Did you like Andre Roy?

Keep an eye on this the next few days.

Former Lightning tough guy Andre Roy on Thursday was waived by the Penguins and sent to the minors. If Pittsburgh tries to recall him, he will have to pass through entry waivers, and any claiming team will have to pick up just half his $1-million salary.

It would take a few more salary tweaks but with the $478,000 the Lightning saved by putting Rob DiMaio on the long-term disability list, the numbers are close.

Coach John Tortorella has said the Lightning locker room misses Roy's spirit, and Roy, on Tampa Bay's last trip to Pittsburgh, said he was "available'' and wouldn't mind returning. And Lord knows Tampa Bay could use someone to throw a body check.

Also, remember how Tortorella and Roy butted heads because Roy could go haywire on the ice and lose focus. Roy said he has learned lessons and he and Torts said all is forgiven. They even spoke on the phone after Roy signed with Pittsburgh.

So, what do you think? Should the Lightning make a claim?

Back in business

Let's start with an apology. I know I haven't contributed to this site for a while and I'm sorry for slacking. But with Thanksgiving and all and ... right, you don't want to hear it. We're all busy.

Anyway, wanted to discuss again the trade rumors thing, specifically as it pertains to Marc Denis. There have been lots of rumors out there that Tampa Bay is looking to trade the goaltender for whom it traded the very popular Fredrik Modin. Don't believe it. There are several levels on which that rumor doesn't make sense.

First, we are only 25 games into the season. Yes, Denis has struggled and Johan Holmqvist has played well (Tuesday's game notwithstanding). But Denis has a solid track record and Holmqvist, prior to this season, had played just four NHL games, and, well, it's just a bit too early to turn the position over to someone with so little experience, especially when the only backup in the system even close to being NHL ready (and he is not) is Karri Ramo. In that context, Tampa Bay would almost certainly have to gain a goaltender in any deal, and why would the team waste part of a blockbuster trade filling a position that already is full?

Second, Holmqvist is under a one-year contract. He is an unrestricted free agent after the season. Even if Tampa Bay wanted to do something with Denis, it would not until Holmqvist is under contract for at least next season. And teams cannot, I believe, begin such negotiations until January.

Third, the Johnny Grahame factor. Grahame was brilliant at times during the 2003-04 when Nikolai Khabibulin, if anyone remembers, almost lost his No. 1 spot. And we all saw what happened when Grahame was given the job, not to mention the PRESSURE, of the top spot. It is a lot more crushing when you are the guy with it all on your shoulders rather than the backup everybody loves. Ask any backup quarterback.   

This is not to say Denis might not someday be traded, and it makes for good conversation, but it is not in the works right now.

Thanks for your patience.   

   

Work through it

GM Jay Feaster on Tuesday said he does not want to have to trade players just to shake up the squad. He said he would much rather the players work through this bumpy patch. But he also was clear that his patience is limited. How's your patience? Is it time to make changes, or do you give the guys into December before deciding something must be done? How about if they lose tonight and fall to last in the Southeast? Coach John Tortorella and the coaching staff is safe, so any changes, if and when they happen, will be of players.

Liked Blair Jones, though. Looked fairly poised for a rookie in his first game. And, by the way, his one shot on goal was more than Brad Richards, Ruslan Fedotenko and Dmitry Afanasenkov combined.

 

No worries -- yet

First of all, I don't want to hear anything about conspiracy theories. I don't want to hear that the NHL is biased against the Lightning, that there is a plot to keep Tamp Bay out of the playoffs or that the league office is purposefully ruling against the team. None of that is true. If you want to have a discussion about bad officiating and the holes in a system that has controversial plays reviewed in Toronto, that's fine. But to say there is some kind of prejudice is wrong.

Any team, and any fan for that matter, can come up with a list of plays and circumstances in which referees and Toronto ruled against them when it seemed as if the ruling should have gone the other way. Look at the Islanders last week complaining the Lightning got all the calls in a game in which ZERO penalties were called on Tampa Bay.

Yes, the season so far has been frustrating because you know this team should be showing better than it has. But consider that a quarter into the season, despite not playing its best, the team is just six points out of first in the Southeast and has two games in hand. No need to go off the deep end just yet.

And, by the way, sorry this blog was dormant for a while. between traveling and still being under the weather, couldn't get it going. Also, thanks for all the responses. There are a lot of good fans and smart people who write in. Keep it up.

 

 

   

Let's get physical

Torts went on a bit of a rant after Wednesday's game. It's fun any time he goes off and he was right, the refs were awful in that game. But the more interesting point is the one he raised about the game becoming less physical because of the way the game is being called.

No doubt there are fewer board-rattling hits. But do you think, as Torts said, the players are just a bunch of "gentlemen'' now because of the way the game is called.

And what's the tradeoff? More offense but less dynamic physical confrontations? A faster game but far less interesting in terms of player vs. player?

Have at it. 

