Two prospects signed

It was a busy day for the Lightning. Not only did it sign new assistant coach Mike Sullivan, it signed prospects Riku Helenius, a goaltender and the team's first-round choice in 2006, and sharpshooting forward Chris Lawrence, a third-round pick in 2005, to three-year contracts.

Helenius was taken with the 15th overall pick last season in 2006, when the Finn was considered the No. 1 European goaltender in the draft. But the 6-foot-3, 202-pounder missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. If he can regain the form he showed in 2005-06, when he had a 2.68 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage for Ilves Tampere Junior, the 19-year-old will be someone to watch. He played six games at the 2006 World under-18 championships and was 4-1-1 with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.

Lawrence, 20, could be a future answer to the Lightning's lack of depth at forward. The 6-4, 212-pounder was fourth in the Ontario Hockey League with 47 goals for Mississauga and had 88 points. He also led his team with 15 power-play goals and six winners. Like many junior players, consistency will be Lawrence's biggest project. As general manager Jay Feaster said in the release announcing his the signing: "The only thing holding Chris back from achieving greatness in professional hockey will be Chris Lawrence and the issue of how badly he wants to be a special player.''

      

Mike Sullivan named assistant coach

 

FORMER BOSTON BRUINS BENCH BOSS JOINS TAMPA BAY COACHING STAFF

 

            TAMPA – The Tampa Bay Lightning have named Mike Sullivan their new assistant coach effective immediately, the team said in a release.  Sullivan becomes the 12 ^th assistant coach in franchise history, joining head coach John Tortorella ’s staff along with assistant/goaltenders coach Jeff Reese, video coach Nigel Kirwan and strength and conditioning coach Eric Lawson .

 

            "Mike Sullivan is a very bright, energetic, innovative and dynamic hockey coach," general manager Jay Feaster said. "He has experience as a head coach in the NHL and at the international level. Moreover, he was very successful as a head coach in the AHL. He has played professionally under Torts and he shares with John a belief in how to coach and develop players. We believe he is the ideal candidate to help John Tortorella get the best and the most out of our players.

 

            "From the very first day of the search process, Torts identified Mike as his primary candidate. In fact, John made it clear that he didn't even want to speak with any other potential candidates until he knew where things stood with Mike, because Sully was his first and 'go-to' choice. We appreciate the Boston Bruins granting us permission to speak with Mike and we are absolutely thrilled to welcome Mike to our organization."

 

            “We are excited to add Mike to the coaching staff here, most importantly because he is the right fit for our team,” Tortorella said. “He is smart and aggressive and he understands the way we like to play the game; our team concept. Additionally, he has proven as a player and a coach that he knows what it takes to win in the National Hockey League, and that continues to be our focus here at the Lightning - winning as a team.”

 

            In his first season with the Boston Bruins in 2003-04, he led the team to the Northeast Division title and the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with a mark of 41-19-15-7 and 104 points.  In his sophomore year with Boston Sullivan led them to a 29-37-16 record.  In 164 regular season games as a head coach he had a record of 70-56-15-23 with a 3-4 playoff record. 

 

            Sullivan, 39, most recently served as head coach for the U.S. Men’s team at the 2007 World Championships in Russia .  The Americans finished fifth in the tournament after dropping a 5-4 shootout decision against eventual silver-medalist Finland in the elimination round.  The United States finished the tournament with a 5-3-1 record.  He also served as assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin , Italy . 

 

            Sullivan joined Boston after spending one season as head coach of their top American Hockey League affiliate in Providence , Rhode Island .  Under his guidance the P-Bruins captured their third division title as they won the North Division with a 44-20-11-5 record and 104 points.  That season they ranked third overall in the AHL in offense with 268 goals and established a franchise record with a 19-game home unbeaten streak from December 6 until February 23, posting a 16-0-3-0 record during that span. 

 

            Following his stint with Providence he was named the assistant coach of the NHL ’s Bruins on March 20, 2003 under then interim head coach Mike O’Connell.  He coached in Boston for the final nine games of the regular season as the Bruins posted a 3-3-3-0 record and were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals before he returned to Providence to finish the season.

 

            A native of Marshfield , Massachusetts , Sullivan played four seasons of college hockey at Boston University from 1986-87 until 1989-90.  He scored 61 goals and recorded 138 points in 141 career college games.  He was drafted by the New York Rangers as their fourth pick, 69 ^th overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, though he never signed with them.  He began his NHL career in August of 1991 when he signed a free agent contract with the San Jose Sharks after spending one season with the San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League.  Sullivan went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL and scored 54 goals with 136 points in 709 games during his playing career.

