I’ll let Cassie over at Bolts Blog summarize this one up to a T:

Oh, look. Another trade. I was thinking that it was about time for that again. And they’re trading away another defenseman for yet another forward. Yep, that’s pretty much par for the course with this team so far this season.

Looks like that coaching change really didn’t change much of anything, huh?

In management’s defense (no pun intended), former GM Jay Feaster horded defensivemen in the system and did little but shuffle them around (sometimes, not shuffling at all) through the system without committing to any of them. Hutchinson was a byproduct of that — a byproduct with a huge plus rating. This deal amounts to hoping to add marginal offense by way of sacrificing defensive depth.

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.

It’s a rather simple equation, repeated nightly by the Lightning… It’s what’s kept me silent for so long - because I thought there would be change as the season progressed…

What seems apparent is the team is flying, on ice, by the seat of it’s pants. With deadly offensive weapons and then a sharp fall off in offensive contributions and with a younger defense that is learning on the go.

I don’t mind the team actually playing with younger talent on the blue line, what bothers me is the lack of veteran leadership there. There is a stability void on defense with Dan Boyle being down and out after his accident earlier this season. A stability void that hasn’t been remedied by players growing up or the older guys covering the younger guys slip ups.

And then we get to the backstops — where the term “stability” isn’t applicable. Between Johan Holmqvist and Marc Denis, you have two goaltenders that have proven they are not #1’s. Two #2’s doesn’t equal a #1.

It’s just one large math problem that leads to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s also-ran status right now: top gun offense playing a go-go-go system + a younger, less experienced defense x unstable goaltending = a fine mess of mediocrity.

I knock Holmer and Denis but I need to be honest that their style of play (cynics, please don’t quip at that :p ) is more adequate for this team — it’s not a chicken-with-it’s-head-cut-off overcommitment and hyperactivity that we saw with John Grahame in the pipes (who was either brilliant or a monstrosity) during 2005-06. But what is lacking, clearly, is the ability to make routine saves that they must. That leads to more weight on a young defense and more errors with thanks to the go-go-go offense…

My long time Lightning-on-the-Internet friend, Sharon Loe, once got into a discussion on the Usenet Lightning group (referenced here through Google Groups) with a younger fan about the Lightning needing to simply score more to win. Thus, Sharon mocked (in a playful fashion) that the Bolts only needed to score “many MANY goals” in order to win.

The recent failing against the Flames brought that discussion back to my mind. Tonight’s loss to the Capitals — where seat-of-your pants play ruled, furthered it along.

Where is the stability? It’s Jay Feaster’s job to deal with that… And yet call-ups from Norfolk just won’t cut it.

Dan Boyle’s returning will not solidify things alone… There needs to be some solidarity brought onto the team…. Some clutch defense to go along with the offensive storm the Bolts can invoke. Between the pipes could do it, on the blue line would be nice too.

That, or the math of the current roster will continue to foil the team.
many MANY goals

Dan Boyle has returned to practice with the Lightning. Praise the hockey gods for giving us a lax schedule to start the season so Dan doesn’t miss too many games. Of course, the flip side of the lax schedule is, as Martin St. Louis put it, a detractor to the team getting intoa groove.

Of course, Boyle is not 100% and the above-linked article blares with the headline that he practices through pain. Boyle also has every intention of playing through pain — but I don’t know if it’s worth it this early on to force a return. We want Boyle back, of course (and hats off to the Lightning defense for playing well without him) but we want the full Dan Boyle — not a rushed, shell-of-himself version.

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.