Can Tampa Bay survive without an enforcer?

A lot has been made about how the Lightning will handle its enforcer duties after Andre Roy left as a free agent. Do they really need one? Can "team toughness" overcome the lack of one. We got two views in today's paper. Coach Barry Melrose said we shouldn't count out tough guy David Koci making the team out of camp. "One thing I've made very clear to my stars is they will always be protected, and that's going to happen here," he said. "As long as I'm coach here, you will never see one of our stars taken advantage of."

But hockey ops chief Brian Lawton said the concept of team toughness also is valid, and he spoke of guys such as Ryan Malone, Nick Tarnasky, Evgeny Artyukhin, Chris Gratton and even Vinny Lecavalier as more than willing and able to take care of themselves. Besides, he added, the Lightning is an "enormous team." He actually is right about that. Tampa Bay's projected top 13 forwards average 6 feet 2, 210 pounds. That's the biggest group of forwards in the league. Believe me, I went through every team and checked. And as Lawton said, "Team toughness is the greatest responsibility and bonding a team can do," he said. "We have a group of guys that I can already tell already will use this to bring themselves together. ... Tell me who Detroit's heavyweight is. Tell me who their middleweight is. They do it with more puck possession and skill. We'd like to follow that model. But we'd also like to back that up with size, and we feel we have that."

Okay, before all you Wings fans start bringing up Aaron Downey, remember he played just 4 minutes a game and was not much of a factor in the playoffs. The point Lawton was trying to make is there really isn't room on the Lightning's roster for a four-minute player, and fighting is not that much of a factor in the playoffs anyway.

What's the right answer? Can Koci play a regular shift, even though, as he said, his skating needs to improve?

Also thought Melrose's Q&A was interesting, especially the part about carving out a section in front of the net where much more physical play is allowed. "The hacking and whacking and cross-checking, so the guy has to have some grit to get in there, where you can't go in there with no pads the way you basically can do it now. That should be an area of highly fought over ice," he said.

And I loved this quote: "I never want to get to a point in my life when cowards can play hockey."

If you haven't read the Q&A, I suggest it. It is well worth your time, and then tell me what you think of Melrose's idea to make it tougher to stand in front of the net. I think the whole enforcer issue for Tampa Bay and Melrose's comments are great for debate. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Meszaros: It's a new chapter in my life

Andrej Meszaros didn't want to get too deeply into why things didn't work out with the Senators. He said he has "lots of respect for the Ottawa organization" and doesn't have any hard feelings. Asked if it was simply a matter of money that caused the contract dispute that put the restricted free agent on the market, Meszaros also spoke of the length of contract.

Tampa Bay, which traded Friday night for the 22-year-old blue-liner and gave up defensemen Filip Kuba, Alex Picard, and a 2009 first-round draft pick, signed Meszaros Saturday to a six-year, $24-million deal He will make $2.5-million next season; $3.25-million in 2009-10; $4-million in 2010-11 and 2011-12; $4.75-million in 2012-13; and $5.5-million in 2013-14.

"I wanted a long-term deal, and Tampa Bay, they wanted to give it to me," Meszaros said by phone from his native Slovakia.

"I wanted to stay in Ottawa but it didn't work out.Now I'm really excited to go to Tampa and play. I've got lots of respect for the Ottawa organization. I really appreciate Tampa Bay had interest in me. Now, it's a new chapter in my life. I'm going to do my best to play hard and try to win a Stanley Cup."

Meszaros, the Senators' first-round pick (23rd overall) in 2004, said he is best at seeing the ice, has a good shot and will be able to help on the power play, where he had six goals last season. He said he knows expectations will be high given what the Lightning gave up for him and that he will be expected to pick up a lot of the slack left by the trade of Dan Boyle.

"I wouldn't say it's pressure," Meszaros said, "but it's a great challenge. I like challenges, and hopefully I'm going to do good and try to play hard and win every game."

As for the commitment shown him by Tampa Bay, Meszaros, who has not missed a game in three seasons with Ottawa, seemed humbled.

"I was surprised they gave up that much for me," he said of the Lightning. "They gave up some good players. I really appreciate that. I'm excited and happy to be in Tampa. Now it's a great challenge for me to step up and play as hard as I can."