 

 

 

 

Only 26 in training camp

At least the Lightning was honest when it said financial considerations were part of the equation of its plan to bring invite just 26 players to training camp. That is 28 fewer than last season and a bow to a tight hockey operations budget that will not see payroll cut but remain a stagnant $44-million.

But let's take that out of the equation for a second. More interesting to me is the lack of a look Lightning brass will get of its minor leaguers. General manager Jay Feaster was strong when he said training camp is not a right but a privilege, and the team, right now, has few in its system that deserve that invitation. There also is something to the argument that with just 26 players in camp (and remember, that number could go up depending on free-agent signings), the guys there will have a much more intense and targeted experience.

Still, coach John Tortorella has always said the best way to prepare young athletes is to give them a taste of  the real world and send them back down to the minors. Then, when they come back up, they feel more comfortable in their surroundings and know what to expect and the level at which they have to play. On the other hand, that didn't work too well last season with Blair Jones, who showed so much promise in his first NHL go-round but floundered when he went back to Springfield and then was benched after being re-called to the Lightning for, as the scuttlebutt goes, coming late to a team meeting.

Perhaps it boils down to this: 2007-08 is a huge season for the Lightning and the direction the team goes in the future. With Dan Boyle's contract up, the Big 4 may be together for no more than another year. In that sense, the team likely feels urgency to concentrate on the now. The guys in the minors, well, they can wait, for now. And if they start to believe performance is the best way to the NHL, so much the better.

    

Preseason schedule

Bet you can't wait to get your tickets to these (the first three games are at the St. Pete Times Forum):

Sept. 19: Stars

Sept. 22: Capitals

Sept. 24: Red Wings

Sept. 27: at Red Wings

Sept. 29: at Stars

Budget won't be cut, could go higher

On a day the team fired associate coach Craig Ramsay, general manager Jay Feaster also had some good news. The Lightning's payroll will not be cut, as was speculated,  but remain the same as last season: $44-million. Feaster also said he believes that if the team is doing well during the season, he will get the green light from owner Bill Davidson to go even higher with acquisitions during the season or at the trade deadline.

Feaster said that should put to rest all the media speculation about the future of Vinny Lecavalier, Brad Richards, Marty St. Louis and Dan Boyle, all of whom Feaster reiterated he wants to keep.

"I just feel wonderful about the commitment and the support Mr. Davidson continues to show,'' Feaster said.

Feaster said he got the news Wednesday at a meeting with Davidson at his Auburn Hills, Mich., office. Feaster and team president Ron Campbell had said the preliminary budget was $40-million, about $4-million less than last season during which the Lightning's parent company, Palace Sports & Entertainment reported losses of $9-million on its Tampa operation.

"He made it clear he wanted to talk hockey,'' Feaster said of Davidson. "Right off the bat, he said, 'The numbers you presented, we're going to spend more.' He recognizes we are very, very close. He's bullish on this team.''

Still, the total likely will put Tampa Bay behind teams willing to spend to the cap, which is expected to be as much as $49-million. But it at least gives Feaster some breathing room.    

Craig Ramsay fired

The Lightning has fired associate coach Craig Ramsay, according to a news release from the team.
“Over the course of this past season (2006-07) it became apparent to me, and to (head coach) John (Tortorella), that we still had some fundamental philosophical differences between our head coach and our associate coach on a number of issues,'' general manager Jay Feaster said in the release. "After having a series of meetings with various members of the organization, we have regretfully, yet necessarily, chosen to make a change in the coaching staff effective immediately.
"We thank Craig for his seven years of service to this franchise and for his hard work and dedication in helping us become Stanley Cup Champions. Rammer will always be a part of the Lightning family as a member of that Stanley Cup Championship team's success.''
Ramsay's primary responsibility was for defense and special teams, both of which struggled at times this year. No timetable has been set for filling the position.

Lightning re-sign Holmqvist

   The Lightning on Saturday re-signed goaltender Johan Holmqvist to a one-year contract, Executive Vice President and General Manager Jay Feaster announced in a press release.

Holmqvist, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound native of Tolfta, Sweden, played in 48 games with the Lightning in 2006-07. He posted a 27-15-3 record and led the team with a 2.85 goals-against average, and his 27 wins ranked fourth in franchise history for wins by a goaltender in a season. He also ranked fifth in the league in shootout save percentage as he stopped 29 of 33 shots and recorded a 6-1 record. Holmqvist established career highs in games played, wins and goals-against average and earned his first NHL shutout January 1 at Carolina with a 31-save performance. He also recorded two five-game winning streaks during the season.

