That wall is cursed, and Halpern's knee

The Lightning seems to believe that a 47-foot tall ad space on the side of the St. Pete Times Forum is cursed. Laugh if you want, but the team has taken steps, really, to, as senior director of marketing Mark Gullett said, "reverse the curse."

First, though, some background. Last season the Lightning featured goaltender Marc Denis in the space at the corner of Morgan Street and Channelside Drive. He was so bad, his contract was bought out. A recent display of No. 1 draft choice Steve Stamkos had to be removed because Stamkos was shown incorrectly as a left-handed shot. The replacement also included defenseman Dan Boyle, who, oops, was almost immediately traded.

So Gullett said the team has determined a player will never again adorn the space. Gullett also said the current picture of the Times Forum and other buildings of the Tampa skyline has design elements to "reverse the curse."

Gullett would not elaborate but said they are so small, you probably need binoculars to see them.

"That sign ruined my last two weeks," Gullett said. "That sign on the wall has been such a curse, we decided to have some fun with it."

We'll have a story, too, in Thursday's paper, and if anyone can figure out what owner Oren Koules called the "magic" in the sign, send me an e-mail and let me know.

Other things:

- Jeff Halpern's knee is responding slowly, and the center likely won't be back in the lineup before Christmas. When Halpern underwent reconstructive surgery on his right knee, the window for his return was the end of October to the end of December. Seems as if the Lightning is shooting for the later of the dates.

"It's a big injury," said Brian Lawton, the Lightning's vice president of hockey operations. "There was a lot of atrophy.

The injury makes the return of Ryan Craig from injury and the signing of Chris Gratton that much more important. Adam Hall and Wyatt Smith could also fill in in a pinch. Lawton said Halpern will not be rushed.

"The athletes come first," Lawton said. "We've put some depth in the organization. We're just going to have to be able to fill in with a plan."

- Lawton said Mike Sullivan and Jeff Reese, assistants for former coach John Tortorella, and whom have one year each left on their contracts, are talking to other clubs. He also said the entire medical and training staffs have been retained, as has video coach Nigel Kirwan.

- Big Russian Evgeny Atyukhin said he wants to prove the two years he spent in Russia were not wasted. "I want to show everybody I can play in the NHL," he said, "and not only on the fourth line."

Artyukhin said he knows coach Barry Melrose only from what he has seen on ESPN. "He's a good talker and has good style," Artyukhin said. "His suits are impressive."

- We all know the story of how Ryan Malone, acquired as a free agent from the Penguins, missed only a few minutes of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final after his nose was broken by a shot. But how did it feel?

"I thought my face was dented in," Malone said.

Malone said he did not consider sitting out despite difficulty breathing.

"You never know when you're going to get there," he said of the Cup final. "You want to make sure you leave it all out there. You don't want to leave anything in the tank, that's for sure."

- Defenseman Matt Carle said all the right things about how he does not believe he has to take the place of defenseman Dan Boyle.

"I don't think it falls on my shoulders," he said. "There's a lot of good, young defensemen on this team. The combination of all of us together will make up for what Dan Boyle brought to the table."

That's fine intellectually, but surely he sees the Dan Boyle going out, Matt Carle coming in story line.

"All I can say is I'll work hard and try to improve my game to get it to that level," he said.

"I hope people don't expect me to be a Dan Boyle right off the bat," Carle, 23, added. "He's played int he league quite a while. It's something I hope to become sooner rather than later. I've been working very hard this summer and will work hard next season to keep developing my game and become a player o that caliber."

- I loved this quote from Gary Roberts, 42, who spoke about he and Mark Recchi, 40, lending veteran leadership but not stepping on toes.

"This is Vinny's team and Marty's team," Roberts said of Lecavalier and St. Louis. "We're just here to complement those guys. I'm just excited to be part of it. As and older guy, you come in and you do your job the way you've done it for 20 years. That's not going to change. At some point, will I offer advice, or Mark? Probably. But we're not going to walk in here and rant and rave and try to make changes. Whether you play 20 years or one year, you have to gain the respect of your teammates."

