RW Michel Ouellet: Is the Bradmaster’s magic with Michel still possible? Will Hlavac click as well and give the Lightning a two line offensive threat again? You can read the recent Rimouski Risk post and see some of the ups and downs of Michel, but the promise is there — even if the correct spelling of his last name is not.
(more…)

Doug Janik signed a 2 way contract with the Lightning today (this is days after Karl Stewart also was re-upped) and immediately sticks his foot into the #6 D-man role by default. Whatever your opinion is of Janik — he is a veteran of the Lightning’s defensive system which puts him in the lead among the new depth signings and prospects.

But this benchmark can easily be jumped by most anyone on the Lightning’s defensive depth chart at current. Lampman, Jancevski, Smaby, Rogers, Egener, Malhik need to perform (at whatever level and whatever pre-season training camp — Traverse City or Brandon at the Ice Sports Forum) better than Janik to begin their quest for a roster spot. Getting past each other, however, may prove more difficult than getting past Doug Janik though.

The Lined Up Update has been updated to coincide these transactions.

Jay?

Thanks for listening…

Jay Feaster
General Manager
Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey Club
401 Channelside Drive
Tampa, Florida 33602

7-15-2007

Dear Jay Feaster —

It’s been a couple of months since I talked to you directly about the future of the Tampa Bay Lightning… That was at the trade deadline where I implored you not to make a move that would put the Lightning’s long term picture into murky territory if you made a move for a big name instead of planning for the long term.

Yet here we are, just a few months later and there is a rumor Jassen Cullimore will be brought back to Tampa to round out the defense, again shutting the door on the young players in Tampa Bay’s system. Smaby, Rogers, Egener, Mahlik — by selecting these players near the top of the last few drafts, you have committed the franchise to them. There are rumblings, however, that this isn’t the case. Management doesn’t seem comfortable with these players for one reason or another and more depth at defense has been brought in. Brad Lukowich was re-acquired in part because he knows the system and fills that depth need. And now there are rumblings that Jassen Cullimore - another former Lightning player that will it your “locker room chemistry” MO, will be brought in as defensiveman #6.

Please, no.

This isn’t sullying Jassen Cullimore and what he has meant to the team in the past. This is, however, thinking both long term and present with the Bolts. The past the past and trying to re-capture the past through old roster members doesn’t always work out in professional sports. The team needs to plan for the future and start addressing the future by giving other players the shot at the #6 defensiveman role. You do recall the 2005 pre-season, where John Tortorella was happy with no one as a 6th defensiveman, correct? Timo Helbing ended up making the roster for opening night, and yet in a matter of days Paul Ranger replaced Helbing in the lineup and shined with his opportunity.

You’ve voiced the desire to have the Lightning’s defensive prospects play more minutes in Springfield instead of potentially riding the pine in Tampa… Just when are they supposed to get NHL experience though? How are they supposed to break into the league? Mid season in last-resort call-ups?

Jay, these players need exposure to the NHL game. Filling out the roster with seasoned veterans may be perceived as the clearest path for the 2007-08 season but what about beyond that? The focus cannot be on the immediate return at all times, it has got to be on both current and long-range planning. That’s why I liked the Shane O’Brien acquisition and that’s why I’m asking you to let the prospects and “depth addition” acquisitions get a shot at the role. Stunting and blocking the growth of the players you’ve invested time and patience in isn’t the way to go about things unless you intend to move these players for other pieces of the puzzle.

When will the Lightning chose if their prospects are pieces of the puzzle? Deferring that moment to a later time clouds the franchises long term future and risks the team further depending on free agency instead of player development (which is an additional risk under the NHL’s Salary cap system and the Lightning’s self imposed budget).

Look to the future on defense, Jay, and let the chips fall where they may. Do not get caught looking to the past as if it will be the same as it once was. It won’t. It almost never is.

Sincerely,
John
Boltsmag.com

P.s. Go Bolts!

Though a couple of days old, BoltProspects.com reported that the Lightning have invited another Oulett into the system:

According to the Halifax Daily News, the Lightning has extended a free agent tryout to Cape Breton Screaming Eagle Dean Ouellet. The 5-11, 172 pound Ouellet had 40 goals and 85 points in 70 games for Cape Breton last season as a 19 year old. He will turn 20 in early August, a month before he participates with Lightning prospects at the Traverse City, Michigan prospects tournament. Ouellet, a left winger, also had over 100 PIM last season before he scored 9 goals and 19 points in 16 playoff games.

No relation to Michel Oulett — the recent addition to the Lightning roster. Yet this invitation seems to be an attempt to add some forward depth to the Lightning organization.

More defensive depth has been brought into the Lightning organization and the Bolts possible #6 D-man in Dan Jancevski:

From Erik at the Trib:

The hub-bub from inside the organization is that Jancevski, who was a big part of Hamilton’s Calder Cup championship team lalst season, comes in sitting as the No. 6 defenseman on the depth chart right now ahead of Matt Smaby, Jay Leach and others heading into training camp. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound native of Windsor, Ontario, Jancevski spent five seasons in the Dallas system before playing one year in the Montreal organization last season. He has played 470 games in the AHL scoring 28 goals and adding 141 points. He earned one call up with Dallas during the 2005-06 season but appeared in two games before being sent back down.

Defensive prospect Mike Egener has also been signed to a one year, 2 way contract.

Jancevski’s signing and status creates a few questions about the Lightning defensive prospects. Matt Smaby, Andy Rogers and Egener have all been highly touted and future pieces for the blue line in Tampa… Yet with the Lightning adding defensive depth this off season (for both AHL Norfolk and in Tampa) one has to wonder just how close these guys are to breaking into the NHL? Is Feaster tryng to delay Smaby and Co? Or simply provide a challenge for them, drawing a line in the sand if you will? Competition for the #6 D-man role could be a boon for the Lightning and it could be a non event a-la the 2005 pre-season where no one stepped into the role outright (Timo Helbing ended up being dubbed the teams #6 D-man out of training camp with Paul Ranger replacing him several days later).

Whatever the case, the beat goes on here in the NHL off-season. After less than a week of free agency the Lightning are different and yet the same.

…so sayeth the Tampa Bay Lightning.