Is it time for Karri Ramo?

Well, let's see, Johan Holmqvist, the Lightning's No. 1 goalie, has been pulled in three of his past four starts; he allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period against the Thrashers. He and Marc Denis have allowed 28 goals in their past six games, five of which Tampa Bay has lost.

Holmqvist entered Tuesday with an .891 save percentage that was 36th out of 39 listed goaltenders.His 2.94 goals -against average was 34th. The Lightning, as a team, entered Tuesday second to last with a 3.21 goals-against average and last with an .882 save percentage.

We've heard a lot about how Karri Ramo, toiling for AHL Norfolk, is NHL ready. At this point, it doesn't seem like an outrageous idea to give him a chance. Whispers are he would have been up sooner had he not injured his ankle in the first game of the Admirals' season.

A consideration would be whether the organization was willing to have $2.8-million of Marc Denis' salary in the minors. But having Denis play could be the best thing. He could rehabilitate himself in a sense and, perhaps, another team, in time, would claim him on recall waivers for half his salary.

Beyond that, though, perhaps it is time to try to develop Ramo. It's a tough call sometimes when you have a raw talent. You don't want to throw him to the wolves, so to speak, and hurt his confidence and his development if he does not do well. But the word on Ramo, 21, is that he is mentally tough and confident and has the skills.

Maybe it's time to see what he can do in the NHL.

ROSTER FREEZE: The holiday roster freeze goes into effect at midnight Thursday. No roster additions can be made until midnight Dec. 28 except for emergency call-ups because of injury.

 

 

Comments

[Badbud]

Ramo has 69 NHL Mintues 0 Wins )0 loss 3.34 GAA .826 SV%

Yep he is ready for the big Time,with those kind of Numbers,wonder is why they even sent him down???

[Debbie]

Before we do anything drastic, such as calling up Ramo with as Badbud stated 69 NHL minutes, we should give Marc Denis a chance. Even if he hasn't been stellar, his play has been considerably better than Holmer's. Before we give Torts a chance to terrify Karri, maybe Marc Denis should get another look. Especially considering that contract size.

[keith]

Dear Santa,
Please send me a goalie that doesnt look like Swiss cheese. Please too, send me a defenseman with a brain, and last of all a goalscorer whose name is not Vincent. That's all I want. If you do that I promise I will be a good GM.
Love, Jay.
PS Not sure if you have a coach too....use your Santa discretion.

[Not the Marlboro Man]

Bring in that guy from CSI New York who player Jim Craig in the movie Miracle. At least he could act like a frigin goalie.

[Rudy]

I really don’t think it’s a Goalie.
Even best goalie from anywhere whoever is it is not going to help. It is not goalie we need.
Tort is always talking, like yesterday on TV interview about “our system of play…” Does anybody know what he is talking about? What system? It’s reminding me of street hockey we used to play that about it.

[Patricia]

Sorry Debbie, but obviously you have not watched enough Tampa games where Denis has sucked!!! He is horrible and has been given sooooooooooooo many chances. Please get him out of Tampa once and for all. Sorry debbie, but start watching some games before you post!!

[Nick]

The difference between Denis and Holmers is small. Holmqvist runs either red hot or ice cold. He'll stop 28 of 30 shots for 5 games in a row and give the team a chance to win, then go on a run where he lets in 3 or 4 soft goals a game for a while.

Denis has proven to be slightly more consistent, but still bad. Neither deserves to be a starting NHL goalie, especially for a team with as bad a defense as the Lightning. This team isn't going to get any better until we can take that extra 5 million a year that's being thrown away on an undeserving Richards and give it to a real #1 goalie.

A lot has been said about how Khabibulin didn't get hot until the spring cup run in 2004. He had a .910 save percentage and 2.33 goals against for the entire 2003-2004 season. When have we gotten production even near that from our goaltenders since?

[JayD]

"Maybe it's time to see what he can do in the NHL."