I know that's a lot of stuff, but wanted to give you all a flavor for the day. 

Comments

[Pd]

Well I'm hopefull not confident.

[Don in St. Pete]

PD, Kuba had 15 goals, the season before last when he got a lot of minutes on the PP. he was a victim of the Torts doghouse syndrome and I'm confident he'll be better this year, though it would be a stretch to imagine him scoring 15 again. Ranger scored 8 of his 10 in the first half before injuring his shoulder and if healthy should be even better this year. OB had 4 goals in our first 16 games last year before he too became a casualty of the Torts doghouse syndrome.

[PD]

Don Don Don
"incumbent upon Kuba, Ranger and O'Brien to pick up the offensive parts of thei game during the 5 on 5".

What are the chances of that, really?

Who plays QB on the PP?

[Don in St. Pete]

PD, You make a good point, especially with the established Montreal frachise. Streit's departure there can be looked at in 2 ways, it's an opportunity for the other players to step up and get additional minutes on the PP, and we're missing a mobile shifty puch handler who could lead the rush with little or no effort. The same could be said thogh less so with Tampa Bay and Danny Boyle. First off, we played half the season and were more successful without him ( not a refection on Danny but the rest of the players picking up their game to cover for his absense ), much as the habs will have to do for Streit. Richy ran the power play for all these years, not Boyle ( until after Richy left ) and it will be an adventure to see if we can find another forward who can handle playing the point on the PP or the D will have to step up. We have plenty of guys who can lug the puck up ice on the PK but it will be incumbent upon Kuba, Ranger and O'Brien to pick up the offensive parts of thei game during the 5 on 5. That being said I forsee our club more easily able to transition from the loss of Boyle than the habs, mainly because we've added a lot of speed and firepower which should open up the Ice for our D. Remember that Jason Ward started out on the 2nd line last year. We have much better overall team offensive abilities which include that instinctual knowledge of when to circle bach to help out the d, when to lug the puck and when to pass it.

[PD]

Heh Leo, Streit put the PP numbers up, Ritchie and Boyle put the PP numbers up too . Who knows their replacements may too. BUT in Tampa's case lets give Ritchie 88 pretty much guaranteed total points and Boyle maybe 50.

Say what you want, those numbers would likely be delivered like a good milkman. They were in the bank.

Now where do they come from? Sure people can step up but if they don't then goodnight. Same with Streit.

New Chemistry is a dangerous wildcard too.

[Don in St. Pete]

Leo, I'm glad you know more about hockey than golf. Tiger has bad knees from injuries suffered as a star high school quarterback, and I think he also played baseball and basketbal in high school.

[léo]

Athlete?! It's golf.
If John Daly can do it, it's not a sport.
P.

[Don in St. Pete]

Leo, That was a zinger! I can see it now Tiger with the puck in the corner and Artyukhin, pronger or Laraque barreling in on him. Can you say please check my drawers? That being said he's a hell of an athlete ( though obviously with bad knees ) and probably could have been at least moderately successful in whichever sport he had chosen.

[léo]

Sorry PD.
In that case, you're absolutelty right. I'll give you the Streit point too, if you want. But We don't feel We're losing anything. We lose out with his offensive flair, sure, but We got tons'a'kids can do that job. PLUS, We gain in defensive stability, someone more solid on their skates, O'Byrne. Less flashy, more menacing. So we'll see.
Don,
Of course you'll give Us trouble. So will Toranna and the Islanders and L.A. and Columbus and the Blues. You're SUPPOSED to give Us trouble. We don't want to Crush you TOO easily. Where's the fun in that?
Steve,
Good luck with the miracle-conjuring thing.
And Tiger, (sorry, with the Milbury thing, THIS naturally came back up)
Any hockey-player can step on the links; let's see you step on the ice. Take that, Tiger! More like tiger-Kitty! Hah!
...that was a good one...boy'o'boy, he won't get up from that'n...
P.

[Steve R]

OV is more the balad type. "Sometimes it's hard to be a woman" in Russian. Not a dry eye in the house.

It's Elwood I think, not Elmo.