Meszaros signs; 6 years, $24-million

As expected, the Lightning on Saturday announced it signed newly acquired defenseman Andrej Meszaros to a six-year, $24-million contract. The deal averages $4-million, which will be the annual salary cap hit. But Meszaros did the Lightning a favor in terms of actual cash out by going low to high. That also is a nod to his age, 22, and that his contributions likely will  increase as his career continues.

Here is the breakdown: $2.5-million next season; $3.25-million in 2009-10; $4-million in 2010-11 and 2011-12; $4.75-million in 20012-13; $5.5-million in 2013-14.

Meszaros, one of the NHL's best young blue-liners, was acquired Friday night from the Senators for defensemen Filip Kuba and Alex Picard and a 2009 first-round draft pick previously acquired from the Sharks in the Dan Boyle deal.

Beyond the fact that Tampa Bay got another puck-moving offensive-minded defenseman, two things stand out about the deal. The first is the Lightning is now banking on a very, very young corps of blue-liners. With the trade of Kuba, Meszaros, with 246 NHL games, is Tampa Bay's most experienced player of a group that averages 23.7 years old.

Hockey ops chief Brian Lawton acknowledged the youth, but had an answer:

"Yeah, Andrej is an elite player though, no doubt about it. He's at a higher level than Filip is now, and that's no disrespect to Filip, who is a tremendous player in this league. ... There's no drop-off in the short term, absolutely not. We're excited about the future, no doubt about that, but do I think this is a downgrade to be better three years down the road? No. I think this is something that's going to make our team better immediately."

The other question is the blue line's configuration. As it stands, you have a top four of Meszaros, Paul Ranger, Shane O'Brien and Matt Carle. That means Mike Lundin, Andrew Hutchinson, Matt Smaby, Janne Niskala and Ty Wishart are going to battle in training camp for the final two or three spots. Look for Hutchinson to lead that pack with Lundin and Niskala next. Smaby and Wishart, both of whom will get a long look, are long shots.

Another consideration is the loss of Picard, whom Lawton said the Senators insisted be part of the deal. Picard, 23, was little known when acquired last season from the Flyers in the Vinny Prospal deal. But he impressed greatly in his 20 games with Tampa Bay for his willingness to hit and his offensive sensibilities.

"Alex has done nothing but improve his fortunes and his reputation around the league since he came to Tampa," Lawton said. "I have no doubt he's going to be a heck of a hockey player for the Ottawa Senators. They were insistent upon him. We didn't want to trade him, quite frankly. Like I said, you have to give up good pieces to get a good player like Andrej."

As for where Tampa Bay now stands at the cap, the team added a mere $200,000; it got rid of Kuba's cap hit of $3-million and Picard's of $800,000 for a total of $3.8-million and added Meszaros' cap hit of $4-million. The team is now at $55.86-million. The cap is $56.7-million.

As for cash payroll, Tampa Bay was at $52.030-million and lost Kuba's $3-million and Picard's $750,000, which is his actual salary for next season. Meszaros will make $2.5-million, meaning the team saved $1.25-million, so actual salary out is now at $50.78-million. 

Lightning acquires Meszaros

In a not unexpected but still interesting deal, the Lightning acquired the negotiating rights to Senators unsigned defenseman Andrej Meszaros. The Lightning sent Ottawa defensemen Filip Kuba and Alex Picard and the Sharks first-round pick in 2009, acquired in the Dan Boyle deal.

Meszaros, 22, who has 16 goals and 71 points the past two seasons, and six power-play goals last season, is expected to be signed quickly. An announcement could come Saturday, though Brian Lawton, the Lightning's vice president of hockey operations said Friday night Meszaros was not yet signed.

Canada's TSN reported the contract could be six years, $24-million. That averages out to $4-million a season which makes the payroll swap almost even. Sending Kuba ($3-million) and Picard ($750,000) to Ottawa clears the payroll space. Sending out Kuba, who had to waive his no-trade clause, is not a shock. Sending out Picard, whom the Lightning have said again and again how much they love was a bit of a surprise. Still, the Lightning have secured another puck-moving defenseman that will help the transition and spark the power play in a way Picard could not.

Moving Kuba, who at 31 and with 531 games was the Lightning's most experienced blue-liner, creates a corps that is relatively young and inexperienced. But Tampa Bay obviously thought Meszaros' upside was worth it.