Sure is. We already know what Holmer and Denis can do. Need someone that the TEAM can feel confident about.

[bing]

At what point do we stop looking at the players and turn to the management? Same goalies that we had last year; same net results. Simply terrible. We're screwed on Denis' salary. Let's move past that. There are goalies out there on the trading block that are a definite upgrade. It's time for a corrective action before the southeast division pulls too far away.

[bing]

Management needs to do something fast before the stands empty and the southeast division gets out of reach. This is the same crappy goaltending tandem from last year. Same net results. Not opposed to a big trade to land solid goaltending and a blue line stalwart. This teams is in a verrrry bad spot right now. Improve or this will go down the tubes for a while!!! How many of you would renew your season tickets for next year with this roster and management???

[Lisa]

I think we need to give Ramo a shot at this point. NOthing to lose. Denis and Holmqvist are horrible. Sure, sometimes the defense has breakdowns (they are young), but from what I have seen, too may really soft goals are being let in that have nothing to do with the defense and everything to do with poor goaltending.

I said when they did not move on Bryzgalov that the move would come back to haunt us. We need a change at goalie. MOve Denis down, and bring up Ramo. Or look at signing CuJo for one year and seeing what he can do. Anything will be better than what we have in net at this time.

YOu see the Lightning put pressure on and not get a goal, the other team has one shot and it goes in. Is anyone surprised when the team just folds when 3 goals go in on less than 10 shots?

[olin]

The same result will happen to Ramo or Broduer...we have no defense, solid forechcking at the blue line, or any one willing to go down and block shot's, and recover quickly to help the guy in net. Shuffle the line's -reshuffle, Tort's is trying, ultimatley it's the player's that we have and apparently is not the right combination, which goes back to the GM, this all started back to the lousy trade he made with MO-Denis. He has brought in a couple great player's... O'B,Grat's, hmmmm, goes back even further with what GM has to spend,ownership- 5 mil less than most team's, then goes even further to the condition of the econmomy of the nation- empty seat's everywhere. I dunno what else to post- doesn't look good here, make the playoff's..ha, not the way this team is playing and the group we have- injuries don't help. I'm disappointed. Something need's to be done. Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick-Tick......

[Another Joe]

Bring up Ramo now! The D has been bad lately I agree with that and we have had some bad breaks/bounces. But the goalie needs to make some saves. That 2nd goal last night needs to be stopped. And the goal Denis gave up to make it 4-0 needs to be stopped.

I like Holmer and think he has something left to give. Bring up Ramo and let him and Holmer battle it out for playing time.

[ajax]

I like the olin post, dunno what else to say. So much wrong.
goalies
cap
owners
minutes, to many depth, er lack of
youth
coach, system? what system?
The dam has broke, the team is drowning, and the owners are what?
By January there will be no where to run and no where to hide. I hate that injuries might give them a built in excuse. If every single person was back this still would be the sub .500 team it has been. Since the start of last year we are 41-50-25(NHL best 18-7 in OT) before overtime. This is not an injury problem, we were and have been mediocre or below for quite some time. My Xmas wish is for a healthy Dan Boyle ASAP, and for the shroud of the sale to end, one way or another. Dunno what else to say, I think I am taking a sabbatical for a while. I keep asking myself, how long can management sit and do nothing, before they realize they sat to long?

[RJ]

It's time...Bring up Ramo, send Denis down. Eat his salary. Pray for miracles that this season will turn around.

