Augusta is Lightning's ECHL affiliate

From the team's announcement:

The Lightning entered into a one-year affiliation agreement with the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL, it was announced today by Lightning vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton.  Augusta will serve as the Lightning’s primary ECHL affiliate starting with the 2008-09 season.

Norfolk Admirals general manager Mike Butters, Augusta general manager Dan Troutman and owners Jan and Robert Burch made the announcement at a 1 p.m. news conference today in Augusta.  The Lightning organization will provide the Lynx with players under NHL and AHL contracts.  Tampa Bay will also play a role in selecting the coaching staff.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome the Augusta Lynx to the Lightning organization,” Lawton said.  “The Lynx and their management team are committed to success and it shows by them making the playoffs in six of their 10 seasons in operation.  We feel that due to the organization’s desire to win, and because of its proximity to Tampa and our AHL affiliate in Norfolk, there really is not a better option for us in the ECHL.  We look forward to our prospects playing an important role in bringing the Kelly Cup to Augusta.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of the Lightning organization, and we look forward to working together in order to win championships,” Troutman said.  “With the aggressive moves their new ownership have pursued since purchasing the team, we feel Tampa Bay’s commitment and passion to winning is a great asset to our club.  Our goal as a club is to bring the Kelly Cup to Augusta, and an affiliation with an organization with as much success as the Lightning have had brings us closer to that goal. We look forward to helping young players refine their skills on their road to the NHL.”

Tampa Bay previously had secondary affiliations with Mississippi, Pensacola, Johnstown, Toledo, Chesapeake, Nashville and Knoxville of the ECHL.  Tampa Bay is entering the second year of its affiliation with the Norfolk Admirals, who serve as the Lightning’s top minor league affiliate.

Based in Augusta, Georgia, the Lynx were founded in 1998.  The team played as the Raleigh (NC) IceCaps from 1991-98. The team posted a 32-35-5 record last season as an affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks and qualified for the postseason for the third consecutive year.  They were eliminated by the South Carolina Stingrays in the first round after five games of a best-of-five series.  Augusta has posted a 332-320-50-14 record in franchise history and has made the playoffs in six of their 10 seasons in Augusta.

Comments

[Don in St. Pete]

Say what you want but " BOB ", Barrie, Oren and Brian, have been quietly but eficiently laying the framework for the Lightning's future. I continue to be impressed by their accomplishments thus far, and will continue to hope they land help for the Bolts defense before the start of camp.

[slapshot]

Lets sign rugged free agent defenseman Marek Malik. We got the offensive defenseman, now we just need the defensive defenseman.

[phantom]

i say we trade lecavalier for lidstrom. De ja vu hahahaha. Sign a big time player and then trade him.

[phantom]

I'm serious

[HockeyBay.com]

I wish ECHL affiliate was in Ft. Myers instead of Carolina Caniacs / Panthers having the Everblades.. A little less of a drive for all gas is expensive!

[phantom]

watch some old guy like don in st.pete or PD or Leo tell me to shut my big mouth, and say r u out of ur mind lol.

=)<3 luv ya

[Bolts Rule!!]

Darche has been signed by Buffalo.

I like the bringing in of the farm teams, maybe this way the Bolts will start having alot more depth in the farm system.

[Don in St. Pete]

Phantom, You have indeed lost your mind. While I love Lidstrom, you don't trade a 28yo franchise player for a 37yo. While Lidstrom probably has a couple of good years left, we have nobody to center the first line and have the potential to score 50 goals like V4. If you can sign Sundin and only care about 1 run for the cup you make that move. Otherwise it would be totally stupid to mortgage the future of your franchise.

[Bryan]

oh god, did someone really suggest Marek Malik?

[David (Clearwater, Fl)]

I'm just gonna assume that despite saying that he was serious, Phantom cannot possibly be serious.

[geo]

phantom if we trade vinny why not for ovechkin

[rld]

Mississippi is much better off than not having The Lightning as an affiliate. The lightnings farm system is aweful.

[GP]

"Rugged" Marek Malik? Are you kidding me? He has never been rugged in his life. His major shortfall is that is not physical for his size. We already have our Malik in Kuba.

[Don in St. Pete]

The post about Malik is from slapshot, jhe must be a closet Taliban or something. In my opinion there is zero chance we sign malik.

GP,

You are dead on. Malik big...yes. Malik rugged...sure, like Andrei Zyuzyn.

[Elwood P. Dowd]

I know Phantom. I also know Slapshot. Young booger hooker, you are neither!

Marek Malik is a 6'6" and 235 lb. deffenseman who has size and can play on the penalty kill. and that is what we need. he went +7 last season and is
+136 for his career. He is a veteran who has been in the NHL for a while.

Here is his profile url:
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8459493&service=page&tab=crst

[slapshot]

Sorry about the whole phantom thing. that was my friend who does all those stupid posts just to get us all mad. Once again sorry and I promise he will stop. I blocked him from going on this website on his computer.

[Not the Marlboro Man]

Things seem much more organized now since the Feaster is gone and isn't running a grabbasstic gaggle anymore.
I just hope the new found off-season momentum can continue for a decade or so.

[Not the Marlboro Man]

Lecavalier isn't going anywhere, he took allot less to stay in Tampa and thats what Danny Boy should have done also, but Feaster was was way too stupid to pull it off. Plus Nick Lindstrom would never come here...Detroit would be commiting suicide by letting him go, he's the cornerstone of the Red Wing franchise as is Lecavalier to Tampa. I'm sure Tampa Bay wants to get a big name defensive player from somewhere... possibly via trade, but I'm not so sure anyone would want to trade with the Bolts at this jecture, especially after the power surge we gained in free agency. A better defense might not materialize until the trade deadline when all the losers want to dump their bigtime salaries.
Who was the biggest name defender on the Bolts in 2004 before the trade deadline...Cullimore...Kubina? The Bolts might have play 30 or 40 games before they get to where they want to be defensively. I'm sure if they tighten the blue line and stop pinching as much they will be fine. Picard, Kuba, Carle, Ranger, Lundin and Smaby and the possibilities of Niskala, Mihalik, Hutchinson, Wishart and O'Brien. There is more than enough talent there to put together a defense. Remember, Wishart was a number #1 draft choice by San Jose and is projected to do great things. He may be ready sooner than later.
Don't go nuts after a big name before we find out what kind of big names are developing here!

[Don in St. Pete]

Sound thoughts as always NtMM. We are in a good position. We have lots of firepower on our forward lines and significant assets that other teams will certainly be after. You are much better off if you can trade from a position of strength. The Kings are $10 mil under the cap, and will forfeit all their games and not be allowed to play unless the reach the minimum. The Isles are also a long ways under the cap. These teams will be forced to spend some money or fold it in for the season. I still like the thought of Bouwmesster. He's young and the Pans have almost no offense since the Jokinen trade.