Have to get back to you on who's who, that was a good question.

[Don in St. Pete]

Nice, I like the Blues Brother's connection. So who's Elmo and who's Jake? Hope OV doesn't play a bad version of rawhide, and catch a beer bottle upside of the head.

[Steve R]

Don, I'm looking forward to playing you guys. V4 and MSL (or Frodo as he's called on the Caps' boards) play a brand of hockey that is fun to watch. I'd of course hope that Olie lets in 6 so I get my wings.

leo, you a fan of The Blues Brothers? "We're on a mission from God".

[Don in St. Pete]

PD, I hear you. Although, I will continue to remain optomistic, I'm not there either. Interestingly, after the flurry of activity the first few weeks of FA, I am now suffering severe withdrawal symptoms with nothing new to blog about.

[PD]

Leo, miscommunication.
I was referring to the other teams in the east laying down last year, not les glorieux .Esp the Sens.

I hang on Streit though, its pretty tough to replace those PP numbers and the PP is everything in the new age.

Don if we hang out here we don't get bashed for not wearing the Melrose lapel pin.

[Don in St. Pete]

WOW! I was wondering where you were all hiding! Talking about the dang habs and caps, how disgusting. I'm telling you that the Bolts are going to make life miserable for both teams. We probably won't come in 1st but you guys are going to hate to play us.

[léo]

Laid down?
Who laid down?
The Kid? He didn't lie down; he flamed out.
Plecky and K the Elder (more kids!)? Started slow but eventually woke up.
Guillaume? 20yrs-old, PD!
Markov? Yes. In-season, though, he's fabulous. We'll see what happens.
Streit? Yes. NyI's problem now.
Anybody else? The Artiste and Saku? Are you kidding? They were there. They produced. Don't tell me; I'll tell you.
Bottom line was my boy flaming out and lack of Finish on Our part. Our overall game was still there.
We're not worried; why are you? The Kid is 20. Like Fleury was. When he went out in 5. My Boy went out in 11.
PD, are you hoping to mask your fear of my team by trying to get a chokehold around a singular event, one which has NEVER shown to repeat itself, and then bang on it until it DOES manifest itself? Do you hold Us in disdain or somethin'? Finishing last, I think you lied down more than We did, PD.
Cuz, say what you will, for the 5th youngest team in the NHL, my boys didn't do too badly, did they?
Imagine your new Bolt-team finishing 1st and getting to the second round after everyone else put you down, not bad, eh?
Now imagine that with a farmful of talented kids and smarter management up and down the line, from scouting to signing.
Not bad, eh?
Think Bob got the message along time ago. No one disputes Our heart. It's a harder edge We needed. And that's what we're aaaall gonna get. Us and you, PD.
With Laraque onboard, everybody just grew 2 inches on the team. Might not "lie down" as quickly.
We'll see.
P.

[PD]

Streit 13 goals 49 assists, 2nd in the league for D men.
Most of Montreals points came from the PP..nice try Leo. That will hurt.

[PD]

A lot of good Tanguay did you last year when you had a real chance to win if you had a tested goalie.
BTW Tanguay/Rider..same guy).

Seems to me, as bad a year as Ottawa had last year, they were within 5 wins of Montreal. All 3 of their top guys were out for extended periods.

Gerber won't be the guy , Im sure you know that

Jason Smith and Rutuu will be smack in your face too for a new flavor.

Hartsburg will be a considerable upgrade too. Good luck with the 1st place thing.

[léo]