[leo]

Isn't this exactly what I've been pointing out since the beginning of the season?
We have no goaltending!
Ramo now?! The Saviour?! Please.
Olin, with all due respect, Brodeur would make a HECK of a difference. He would give us much than the sad-sacks we have now.
What happened to rah-rah-rah Holmer? What happened to Holmer's our guy, much better than Denis, he's our num1? I'll tell you. He went the way of all num2 with delusions of grandeur and shortsightedness by management. To the showers!
We need a dang goalie! Have needed one for 3 years! We don't have one; we're not producing one, we have to get one. Period.
Solutions?
I had one; you didn't like it. Still valid, though.
Turco for St-Louis? Get bent. Keep your Turco. He's 42 years old.
St-Louis for Jonathan Bernier?
Boyle, Roy for Pascal Leclaire?
Ramo, Ouellet, draft pick for Hasek?
Vinny...we can get anything we want for Vinny but I won't go there, because the nearsighted traditionalists will start crowing. Point is, we need to MOVE, to do something resembling ANYTHING to get the rusted manifolds out of our dang net, and get a real goaler in!
Malcontent, he says. Catching up to the times, aren't we? This is our team!
I ain't busting with pride at my hockey club, that's for sure. Forgive me for pointing out the obvious 2 months ago.
Let me tell you what's going to happen now: Ramo will be called up, no choice really, and he's going to give us 1, 2, 3 stellar games and everyone is gonna start with, oh boy, he's so good, he's better than Denis, better than Holmer, he's our num1! And then, plop! Another inconsistent second fiddle. Wait and see.
Get a goalie, Jay.
Get a goalie.
Get a goalie.
Do what you have to do, trade who you have to trade, a team is built off the first position, the goalie and without one, you have no team. Jay.
Get a goalie.
Please.
Peace.

[Kurt Russell]

Briefly former Lightning goalie Bill Ranford is the guy who did the on ice stuff in Miracle, not CSI's Eddie Cahill. So yeah, actually, bring him in.

[keith]

Leo, couldnt have said it better. Agree 100%. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Get a freakin goalie Jay. Ramo Schmamo! Get a proven goalie who can start this minute. Give the players some confidence in the guy between the pipes. This is a sad team right now. The rot will start getting into their heads, already has, and so the spiral continues downward.

[Lightning rod]

Management has missed picking up at least 2 players who could have helped this team, a solid winger/scorer and a probable #1 goalie. One of them scored a goal last night, but not for the Lightning. There is also something very wrong when Eric Perrin looks better than Marty. To me injuries seem to increase when a team is on the way down; and where is the real leadership om this team.

Let's face facts, management's hands have been tied by the owner's MBA bean counter in Detroit, and that will not change until the team is sold.

[Santa Claus]

Ho Ho Ho! And a special Merry Christmas to the Bolts and their fans. Yes, I have some great gifts this year. Scrooge MacDavidson, you will get $206,000,000 (yes, even more of the money you love so much) for the team you short-changed. Pinocchio Wilson, you are getting a longer and longer and longer nose. Grinchy Torts, for you I'll bring up a new young goalie whose mind you can use for a toy. For the Feaster, a continued vacation from any involvement with work and even more feasting on many, many more carbs.

Now for the players:

Let's see maybe a raise for Brad, yes that might serve as incentive to do a little better.

Marc will get a new goalie stick - his old one has a big hole in it. Holmer needs one too, for the same reason.

The best present I can provide for the rest of the guys would be movement to better organizations (one's with playoff chances) but the NHL trade deadline has me stymied on that one. Sorry boys, but could any of you use a lump of coal?

Season's Greetings,

Santa

[bear]

Highly unfair to Ramo to parachute him into this mess..he's no saviour and rushing him to be one could be the undoing of his career.

Get Raycroft from the Leafs..he can play, he's young and signed for a couple of years at very reasonable money. Leafs have the money to take Denis as part of the package, they would just send him to the AHL>

[allen]

cant blame it all on the goalies. i think they are working there butts off. the offense and defense arent doing much these days. look at richards with that huge contract and he's a -19 or something that neighborhood. prospal is the only one that looks like hes playing with a purpose.. its time for a trade, just do it and get it over with....