"As we said at the end of the season, Johan Holmqvist is one piece of the puzzle for us in net, and it was one of our top priorities this off-season to get him re-signed at a number that made sense for us," Feaster said in the release. "By signing a one-year deal, Johan has demonstrated that he intends to build on last year's performance and firmly establish himself - once and for all - as a legitimate No. 1 goalie in the NHL. Holmer recognizes that there is still work to be done and a great deal of unfinished business, both for himself and for the team. We are excited to welcome Johan back for bigger and better things as we embark on our journey together."

After going 3-1-1 in Tampa Bay’s final five games and posting a 17-6-3 record after January 7, Holmqvist was named as the Lightning’s starter in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He played in six playoff games and posted a 2.92 goals-against average. He made 30-or-more saves in three games during the post-season, including 34 saves in Games 2 and 4.

Holmqvist, 29, started seven games for his native country at the 2006 World Championships in Riga, Latvia. He posted a 5-2 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage en route to winning the Gold Medal and being named top goaltender at the tournament. He spent the 2005-06 season with Brynas IF Gavle of the Swedish Elite League and led the league in goals-against average with 1.95. He also ranked second in save percentage at .928 and was tied for sixth in shutouts with three. The former Swedish Junior of the Year (1997-98) was selected to the 2006 Swedish All-Star team.

Prior to returning to Europe Holmqvist played two seasons (2002-03, 2003-04) with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League and posted a 23-27-4 record with a 2.56 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Before making his North American debut in 2000-01 he led Brynas to the 1998-99 Swedish Elite League Championship.

    He played in four NHL games between 2000-01 and 2002-03 with the New York Rangers, posting a 4.32 GAA and a .868 SV%. He was a seventh-round pick, 175^{th overall, by the Rangers at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.}

During the 2002-03 season the Minnesota Wild acquired his rights and assigned him to the Aeros where he backstopped them on their way to the 2003 Calder Cup Championship and was awarded the Jack Butterfield Trophy as AHL Playoff Most Valuable Player. During that post season he appeared in 23 games and recorded a 15-8 record with a 2.00 GAA and a .928 SV%. He appeared in eight games with Houston during the regular season with a 2.88 GAA and a .900 SV%. He began the season with the Hartford Wolf Pack and appeared in 35 contests with a 14-12-5 record. Holmqvist has played in 193 AHL games in his career with an 87-69-23 record.

What's the deal with Andreas Karlsson?

Look, signing Karlsson for another season is not going to make Tampa Bay a Cup contender. Still, the Lightning signed a guy to a reasonable $500,000 contract after he showed he has some upside. Think back on last season. Was there anyone on the roster you believed had LESS of a chance to be back next season than Karlsson? He seemed lost out there, coach John Tortorella had no confidence in him and, when compared to his time in the Swedish Elite League where he was one of that country's top players, Karlsson was somewhat of a bust.

But teammate Marty St. Louis saw something and lobbied on Karlsson's behalf to get the guy more ice time. Tortorella put Karlsson up with Brad Richards on the second line in the final two games of the East quarterfinal against the Devils and Karlsson averaged almost 16 minutes, played on the power play, had five shots on goal and was 4-for-4 on faceoffs.

A few things here. First, Karlsson, 31, elevated his game during the playoffs which tells you he has something going on. And even though he played with Richards during the Devils series, expect during training camp to see him start on a third line at right wing with left wing Jason Ward and a center to be named later. The bottom line is he will get more of a chance to show what he can do. Hopefully, he will take advantage.

Now comes the debate. Had Tortorella used Karlsson more in more important situations, would we have seen some of those skills earlier? It's a kind of Catch-22, though. Karlsson wasn't used because he didn't show much, and when he was out there, he did not do well or give Torts an indication he deserved to be in positions of more responsibility. So, was there an error there? From my perspective, and I saw almost 70 games during the regular season, I don't think I would have played Karlsson more either.

Karlsson signs

Center Andreas Karlsson, 31, signed a one-year contract, the team announced today. The 6-4, 205-pound Swedish native played 53 games this year, totalling three goals and nine points while averaging 8:25 minutes.
“Andreas Karlsson is a very versatile hockey player who spent the past year learning our system and coming to understand what John Tortorella demands of his players,” general manager Jay Feaster said in a news release.