Really, PD?
Streit huh? Well, guess you know him better than We do, right? We switched his vision for Muscle, PD. O'Byrne on D, Laraque on O. What's the problem? We were num1 on PP BEFORE Streit showed up; what's the problem? So what if the PP lowers?
That 2nd rounder for Huey? Traded it for Tanguay.
Bottom line? Huey and a 5th rounder for Tanguay. Not bad, if I do say so meself. And I DO say so meself.
I promise to stay tuned to Ottawa, PD, with their heartless Spezza and their flaccid Gerber. I'm sure they'll come flying out've the gate, just like last year. But their lack of depth all across the board will be their undoing. And once Alfie gets injured? They're finished. You KNOW this.
Cappers and Habs, Steve? Please. Lookit what you're "hoping" for, Steve: For my Boy to "slump" and for Theo to play like "Christ". That's a heck! of a contradictory prayer, Steve, wanting the worst for Us and the miraculous for you.
Why? Because at even strength, with no spiritual intervention of any kind...it's no contest and you know it. You're telling Us to beware of your team in case God gets involved? Uhhh,ok. We'll watch out for that.
It's good that you support your team, Steve, but don't set your hopes too high. Nothing sadder than seeing one's delusions unravel.
For Theo to play like Jesus, Jesus has to be REBORN and look like Theo and learn how to play hockey before mid-october.
No way Jesus can do that.
Whereas all my Boy has to do is his regular thing.
Looking over Our shoulder? Of course. Where else is there?
P.

[JS]

I hope they put St. Louis and Lecalvier on that cursed wall.

[PD]

Leo have to agree with this call you made:
Bottom line: Letting Huey go = Mistake

Except Gainey was the one that made the big mistake, for what a 2nd rounder?

That might be as close as you guys get because last year everybody laid down.

If you thing Ottawa is a one trick pony stay tuned and Stevie's Caps not far behind. Philly is there too unless your team gets the grit to face them when it counts.

Losing Streit BTW will be a whole bunch more serious then you think.

[Steve R]

leo,

Good zinger on the big-3. But I would say that the Bolts have added a ton of depth on O.

Pitt? Not so much depth, agreed. They gave up a lot of talent for Hossa & now the're stuck with adding bodies from Scranton. Having said that, I wouldn't dismiss them that easily. MAF is pretty good.

Phi? Gagne is done I fear. It's a real shame. They'll be lurking in the 5-6 spot for the next couple of years.

NJD? I'm seeing them in the 4 spot come play off time.

Carolina if healthy will be 5-6.

Sens, Bos and Buff will be battling for spots 7-8.

And then there is us. I'd be looking over your shoulder leo, we're not far behind you. All it takes is Price having a sophmore slump and we'll take you. We shall see. Hopefully Theo plays like the second coming of Roy.

[léo]

Ottawa?
Now, they got a Big-3, and nothing else.
Remind you of anything?
P.

[léo]

Good for the Cappers, Steve. Said so all along. But you guys sucking at the beginning of the year wasn't OUR fault. We had nothing to do with that.
Whereas you guys WINNING at the end of the year was in BIG PART due to Us. We gave you a goalie.
You should be THANKING Us, Steve, not underestimating Us. Still, We shake Our heads that you let Huey go, even if you're right about what you said.
Bottom line: Letting Huey go = Mistake. More so than Streit and double-more so than Ryder.
Pit dumped their last game? Even if they did, again, that's not Our problem. We don't care what others do. We win Our games.
Could just as well say that We dumped Our game against St-Louis and bang, we're right back at even-steven. Over 82 games, We got the most points, whether it was at X-mas or Easter, Labor Day or the Ides of March. We wanted to win them all cuz We weren't afraid of anybody. Pit feared Phi? Boo-hoo. Betcha they feared Us more. We won the season 4 - 3.
With this year's team, who knows? Looks like Our man Josh might be taking Streit's place on PP. Smart lad, great defenseman, savvy passes...but no shot. I don't know, Steve.
All told, I wouldn't mind slipping a coupla positions on the PP chart to jump UP a couple on the PK chart. As long as the +/- ratio remains positive, what do I care?
It's PD who's on the right track: Finishing 1st in the division. That GARANTEES a home-advantaged playoff berth.
I look at My division? Bos. Buf. Ott. Tor. Us. And you know what I say?
Mwaaaaah-haa-ha!!!
Now that THAT'S taken care of, I look around and ask myself. What team is CONCEIVABLY as strong as Ours?
Wooof...Pit? Crosby, Malkin; you can't spit on that but uhhh...lost a little depth, haven't they?
Phi? Well, they beat Us, so I gotta watch what I'll say or GP'll be on me quicker than a june-bug in May. But they flame out, they're not a real team, only Gagné can CARRY and I fear he'll never be the same, they can't go the distance, Biron's style cannot ENDURE, they'll never beat Us again, especially with Umberger(Our Bane) gone.
Who else?
Who?
NyR? They're finished.
NJ? Brodeur? Heck, you never know with that guy, but I don't think so.
Buf? Looks like a atom-bomb went off over there. Now Rivet is their num1 D. We're like Monty Burns in Mtl, "Eeeeeeeexcellent"
Washy? They had Us worried for a sec with Huey there, but now with Theo? Now, We're like the Emperor in Star Wars, "Everything that has transpired so far has done so according to my DESIGN!" We are THRILLED to see Our old friend 4 times this year, twice at home.
Who else?
Hit me.
For 1st place overall.
Who else?
Ain't no one else but Us.
Might hurt to admit it but you gotta do what you gotta do. That's hockey, baby.
Or you can hang out with Tiger, in his nice flannel shirts and Dior plaid pants and Coco Channel loafers and his Slazengers-7 on a picturesque lilac-perfumed hole-14...and HIS opinions on Hockey. (ooh, jeez, I'm so bad) Take that, Tiger!
P.