[leo]

Raycroft?! Raycroft?! Aaaaagh!
Call him Jim Carey, Bear, cause they'll both be in the "How did we win a trophy Club?" He's terrible! I'll stick with Holmer, thank you. Raycroft has the mental toughness of a Ritz cracker, Bear. No way!
By "real goaltender", I was referring to someone who can STOP THE PUCK, not someone who lets in floaters from the blue line.
I'm talkin': Backstrom, Norrena, Gerber, Huet, Garon, Sabourin, better goalies who we can reasonably trade for and won't cost us an arm.
You wanna pay? Bernier, Hasek, Ellis or the best of the lot....The Kid. For that, you GOTTA pay.
For food-stamps, you get food-stamps.
Raycroft...aagh. I'll forgive you this time, Bear, but scope out your friend Andrew then YOU tell ME. You can play with BEACHBALLS with this guy in net. He's not a num1, that's why they got Toskala. No way! Aaaagh!
Peace.

[bear]

Toskala is amazing Leo and I hope we see him Thurs.

Raycroft set a record for wins last year with the Leafs. They played him 70 something games which was a mistake.

He would still be a marked upgrade over any of Tampa's 3 goalies.

[leo]

Really? I agree Toskala is very good...which is why I want to see Raycroft in net on Thurs.
I say Holmer is a much better goalie than Raycroft. Why? Holmie has been known to pull a rabbit out of his mask every now and again. He has SOME grit. Raycroft doesn't have any. Ask Toranna, ask'em! 70 games, right. Didn't make the playoffs, right. Num1 goaler? Ha! Let us agree to disagree on that one, Bear. Raycroft=Denis. Same thing, same guy.
I was honestly AFRAID that management was going to sign him last year and that would have been Denis all over again. Trust me, Bear. You DON'T want Raycroft.
I might be wrong, mate, but I hope to Gosh we never find out.
I agree with posters who say Ramo can't do worse but is this where we're at? Praying for "not worse"?
Lisa?
Who's out there? Who can we get? And don't say Richards for the motherlode. A nice goalie, solid and affordable.
Lisa knows.
Peace.

[Dave]

no more complaining about coach or managment. they have consistently gotten us to the playoffs since the cup season, even with the shaky goaltending. fester is handcuffed by the self imposed cap. denis was a $3mil mistake. holmer is streaky. d is young, and offense has new guys. it usually takes a season or 2 for a player to get comfortable in our system. i think ramo could be as good as raycroft. another thing to keep in mind is this has ALWAYS been a 2nd half of the season team. that being said the only big one i would give up for another goalie would be richards.

[Badbud]

This Team will NEVER Get in the Same room,with Stanley,Till they get a Legit #1 Goalie.

It all starts with the Goalie and it ends there also.

All Wining teams in all sports are Build, UP The Middle. think about it.

[Casper]

Leo, I think Belfour would love the Bay nightlife. :-)

[leo]

I'd sure as heck take him before Raycroft.
Peace.

[Nils]

Huet or Cujo..that's what's available for a REASONABLE price. Problem is management doesn't want to pay ANYTHING. They wouldn't part with a fourth round pick to land a blue chipper (2.20 GAA, .926 Sv%, 8-6 for a team that has trouble scoring).

Forget Raycroft, he stinks. Anyone else available is too high a price. Meanwhile, Ramo is rushed up before he's ready. This season is probably the worst in Lightning history because of the high expectations at the outset.

[leo]

Huet is MTL's num1 goalie. They won't give him up for nothing. Plus, Huet is MENTALLY strong, not physically. 40 games, that's al he can play. How long will he last with this team?
Cujo?! Cujo?! Aaaagh!
He's 67 years old, ferpetessakes! Let him rest in peace!
And before you say Spengler, let me say, Spengler?! Ha!
I can't believe I'm gonna say this but, I'd take Raycroft before Cujo and I AIN'T takin Raycroft.
Aaaagh!
Peace.

[Bobby Clarke]

You really don't know crap leo. I'm also guessing you're about 12.