Artyukhin signs in Russia

Just a follow-up on yesterday's news about Evgeny Artyukhin. Seems the Russian freight train has signed to play next season with Avangard Omsk in Russia's Super League, at least that is what his agent, Mark Gandler, said. Gandler said Tampa Bay's one-year, $475,000 offer was not good enough. In fact, Gandler said the offer, the league minimum next season, was an attempt by Lightning general manager Jay Feaster to punish Artyukhin for turning down several contract offers last season before signing with Russia's Yaroslavl Lokomotiv. 

"I am surprised the team continued to build up the anger that was there a year ago, but it's kind of busting through the seams,'' Gandler said. "The offer in itself is proof of that anger. The punishment aspect of the offer is so obvious, it hits you right in the forehead.''

You recall that situation, right? Artyukhin, it was said, wanted up to $1-million to play in 2006-07, and turned down two offers -- a one-year, $600,000 deal and a two-year contract with salaries of $500,000 and $700,000. Artyukhin said no to both, went to Russia and had a disappointing season in which he had just 13 points and 183 penalty minutes in 44 games.

Feaster said the disappointing season factored into this year's contract offer, and that it had nothing to do with anger or punishment.

"Our concern is being a full year removed from the NHL and playing in our system, we have to spend training camp and the first two months of the season breaking old habits,'' he said. "We're going to have to spend time inculcating him to the way we want to play instead of getting a player who advanced his career.''

Feaster said his offer is final. With little hope of reconciliation, Gandler said he has requested Tampa Bay trade Artyukhin's rights. But Feaster responded there will be no trade, "I will not allow a player to dictate how we manage the hockey club.''

It's been quite a saga for Artyukhin, who became a fan favorite in 2005-06 when he had four goals, 17 points and 90 penalty minutes in 77 games for Tampa Bay. Artyukhin, 24, has always been an interesting project. At 6-foot-4, 254 pounds, he can skate swiftly, forecheck ferociously and check like a sledge hammer. For a team such as the Lightning, which is trying to increase its toughness, he would have been a nice addition.

But Feaster said his offer was final and Gandler did not sound as if Artyukhin was interested in lowering his price or swallowing some pride.

There will be more on this in tomorrow's paper.

   

Artyukhin standoff

One final tidbit for the night, Feaster said power forward Evgeny Artyukhin has rejected a one-year, $475,000 offer and could spend another season in Russia. Feaster and Artyukhin's agent told the St. Pete Times in January that they believed a deal was possible. It still could be. Still, losing out of Artyukhin, whose forechecking and freight-train like game is much coveted, would be a big disappointment.

Feaster says Big 4 is safe

There are so many rumors out there, especially about center Vinny Lecavalier being on the trading block because, as the theory goes, the Lightning cannot afford to keep him, Marty St. Louis, Brad Richards and Dan Boyle. But if general manager Jay Feaster has anything to say about it, the Big 4 will be with the team next season.

"I have no intention of trading the top four guys on this hockey team,'' Feaster said Wednesday.

It is not quite that simple, of course. Much of it depends on the team's final payroll budget. The talk has been of a bottom of $40-million. Feaster, though, has not yet met with owner Bill Davidson to finalize the outlay and you can bet Feaster will make his case that with the core of the team in its prime, it would be a shame to pull back on payroll.

None of this is big news. We have covered this ground before. But it is important to note the emphasis with which Feaster made his statement. There is a caveat, of course, and it is not difficult to figure out. If Davidson puts a further crimp in payroll, things can change. 

"Obviously,'' Feaster said, "depending on the player payroll established, that will drive the decisions we need to make.''

But he reiterated, loudly, "I have no interest or desire or intent to trade one of the Big 4.''

 

Lightning signs Ward

The Lightning on Wednesday signed wing Jason Ward to a two-year deal that will pay him $675,000 annually. It was an important signing for the team. As general manager Jay Feaster said, Ward was "at the very top of the list'' in terms of off-season priorities.

Ward, 28, was somewhat of a gem for Tampa Bay after he was acquired from the Kings at the trade deadline for a fifth-round draft choice. Ward played mostly on the second line with center Brad Richards but also got plenty of penalty-kill and power-play time and became one of the teams top forecheckers.

In a perfect world, Ward will play on a third line. That, of course, depends on what Feaster can do to bring in a scoring wing for Richards. Regardless of where he plays, Ward's straight-ahead game and willingness to forecheck and get in front of the net on the power play is a perfect fit with Tampa Bay's system. Ward obviously thought so as well and took just a $25,000 raise.

"He's a versatlie guy and someone we wanted to have in the organization,'' Feaster said.