Boyle gets kicked in the head

Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle sat in front of his locker at the St. Pete Times Forum after Wednesday's practice, rubbing with his fingers the right side of his head.

"If I wasn't wearing my helmet,'' he said, his voice trailing off.

Boyle had to leave practice after he was kicked in the head by tumbling teammate Andreas Karlsson in a scene that reminded of Florida's Richard Zednik getting his neck cut by the skate of his tumbling teammate.

"A scary thing,'' Karlsson said.

Karlsson said he was driving to the net when he tripped and flipped over and his skate blade smacked Boyle in the head. Boyle skated quickly off the ice and threw his stick to the ground as he went to the locker room.

Several minutes after gathering himself in the locker room, Boyle was seen walking the hallway outside the locker room. He was still rubbing his head.

Also at pracrice: defenseman Brad Lukowich skated with the team for the first time since sports hernia surgery in late February. Lukowich said he felt "good'' but was nervous. "You don't want to look terrible,'' he said.

Comments

[patricia]

Thank you leo!

[leo]

ONE way in which Denis could have shut up the coach was to PLAY WELL. He didn't. He had his chance and he BLEW IT.
Coach's fault, not enough practice, not enough ice-time, not enough defense, none of that is important when you are BETWEEN THE PIPES.
If Denis had STOPPED the pucks, he'd still have a job. And if we were so cruel to him to have warped his play, how-come other teams don't pick him up and rehabilitate him, so to speak?
Because they think he sucks.
Just like we do.
Anyone can be stellar ONE game. But not everyone is a GOOD all-around goaltender.
Denis ain't either.
End of story.
BBR

[Patricia]

Denis fan,

This will be my last comment as well and then we can leave eachother with our different opinions. I am not saying we treat our goalies good. We dont and dont get me started on John Reese, who I think is supposed to be our goalie coach?? I would like to know what he has coached!! Maybe that is one of the problems. My point is Denis had many opportunities to come in here and shine! To say "you did a good trade and I will make you proud", yeah that didnt happen. I am sure he didnt get treated that well by Tampa, but guy this isnt preschool. This is his job, not everyone gets treated well by there boss, but they live with it. Especially with his salary. Over paid in my opinion! I am sure he played wonderful on his last team, but that was a whole different kind of team then Tampa. I personally dislike the kid. Bottomline is he didnt do it for Tampa. Thats my only concern! I dont care what a stand up kind of guy he is or what he did in his past. Dude, the guy didnt come through for Tampa. Thats it!! You continue being a fan of Denis, thats cool! I have really not read that many Denis supporters on this blog and I will be the first to bash him! Sorry, no hard feelings. Hopefully we will come back next season and kick some as-! Until then,

PATRICIA,

This will be my last comment...

You are right we will never agree, but that doesn't mean I am not respecting your opinion... Based of what I saw in the last few years, what they did to Holmqvist, what they did to Ramo ( do you honestly think Torts was right in saying Ramo will have to be in Norfolk next year ? ) How do you think the kid feel ?

I still think they did not play fair with Denis this year, my opinion is based on all the comments,statements, made by Torts... How can Denis be judged on only 4 starts in 2007-2208 season...? and after spectacular performance and win in Montreal he never saw the ice...
I agree that Denis did not deliver in Tampa in 2006-2007, but I am questionning the way he was treated and supported by the coaching staff.
How can he became so bad in Tampa, after a solid track record everywhere he played before...?

THE END !

[Patricia]

Denis fan,

Obviously we dont agree on this! Thats fine that you are a fan of him, but please dont come on here saying how awesome of a goalie he is. He had many opportunities to show what he can do and has failed. We have all seen what he can do and thats probably why he is not picked up yet. I dont have to like him. I actually dont like him AT ALL! My personal opinion is he sucks and I would want nothing more then him out of Tampa! You want to like him, that fine.

You have a great day

[DENIS FAN]

PATRICIA,

If Denis was not picked-up, the only one to blame is BOLTS management peoples !
*If you want to do a selling job, you have to show the product.
*Why any other GM will correct the mistake of the BOLTS management ? They can have Denis next year for normal and probably under market price, because Denis will had the salary paid by the Bolts for the next 2 years on his current salary from the team who will pick him.
*For your knowledge, even if a team had pick-up Denis this week, he was not eligible to play in the playoff roster, and the team had to pay half of Denis salary... Why should they do that...?

Have a good one !

[Patricia]

By the way Denis fan, he's so good how come no team has picked him up yet??? Are you the only one who knows how great he is or about his accomplishments?? Wow, goalie like that should have been picked long ago, not sitting in the minors!!

[Patricia]

Thanks Chris... you arent kidding. Denis fan, you can say what you want. You can look at all his STATS, I dont care. My concern is what he did for Tampa. Not a hell of alot! You like Denis, good for you:) I cant stand him. I think he sucks as a goal tender and I dont want him in Tampa. I am not saying we are great with our goalies, but bottomline, he did nothing for Tampa. I dont like him... Sorry, I am sure he is a very nice guy, but that really means very little to me. We traded a great player for him and he was supposed to be our goalie answer. He bombed. Couldnt step up to the plate... hes gone so who cares. As long as he not our starter or sitting on our bench in a Tampa sweater, I really dont care what he does!!

[chris]

Man up Marc & don't hide behind the DENIS FAN pseudonym

[DENIS FAN]

Hey Patricia !

DONT BE SORRY ... I ALWAYS STOOD UP FOR MY FRIENDS ! MY FAMILY ! MY TEAM AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO I BELIEVE IN !