Denis is back

Okay, let's get out of the bizarro world of trade rumors and get back to the business on the ice. Marc Denis starts tonight against the Canadiens in a game that might be a little more pressure packed than he expected at the start of the season.

Look, no one is going to throw Denis under the bus if he doesn't win tonight. And despite his comments to the contrary, he has to be looking over his shoulder just a bit. But isn't that good? Isn't competition the best motivator?

So, Denis knows he shouldn't be too comfortable. He's got some time to reclaim his place as undisputed No. 1. Johan Holmqvist, as good as he's played, is still just finding himself. No one knows if he can handle the pressure of being a No. 1, which is a whole different thing than the pressure of being the backup.

Anyway, what do you think should go on with the goalies? A great combo or should Denis be watching his back?   

Trade rumors

Okay, let's talk about these things. If you look at web sites that "speculate'' on trade rumors, you would be convinced Vinny Lecavalier is being traded to the Avalanche, Marty St. Louis is on his way to the Rangers and there is a "big trade'' brewing with a western Canadian team that might or might not be the Oilers.

Do yourself a favor and don't believe anything you read on sites that "speculate.'' These guys have little or no idea what is going on with a specific team. Do you really think some guy sitting behind a desk somewhere knows the nuances of what is going on with the Lightning? And doesn't it tell you, in the case of any of these supposed trades, that the media in those cities have not written anything about them. No secret is that deep, and if it is, a guy on a web site is not going to report it first.

Why would the Lightning trade Vinny 4 or St. Louis when they are two of the best players in the league right now? They are not trading Brad Richards because he is so good and so well thought of, he will be their next captain. Trade Dan Boyle? That's just about giving up on your season.

Does the Lightning have needs? Of course. An upgrade on defense isn't a bad idea and Jay Feaster will keep trying to improve the team. But with the team playing well, the urgency is less and there is no way he is trading Vinny, St. Louis, Richards or Boyle.

Denis sits again, Craig returns

Marc Denis better watch it. After three straight losses, including the game in Boston where the fluffy goals he allowed were overshadowed by a controversial ending, the goaltender will sit for the second consecutive game tonight against the Penguins.

Johan Holmqvist who has won his past two starts, both on this road trip, will play.

Denis is and should still be the No. 1 goalie, but the Lightning always preaches the team is a meritocracy and whoever is playing better at that moment gets the ice time. Tampa Bay will still need Denis in the long run (I believe Torts is just trying to send him  a message). But for now, with Holmqvist hot, why not. John Grahame did the same favor for Nikolai Khabibulin during the Cup season.

And by the way, Ryan Craig gets back into the lineup tonight as well. He has a new brace and says he does not expect to be hampered at all in his skating or movements. Look for him in front of the net.

Quality of the refs

Okay, let's hear it. What do you think about the officiating in the NHL?

Feaster supports Tortorella

It already has been an interesting season for John Tortorella. The coach seems to be walking a fine line between getting his message across and allowing the players to learn, even at this stage of their careers, how to deal on their own with some adversity.

He also decided he had to kick butt during a practice after an awful game against the Hurricanes and had his players do pushups on the ice when that day's intensity dipped to unacceptable levels.

Perhaps as it was with his original comments about possible player moves, GM Jay Feaster was trying to light a fire under his players. But he certainly was strong with his comments supporting Tortorella. Maybe he was just reiterating to the players that the onus is on them.

Tortorella has been the head coach since January 2001 and he still has great support among the team's leadership, especially captain Tim Taylor, Brad Richards and Marty St. Louis.

So, how's he doing?

   

GM for a day

So, general manage Jay Feaster said if things don't turn around soon, personnel changes may be coming and that includes cutting payroll. Assuming coach John Tortorella's job is safe (an barring the bottom falling out, he probably is), what moves would you guys make to better the team? But remember the salary cap, so saying, just for example, "sign Superstar so-and-SO doesn't work because there is no room. That means we're talking trades for the most part.

So, tell me. You're GM of the Lightning. Where do we go from here? Maybe nowhere. It is only 12 games, after all, and at 5-7 it is not as if they are doormats. Then again, sometimes change is good.

   

Road trip

Sorry for not adding to any discussions for a while but actually had a few days off and then got sick.

Anyway, the Lightning is beginning a four-game road trip on Thursday and coach John Tortorella and captain Tim Taylor said they are looking forward to getting the team away from the Tampa Bay area for an extended period of time. Seems the team needs some more bonding time and there's no better way apparently than getting the players on the road and away from family, etc., and all the distractions that go with that.

It is an interesting point. I recall when I lived on Long Island, the Islanders for a while began their seasons with a road trip to the west coast.

So, what do you think about the idea of "bonding''? Overblown, or a real part of the team. We've seem plenty of pro teams such as the  Bronx Zoo Yankees and the Swingin' A's that did not get along off the field but were machines on the field. Hockey is a different kind of sport, though, and the stories of camaraderie can be stirring.

But does it really make a difference if Vinny 4 likes Vinny 20 or Vinny 20 likes Feds? Just wondering.