"We think this is really something special," Lawton said of Meszaros. "He's a 22-year-old player who has never missed a game, has played in a Stanley Cup final, has been anywhere from a No. 3 to a No. 2 on an elite team in the National Hockey League and he's 22 years old. It's scary to think where he's going to get to as a player." 

Talks to acquire Meszaros continue

Boy, things are moving fast today. Now it seems as if talks between the Lightning and Senators about a trade that would bring to Tampa Bay the negotiating rights to unsigned defenseman Andrej Meszaros are intensifying. Still no comment from either team, and no word on whom the Lightning would send to Ottawa, but expect it to be an NHL-ready defenseman. It appears as if something might actually happen tonight. We'll see.

Lightning still wants high-flying Meszaros

Let's assume the Lightning and Penguins cannot make a deal for the third-round draft pick Tampa Bay needs to be part of the compensation to sign Senators unsigned defenseman Adrej Meszaros to an offer sheet. And considering Pittsburgh's front office is on vacation through next week and the rumbling Tampa Bay is not talking to the Penguins, that possibility is less and less likely. Let's also assume Meszaros does not sign an offer sheet with another team. If he doesn't, Tampa Bay will still try to get his rights through trade.

The Lightning isn't commenting, but such a move makes sense. Meszaros, shown here on the left during the 2007 playoffs, is young, 23 in October, and has the puck-moving and goal-scoring skills the team covets. It will cost a bunch -- Ottawa newspapers have said Meszaros is looking for about $5-million a season -- but at least with a trade, the Lightning can shed some payroll in return. And considering the team, as of now, is about $1-million off the $56.7-million salary cap, that would be a good thing.

What would the Senators want? Given they would be losing a huge part of their blue-line, it makes sense they would want an NHL-ready defenseman. That is a tough call. Do you give up Matt Carle? That would help with the salary cap (he will make $2.95-million this season). Do you give up Paul Ranger? He might one day be a star. Or how about Filip Kuba? Again, that would help the cap situation ($3-million), but that would take a huge chunk of experience away from a defensive corps that already is relatively young and inexperienced. Ottawa might also want a prospect as their organizational depth on defense is questionable. And perhaps Tampa Bay says the Senators also have to take one of the Lightning's extra forwards.

What the Lightning would get back would be an upgrade from whomever they trade. Consider Meszaros has 16 goals and 71 points the past two seasons. He had six power-play goals last season. Granted he was playing with a star-studdded lineup, but Tampa Bay's forwards aren't too shabby right now either.

As mentioned in the previous post, though, Canada's TSN has reported Meszaros already has signed an offer sheet with another team. If that is true, all this might not matter.

No offer sheet for Meszaros unless ...

Let's start here. The Lightning does not have the compensation it would need to give the Senators in order to sign disgruntled Ottawa defenseman Andrej Meszaros to an offer sheet. Based on what it likely would take to sign him (the Ottawa Sun reported it would be about $5-million), the Lightning would have to give Ottawa first-, second- and third-round draft picks as compensation. Right now, the Lightning's third-round pick is in the hands of the Penguins. It is confusing because Tampa Bay has a third-round pick, acquired from San Jose in the Dan Boyle deal. But NHL rules (10.4 of the collective bargaining agreement) say compensation must be with a team's original draft picks. Tampa Bay sent its third-round pick to the Penguins in the June deal for the rights to Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts.

Is the Lightning talking to the Penguins? You would think it would at least explore the possibility of a deal. (Hey, how would you like Michel Ouellet back?)

It would make sense the Lightning would be interested in Meszaros, shown here battling Boyle last season. He will be 23 on Oct. 13. He has 16 goals and 71 points the past two seasons and last season had six power-play goals.

But it also makes sense that Tampa Bay would rather trade for Meszaros than sign him to an offer sheet, and the scuttlebutt out of Ottawa is the Lightning spoke to the Senators on Thursday. The Lightning already is close to the $56.7-million cap. Another $5-million in salary would send the team in the opposite direction of its stated goal of trimming some of that payroll before the season. A trade would accomplish that as the Senators could have their pick of several decent forwards, including Ouellet and Jussi Jokinen, along with draft choices or prospects.