[Steve R]

PD,

The Sens are a wild card. Which team will show up? They do have some crazy good talent, and one of the (if not the best) best 1st lines around. It does help that the three ring circus (Emery) has departed. If they can stay healthy, they're going to be dangerous.

Hope the Habs enjoy playing Ruutu 6 times, that guy is a serious pain in the a@@.

[Steve R]

PD,

The Sens are a wild card. Which team will show up? They do have some crazy good talent, and one of the (if not the best) best 1st lines around. It does help that the three ring circus (Emery) has departed. If they can stay healthy, they're going to be dangerous.

Hope the Habs enjoy playing Ruutu 6 times, that guy is a serious pain in the a@@.

[PD]

and lets not forget the season from hell that the Sens had.
As much as Montreal overachieved, the Sens did the opposite.

They will be one the favorites in the east

[Steve R]

leo,

Yes, on paper you were the first place team. But did you watch the Pens Philly game to end the regular season? Did it look to you like the Pens showed up to play? Did it look to you like the Pens wanted to face Philly in the first round? Did you watch the game earlier in the season when Philly just beat the crap out of the Pens and Sid was kept off the ice for the last 5 minutes?

The Pens gave you the #1 spot gift wrapped because they knew the Sens would fold with minimal pressure.

Lets look at production:
Gone are
Ryder 14-17-31
Streit 13-49-62

In are
Tanguay 18-40-58
Laraque 4-9-13

Who is on the PP with Streit gone? Will it be as dominant?

Good for you guys playing 5 more playoff games than the Caps. Good for us to start 6-14-1 and go to OT in game 7.

[léo]