[ajax]

leaving for some holiday cheer and Bud Lite at the finest place in town: One Lightning Arena.
Maybe this isn't the time but at lunch we all got on the subject of what they need the most. Richards came up and one of the guys said "they are always complaining about needing scorers for his line, when was the last time you saw him score an even strength goal"
I took that as a challenge.
I think the following stat should quite all whispers(yells) of how Brad Richards is a top NHL player.
In his last 51 regular season games going back to last year, r-e-a-d-y, drumroll please.
Brad has 4 even strength goals in his last 51 games. Shocking and yet hysterical to me. That equates to about 6-7 for a complete 82 game season.
I could ramble but I don't think anyone could turn that somehow into a positive or blame his other 5-8-12 linemates he has had.
OUCH

[Lisa]

Richards does not score well in 5 on 5 situations. these days, he doesn't assists much in 5 on 5 situations, either. Even when Marty is on his line, not much happens unless it is a powerplay. But one thing he is really good at is the shootout.

As far as Ramo: good game. I know we have seen good games from Holmer and the occasional not bad game from Denis, so I won't expect too much until we see what Ramo can do after several games. But the whole team played well and supported him. He had the confidence in net, and it showed. Hope we may have found a solution to one of our problems, but I won't bet on it until we see quite a bit more.

Maybe Feaster was not able to go for Bryzgalov because that was just as the deal fell apart and the current ownership wasn't willing to spend another dime. Or maybe a serious miscalculation was made because at that point, Holmer had been playing well. But whatever the reason, this is what we have. I think Huet will be too expensive for what he is: a goalie who will be an UFA at the end of the season and can walk away with us not getting more than a few games from him. I see the defense as very young but with a lot of potential, especially Ranger, OB and Lundin. As they get more experience, they will improve. Vinnie and Brad are still young, not yet reaching their peaks. Marty still has some good years left. I just think that since one move wouldn't be enough to get us a cup this year, you don't trade away any of the key players and wait for the off season (with new ownership) and try to get the pieces you need from free agency, and possibly trade that isn't done in desperation where we do not receive adequate value for our team.

One last bit of information. Koules owns a minor league team in Helena. And they have a great record and have won championships. I think he wants to win, and that is why he want the Lighting. He sees what they can be, and from all reports, does not want the core players traded away.

[leo]

I don't know crap, Bobby?
OK.
Hey folks, should we get Cujo?
Whaddaya think? Cujo in net for us?
Sound good?

Hey Lisa, totally agree about Huet. So who then? Who's out there? Can we go for Ellis or Harding or something like that? Doable? What cost? (You were right about Bryzgalov, now gimme somethin').
Peace.
Peace.

[leo]

Woop! Too much peace; pass it on.

[Lisa]

Leo, sometimes there just isn't anything out there worth trading for. Give Ramo a chance. I don't think that it is worth it to do a trade this season for which you won't get the value you can get in the offseason.

Sometimes you sacrifice one season to get better in the future. In the off season, it may be possible to trade Richards and get something more than cap relief for him. We may be able to get a goalie in free agency. Maybe some defense in free agency, or a scoring winger. But with the salary cap, I think it is really hard to get good trades during the season.

If we were competing for the cup and only needed one more piece, then I would look to see what could be done. But we have more than one need.

I don't want to see our 1st round pick traded this year, but OB was a solid pick up last year and someone that will contribute for years (hopefully). That is more the kind of trade I would like to see us do again, if possible, this year with either a draft pick or a prospect.

[leo]

Merry X-Mas to all
And to all a Bolt cheer.
Next game against Ovy,
Go easy on the beer.

Dagnabbit, Lisa.
I don't want to hear pragmatic logic.
I'm not interested in reason or patience.
I want a confidence-inspiring numéro uno GOALTENDER, right now.
The Lightning is MY team. Mine! Mine! Mine! I want to WIN!
I want your wildest FEASABLE IDEA.
Not crazy, Lisa.
Avant-gardiste.
Give it to me.
Peace.
And a Happy New Year.