Going the offer sheet route has much uncertainty. Even if the Lightning and Penguins get together and find common ground, the Senators, rather than lose Meszaros for nothing, could ultimately match Tampa Bay's offer. Even that process, though, could help Tampa Bay as acquiring the third-round pick from Pittsburgh could involve sending the Penguins some players which, again, would lighten the Lightning's payroll.

To take this to an even further extreme, the Lightning would have to sign Meszaros to a contract worth less than $4-million in order for the compensation to decline. But even that creates a problem as the next lower level of compensation also includes a third-round pick.

Complicating all this is Canada's TSN reported Meszaros already has signed an offer sheet, though the Senators denied it. If true, this whole conversation is moot. 

That is a lot of moving parts.         

Seen Stamkos?

An international watch company wants you to see a lot more of him, as the NHL's No. 1 draft choice recently did a photo shoot for Tissot Swiss watches. ET Canada had the video:

Vinny steps on ice, falls, saves his peach

This one you pretty much had to see to believe.

Lightning superstar Vinny Lecavalier came out of the locker room Thursday to take his first skate at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon in preparation for training camp, took one step onto the ice and fell flat on his face. Went down like someone had tripped him. Actually, he tripped himself. (We didn't get a picture of that, but we do have the one at the left of Lecavalier skating during his workout, though it kind of looks like he's falling.)

Anyway, back to the story. Lecavalier had forgotten to take the skate guard off his left skate, so when he hit the ice, he wasn't skating but immediately falling.

"As I started walking on the ice, I was ,like, 'Oh, no,' " Lecavalier said later in the locker room. "When I put my skates on, I saw them and said, 'Oh,' and took one off. And I started talking to somebody else. I forgot about my left one."

Like a true athlete, though, Lecavalier was able to keep hold of the peach he was eating in his right hand.

"I made sure," he said, "that peach didn't hit the ice."

On a more important note, Lecavalier met Wednesday with noted orthopedist James Andrews, who did the arthroscopic surgery on Lecavalier's right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. Lecavalier said Andrews is pleased with his progress, though he has not been cleared for contact.

Defenseman Paul Ranger, who also had surgery on his right shoulder by Andrews to fix a torn labrum, said he is in the same situation.

"I'm taking it step by step," Ranger said. "It's just a matter of strength and getting my confidence back."

Said Lecavalier: "I still have to build my strength, and there's still a range of motion I'd like to get. You want to get 100 percent range back and I'm going to get that day by day by playing here and reaching with my stick. That's still a little weak, but every time I go on the ice, that feels a lot better."

Lecavalier generally does not show up this early before camp, but said his rehab dictated he keep team trainer Tommy Mulligan up to speed.

"I wanted to be here and meet with Tommy and get back into the season routine," Lecavalier said. "I'm sure the team wants to get a look at me, too. I want to be here. I want to be with the guys."

Probably a good idea considering the roster turnover.

"It's great. It's fun," Lecavalier said. "Guys I played against for a long time, now I'm playing with them. It's exciting."

Others skating Thursday were goalies Mike Smith and Olaf Kolzig, forwards Mark Recchi and Chris Gratton and Ranger. Joining them were former Lightning players Brad Richards and Nolan Pratt.

Richards said he is "excited as hell" for next season. He said he enjoyed last season's playoff run with the Stars but not as much as if he had been part of the team for the entire season.

"Now I know why guys don't like being rental players," he said.

Espo back on radio, says defense is fine

Lightning founder Phil Esposito said he wasn't sure he would be back as an analyst on WDAE's broadcast of Tampa Bay games (he says he never has worked with a contract) until a recent talk with owner Oren Koules, who invited Esposito back for another season with play-by-play man Dave Mishkin.

"It keeps me close to the game," Esposito said of his Lightning broadcast gig. "It keeps me looking at the teams and it helps me with the radio show I do on XM. And it keeps me involved with the Tampa Bay Lightning, which I always wanted to do."

As for Tampa Bay's chances next season, Esposito said the defense is the key, and despite the blue line being relatively young and inexperienced, he said there is plenty of potential.

"I like Matt Carle," Esposito said of the 23-year-old defeseman the Lightning got from the Sharks in the Dan Boyle deal. "Paul Ranger is going to be a heck of a lot better, and I think Shane O'Brien is going to be better. He was playing a game (last season) that he was not familiar with and trying to do things that were not his style. He was trying to be more offensive than he really is."