Improve over 1st place? Good question, Steve. I guess you got me there.
Switched Ryder for Tanguay. Switched Streit for Laraque. It's not Ali Baba's gold, I admit.
But We are supremely confident in EVERY position...except 1st line power center. Yes, We are praying for Sundin, but We finished 1st without him.
Playing over Our heads? No. Playing so much UNDER Our heads, year before last, that a label got stuck to Us. Truth is, it was the terrible stomach-flu in December, that decimated Our 4th-placed team in the NHL at the time...and David Crapisher. (C'mon! Am I right or am I right? David Crapisher!)
Will Sundin come? I don't know. Think PD might be right.
But do you see how PD is HARPING on Our goalies? "Spitting the "bit", "choking", "disappearing", "pu**ies", my, my, my. It's finally sunk into me in that PD doesn't really BELIEVE those things; he's just trying to rile me up. He believes in the Priceberg just as much as I do.
What happened in the 2nd round, Steve? We didn't score. We dominated every game, doubled the shots, doubled the zone-occupancy, hit more posts than the Flyers had shots! Didn't put it in. Flyers did. Kudos to them.
Bottom line? I think it was EXCELLENT experience for Andrei, Sergei, Guillaume, Tomas, Maxime, Ryan and Josh and my Boy. Kids, Steve. Fantastically skilled kids who now got a taste of what it takes to go for the run. A slap in the face is just what they needed. And they got it 5 games after you played your last game. Kids.
Do you REALLY think the Artiste is finished? Really? In his contract year, to boot? Never underestimate Pride. The Artiste is back.
And Koivu? Who's waited 15years for a chance to Win, he's gonna settle down? 15years! Playin' his heart out; he's gonna slow down?
Maybe. But I don't think so. They came through just fine in the playoffs too. So?......I think We'll be juuuuuust fine.
As for Huey, no matter what Steve, I'm sure NONE of us will have the whole story. You say that's how it went down, ok. I say then, that you SHOULDN'T have said, screw you. How's that? He bailed? Ok. Get him back! Try again! Don't SETTLE.
In the NHL, settling can be fatal. You settled.
I will root for you, Steve. I love the Cappers (loved'em more with Huey,though). No problem. Like I root for my little cousin after Daddy throws HIS horseshoe.
For any other team, your entreaty would seem playful and cheeky, mocking, yet unpretentious.
But don't be ridiculous, Steve. Why would any of Us step DOWN to another team? We will Love. We will Teach. We will Support. But step down? No. We'll stick with Glory, thank you.
P.

[PD]

Very good Q. Steve and the answer is Nada
Before last season, most prognoticators didn't even pick the habs to make the playoffs..they had one of those years where a bunch of guys had career years.

Good luck repeating that esp with two goalies that spit the bit.

They are praying that Sundin rides in to take them to the grail.

Won't happen.

[Steve R]

leo,

I don't have the energy now to find the links for you, but both the GM and owner of the Caps stated publicly how the Huet saga played out:

Huet wanted 3 years 5m per
Caps agreed
Huet decided to try a power play
Caps said screw you and signed Theo

Neither Huet nor his agent refuted the story as presented by the Caps management.

4 years of Huet wouldn't help the Caps long term. Varlamov should be ready when Theo's contract is up & that represents a big savings and $ to go after other free agents, with a possible improvement in goal.

Believe what you want about Huet, hide your head in the sand, don't check the facts. Whatever.

I have to ask leo, what have the Habs done to improve this off season? Why did such a superior team get bounced in the second round and what has been done to prevent the same from happening again?

You're missing the boat Bubba, you're rooting for the wrong team in red, white and blue.

[léo]

Yeah, but Steve,
Next year, we'll be saying that the Cappers defense isn't as crappy as Theo's play reflected.
You bring up great points about your team; I've said so to you before.
But you've mysteriously left out the goalie position in your analysis...
You've mentioned that you believe Theo to be an improvement over Kolzig (numbers to boot)...but deep down...
You've got a baaaaad feeling about this guy, dontcha? Or else you woulda brought him up in your analysis.
Shoulda paid Huey. Yeah, yeah, you offered...I don't buy that for a second. Huey isn't a turncoat. You obviously DIDN'T give him a number he wanted to hear. I refuse to believe he said, I want this, then you said, ok, and then he said, no. I don't believe that. Not from Huey.
June, Cappers: Huey, what's it gonna take for you to stay a Capper?
H: 6mil. 4 years.
C: (spit) Jeez Louise, Huey! You gotta be kidding!
H: Yes or no?
C: Huey, we got issues next year. We have limits to what we...
H: I can get it elsewhere. Yes or no?
C: Good gosh, Huey, c'mon, you know that's too much.
C: So get someone else who's less expensive. I win games. That's what I do. Winning is gonna cost ya. Yes or no? And before you answer, ask yourself: What do you WANT?
H: If I say yes to this, you PROMISE to sign right now?
H: 24mil, I'll sign right now.
C: Will you sign right now for 23mil?
H: I'll sign right now for 23mil.
Boom! June! Sure, it's too much. But better to pay too much for a winning goalie than the right price for an average one (qualifying Theo, I'm being nice!). Shoulda PAID it.
Good luck to you Washy. Hope your num2 is magic.
We'll have the lillies ready for you in February.
And you were lookin' so good! (bye!, sob, snif, snuffle, honk!, bon voyagee!, cry-cry-cry)
Oh well,
More food for Us!
P.