Just for your knowledge...DENIS Resume:

*First ( 1st ) Round pick from Colorado

* Best CHL Canadian Junior Goalie- 1996

* Memorial Cup Tournement participation

* TWO (2) Gold medal at World Junior
Championship 1996 - 1997 and named
best goalie of the tournement in 1997

* Calder Cup winner with Hershey Bears

* AHL All Star Team nomination with
Hershey.

* Gold medal Senior World Championship

* Worked and leaned from one of the
best NHL goalie ever had: Patrick Roy

* Consider as a SOLID and TOUGHER
goalie by the NHL top recruiter and
GM. Almost beat the Brodeur record
with 78 games played in one season
in Columbus.

* Consider as a TEAM player and ALWAYS
appreciated by his teammates,
coaches... ALWAYS ACT AS A PRO...!

COINCIDENCE or Not look at the Bolts record since DENIS left the team in December, I am told his teammates were very disappointed the way DENIS was treated by the coaching staff and management... LACK OF RESPECT ?

NOW PATRICIA you can ask people who know DENIS and checked my statement. You will see next year,who's the REAL DENIS... I still hope with the BOLTS but I doubt, BUT PLEASE STOP YOUR BASHING, ON A GUY WHO ONLY PLAYED FOUR (4) GAMES with the LIGHTNING in 2008, HE'S NOT RESPONSIBLE OF ALL THAT MESS ! SHOOT AT THE RIGHT TARGET...DENIS CAN NOT BECAME SO BAD AS YOU THINK IN ONLY ONE YEAR...

THE BOLTS TRACK RECORDS WITH GOALIES ARE VERY SUSPISCIOUS ! DON'T YOU THINK ? JUST LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID TO HOLMQVIST AND RAMO THIS YEAR.

RESPECTFULLY YOURS !

[Patricia]

Hey DENIS FAN, probably the only one. I'm sorry that you feel the need to stick up for the worst goalie ever! Are you slow??? Did you watch any of the season with Denis in goal? That is all I have to say. You can say blah blah all you want. Bottomline he SUCKS! Sorry guy!

[DENIS FAN]

POOR PATRICIA !

You should consult, you have a MAJOR problem... You don't know what you are talking about ?

Just stay away from hockey, DENIS 's REPUTATION in the NHL circle...
A REAL PRO ! A TEAM PLAYER ! A RESPECTED PLAYER AND A PLAYER who RESPECT his teammate, his coach and his FANS ...Watch him next year...

TEL : 1-888-BRAIN- RESEARCH

[keith]

Boyle's not going anywhere. The Bolts need him, as illustrated by his recently awarded fat contract. I believe, and hope, next season will be a huge improvement for Danny. His plus minus numbers are as much an indication of who he plays with as they are of his play. OB? He'd make Lidstrom's numbers look bad if he had to pair with him. Love OB's energy but I think its a good thing he makes a living as an athlete. Based on his game decisions, doesnt seem like there's mcuh of anything other than the whistling wind between the ears.

[GP]

I think they should listen to offers for Dan Boyle. I'm not sure what type of no trade clause he has but if there is a loophole, expose it. I know the Rangers were hoit on his trail and would love to make a deal. I think a deal with the Rangers would have to include Marc Staal and Brandon Dubinsky. Maybe even Cherepanov.

[Tom "Steve" McQueen]

I'm still lobbying for tanking the rest of the games to have a better chance of winning the "Steve Stamkos Lottery."

[keith]

Lets just concede the last few meaningless games and end this horrible season now. (At least in the 90's we had no expectations.) Everyone go home fish,play golf or whatever you do in Canada duing the summer, forget this nightmare (regroup, whatever that means) get some MORE new blood and look forward to October.

Latest Hockey News has our illustrious GM falling from 6th in the league last year to 30th this year. Give the big boy a "thank you" for the Cup, box of Krispy Creme and send him on his way................please

[Jeep (Since someone is already Eric)]

Now now now Chris...this blog wants to hear none of that logic. It was trendy to bash 19, but Boyle isn't so unlucky. Don't let the fact Brad played with mono and crap linemates keep you from rallying around the crap on 19 flag.

Plus, Boyle is making 6.6 million a season. Sure glad we got Brad's 7.8 mil a year off the books so we could dump huge piles of cash on DFB.

...Wait, what?

[Casper]

Nasty sentiment Chris, but I'll play along. Sure, get rid of anyone overpaid.
Take one step back and two deep breaths (or vice-versa); $6.6M for Danny F'n Boyle (here it comes...$80 grand per game. At 30 minPG, $2667 P/Min. Then those 3rd period penalties the exhausted guy takes get *really* --no caps-- costly.). Are there defacto other clubs out there that would've paid 7 million to this UFA? Lets find them and give the good news, they can save 400G if they'll do a lopsided deal that makes us fat with 2-3 more talented bodies at lower cost.

Check this thread in the archives a year from now. I think we'll still be pining for a defensive coach.

[chris]

-21 in the games he's played ? Everybody (you know who you are) wanted to crucify Brad for -27 in almost a full season. Whatever you think about the +/- stat you gotta admit it means more on a d-guy than a forward playing huge minutes. Maybe the foot to the head will help, can't hurt

[Lisa]

Wow, that's scary. Hopefully Danny will be OK. I think we should just conceed the last few games and forget about practicing, as well. This year seems to be completely jinxed!

[Steve]

Anyone seen the movie Final Destination? lol...

[Voice of the Turtle]

Remember when the Bolts led the league for two or three years running in terms of the least man games lost to injury? The pendulum seems to have swung in the opposite direction.

Suggestion: when on the road, the Lightning ought to register at a local hospital instead of a hotel.

Or, is this the 5th installment of the "SAW" series, straight off the silver screen and cursedly brought to the Forum: life imitating fiction.

[roro]

man, we are hexed!