It's a good point. O'Brien did seem stuck in some strange Twilight Zone last season. Playing in a system in which the defense was told to push into the offensive zone, O'Brien said it was just what he was looking for, and he was pushed by the coaching staff to develop his offensive instincts. O'Brien has those instincts but it seemed to get to the point where he was stuck in the middle of trying to create offense while trying to play responsible defense. Both suffered and O'Brien was benched for the season's final five games.

"Sometimes when that happens, a player gets himself where he loses confidence in his abilities and gets himself really screwed up," Esposito said. "I sometimes think that's when coaching staffs make a huge mistake trying to make a player do something he's not capable of doing. I think Ranger is capable, (Filip) Kuba. I like Alex Picard a lot and this kid they got (Andrew Hutchinson). He's a right-handed shot, which is very important.

"Quite frankly, after meeting Koules, I was really impressed with the way they're doing things over there. I know the team is going to be a hell of a lot better. Early on it's going to be tough, but I think everything is really looking good."

Individual tickets on sale Sept. 4

Individual game tickets for the the regular season will go on sale at 10 a.m. Sept. 4 at the St. Pete Times Forum box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at (813) 287-8844 or (727) 898-2100. Or you can call the Lightning ticket office at (813) 301-6600.

Melrose: Vinny would be "the perfect captain"

Perhaps the decision already has been made. Perhaps coach Barry Melrose already knows star center Vinny Lecavalier is the Lightning's next captain. If so, he is not saying. What Melrose did say is he wants to look at Lecavalier in a team setting before anything is finalized.

"Vinny would be the ideal guy," Melrose said. "But I'm not picking Vinny because he is the best player."

Nor, owner Len Barrie said, will Lecavalier be named because of his recently signed 11-year, $85-million contract extension. Barrie said naming Lecavalier captain was not part of the negotiations.

No, Melrose said, if Lecavalier is to be captain, he is going to have to earn it, and the final step will take place at training camp.

"Look," Melrose said. "I've only spent two days with Vinny."

So Melrose said he will watch. Speaking generally, Melrose said he has a criteria for what he looks for in a captain.

"I'll watch the dressing room. A leader will take over the room," Melrose said. "I'll watch at practice. Are they leaders and the first guys in drills? I'll watch workouts and how they are with the younger guys. I have a captain and three assistants to name, so I have a lot of work to do."

Lecavalier was captain previously, of course. Named on March 11, 2000, at age 19, he was the youngest full-time captain in NHL history (Steve Yzerman was 21 in 1986, when named captain of the Red Wings). But that honor was taken away from Lecavalier before the 2001-02 season, when the organization deemed him not ready.

Is he ready now? Lecavalier, 28, the first Lightning player to twice score 40 goals and the NHL's leading goal scorer in 2006-07, will have some competition. Veterans such as Gary Roberts and Mark Recchi, though newcomers, will command instant respect. Jeff Halpern, though injured, has quiet intensity. Marty St. Louis has become a growing locker room voice.

But Lecavalier is the face of the franchise and one of the best players in the world.

"I love the way he plays," Melrose said. "He would be the perfect captain. But that doesn't mean he will be captain."

We'll see.

Vinny Lecavalier's charity poker event

Some "celebrities" confirmed their participation. Here is the announcement from the team:

One of the most popular and successful charity events in the Tampa Bay area is back for a third year on Sept. 11 as the 3rd Annual Vincent Lecavalier Texas Hold ’Em Celebrity Poker Tournament once again invades the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa.

Join the Lightning’s Vinny Lecavalier and a full house of celebrity friends as they go all-in to benefit the Vinny Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at All Children’s Hospital, scheduled to open in 2009. Among the celebrities scheduled to participate are Lecavalier’s Lightning teammates Marty St. Louis, Vinny Prospal, Ryan Malone, Mark Recchi, Jeff Halpern, Nick Tarnasky, Shane O’Brien, Michel Ouellet, Ryan Craig and Jason Ward. New Lightning head coach Barry Melrose will serve as one of the evening’s hosts.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Mike Alstott, tennis Pro Mardy Fish, Deal or No Deal’s Stacey Gardner, Jared Jeffries of the New York Knicks, and actress/model/poker pro Christina Lindley have also confirmed their participation, with many other poker, sports and entertainment celebrities still to be announced.