[Steve R]

Boltflasher,

No doubt you'll be scoring more, your O is stacked. Question though, how long is is going to take for everyone (aside from 1st line) to develop chemistry? Those one goal losses are a dagger.

Don,

Largely the same crew that lost in the first round, true enough. But Nylander is 100% now and missed half of last year. Clark should return soon after missing most of last year. Out top three centers are Backstrom, Nylander and Fedorov, not shabby. We're going to be rolling out two scary good power play units. And the truth is our D isn't as crappy as Olie's GAA from last year reflects. Plus there is a top notch D prospect waiting in the wings (Alzner)who might make the team this year. Our farm system is deep. How's yours?

What talent do you think that your owners will package for a solid D-man?

[Don in St. Pete]

You are dead right about our D, Steve. On the same token, what have you guys done to improve? Looks like the same bunch that lost in the first round. It will be interesting. I have to believe that our ownership is working on the D. See you in October.

[Boltflasher]

Steve, I agree to a point, but how many of those losses were 1 goal losses that a poor Lightning team led the league in...should see significant improvement on the Bolts in those 1-goal losses due to improved goal scoring if nothing else...i.e., we'll see..

[Steve R]

Don,

We started visiting here when your owner predicted that Tampa would take the S.E.

Y'all going to do anything to improve your D? That might go a long way toward helping you cause us some insomnia.

Oh yea, last season the Caps won 6 to your 2. And those two wins for you were BB (before Bruce). You've improved your O, done nothing on D, and signed Olie...?

[Don in St. Pete]

If you all Washington Flapitall's fans weren't so nervous about the new Lightning you wouldn't be trolling on our blog. Just wait until we spank your sissy @$$e$ and all those sleepless nights will have been worth it.

[TamponBay]

Lets go Dolts!

Good luck with Olie and all his lovely rebounds!

[jb]

LETS GO CAPS!!!!!

[Melrose is the Silver Mullet!]

If you look at that image closely, you can see an Image of Melrose throwing a bound and gagged Kolzig off the pier!

[You're a moron]

john johnson #46 is an idiot. He can't even spell page! HA HA HA!!!!!

[Twinebulge]

Jim Johnson quotes

"You are all mediocre JV hockey players"

All?? False.

"and do not know what you talking about."

False. Allegation unsupported by factual data

"You post here on this paige in the hopes that someone, somewhere will find you important... But they will not."

True, though proving this will be difficult for you

"You are not loved in this world."

False.

One out of four ain't bad, jimmy boy. Oh wait, yes it is. Thanks for playing

[léo]

Will it have the sombrero on it, Don?
I refuse to be set in clay without my sombrero on.
'Sides that?
Cool.
P.

[Don in St. Pete]

I vote we put a bust of Leo up in the back of the net, where they measure the speed of your slapshot. A bust could do but we should try to get the Habs logo in there. Nothing like giving us something to shoot for.

[léo]

Or mine!
How 'bout MY picture up there, Mike?
I can wear my sombrero and look really cool! I also got that leopard leotard everyone has and lumberjack boots! I'll look great!
I'll have a drink in my hand, a grasshopper or a margarita or a pina colada, y'know, something resortesque, and there'll be a bubble beside me and it'll say,
"Welcome to Hockey Club Med! Where everybody scores and nobody looks behind!"
Catchy. Kooky. I think it'll be all that!
Big-a@@ picture of Leo, whaddaya say?
Huh?
What?
Awwww...ok.
Keep your stupid cursed wall the way it is then. Just tryin' to help.
P.

[Mike S.]

Maybe put Melrose's picture up there. Or AO.

[john johnson #46]

You are all mediocre JV hockey players and do not know what you talking about. You post here on this paige in the hopes that someone, somewhere will find you important... But they will not. You are not loved in this world.

[Timmy T]

Let's Go Lightning! clap, clap - clap clap clap

[rod]

New schedule is out on NHL.com you can sort by lightning.