The good news? Tampa Bay is only 8 points removed from the division lead.

The bad news? Where to begin… We’re only 2 points out of the division cellar. That’s a good starting point. The team is playing as if they belong there, that’s another. Many Many goals from the M-V-P line won’t get us out of this mess — that’s not surprising. Holmqvist can’t play to his strength and win shootouts because he can’t last long enough for us to get there? Marc Denis is a seive? Kari Ramo isn’t ready? Jay Feaster won’t trade off D prospects in Norfolk for help in Tampa Bay? “Safe is Death” has been replaced by Wreckless Abandon? Dan Boyle’s injury, Chris Gratton’s injury woes this season?

It goes on and on… I’m just touching the surface here.

Where is Rock Bottom? 6-2 loss to the Thrashers? Or will it take a drubbing by the Capitals? Another wreckless-abandon 9-6 loss to (insert team here)?

Note to Jay Feaster: You already gave the players an ultimatum: Get better or else. Now you have to make good on your threat. Yes, from the fan perspective — all around the Internet where Lightning fans spout off — we need to be careful what we wish for with a trade because we might just get it…

But one thing is for certain — the status-quo can’t stand much longer. Something has to change.

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?