This year’s tournament will offer a prize pool in excess of $45,000.  The top 10 finishers win cash, with the winner receiving $10,000. In addition, celebrities will compete for a $10,000 donation to the charity of their choice for the “last celebrity standing.” As an added incentive, any player who knocks out a celebrity will be rewarded through a progressive celebrity bounty prize pool.

The evening gets started at 6 p.m. with a private VIP/Players Party, followed by the Wild Card Party featuring entertainment, a silent auction, a raffle, gaming, cocktails and Hors de Oeuvres for all guests at 7:15 p.m. The tournament gets underway at 8 p.m., with an awards ceremony to follow.

An individual buy-in for the tournament is $550, but don’t worry if you’re not an “ace” player. The tournament offers all players an unlimited number of re-buy opportunities during the first hour of play for $100 each. VIP All Access passes (including VIP Party, Wild Card Party and a spectator pass for the poker room) are also available for $450 each, and individual guest passes (ballroom only) can be purchased for $250. To register or obtain a copy of the rules, visit www.vinny4.com.

Lightning training camp, IceFest schedules

Training camp is Sept. 16-24 at the St. Pete Times Forum, after which the team flies to New York for a preseason game against the Rangers and then on to Europe. The first practice day on the ice is Sept. 17. Sessions are open to the public Sept. 17-19 and Sept. 21 only. Parking is free in the west lot. Players will sign autographs after their respective squads practice. IceFest is Sept. 21. That schedule is below.

Here is the training camp schedule (subject to change):

Sept. 16: Players report for physicals and testing, 9 a.m.

Sept. 17: Team Black 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Team White noon – 3 p.m.

Sept. 18: Team Black & Team White 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Scrimmage 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.).

Sept. 19: Team Black & Team White 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Scrimmage 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.).

Sept. 20: 11:30 a.m. pregame skate in Pittsburgh; game, Mellon Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21: Team Black 11 a.m. – noon; Team White 12:15 – 1:15 p.m; Lightning IceFest.

Sept. 22: 10:30 a.m. pregame skate; game vs. Penguins, St. Pete Times Forum, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 23: 10:30 a.m. pregame skate; game vs. Rangers, St. Pete Times Forum, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 24: Practice, 10 a.m.

Sept. 25: 11:30 a.m. pre-game skate in New York; preseason game, Madison Square Garden, 7 p.m.

IceFest:

The Chrysler/Jeep Plaza will host numerous activities Sept. 21 including DJ Coz from 10 a.m. - noon and the live band, Betty’s Not a Vitamin, from noon - 4 p.m.  Also on the plaza will be a surf simulator ride, the human joust, a bungee trampoline, a rock climbing wall, a carnival tent midway, human foosball, face painting, street hockey and more.  Numerous local radio stations will also be on hand on the plaza. Free parking is available in the VIP West lot.

10 a.m. – IceFest Opens

10 a.m. - noon – DJ Coz performs on the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza

11 a.m. - noon – Team Black practice

Noon - 4 p.m. – Betty’s Not a Vitamin performs LIVE on the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza

12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. – Team White practice

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. – Team Black autographs

2 p.m. - 3 p.m. – Team White autographs

4 p.m. – IceFest concludes.

   

Vinny: I'll be ready for opener

Caught up with Vinny Lecavalier the other day, and the Lightning's superstar center, coming off arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, said he is skating in his native Montreal and has no doubt he will be ready for training camp. As for being cleared for contact and being ready to start the regular season, he said, "I'm sure I'll be ready to play."

The key is being cleared for contact. By the time training camp starts, Lecavalier will have healed for five months. That, according to his understanding, is the quickest he can be cleared.

"Once training camp starts, basically I would be allowed full contact," Lecavalier said. "But the first days I would want to build confidence. Even though it might be good, it can still get very sore. One step at a time."

The steps have been long and grueling since Lecavalier sustained a torn glenoid labrum in what was supposed to be his last game of the season, April 3 at Washington. Lecavalier, you recall, was supposed to have arthroscopic surgery to repair his sore right wrist, an operation Lecavalier's agent Kent Hughes on Monday said is"off the table at this point". Lecavalier was going to skip the final game against the Thrashers. He missed it all right, but after his shoulder was hurt on a questionable check by Washington's Matt Cooke. He had surgery April 15.

Lecavalier said the first time he skated he had a stick in his hand and felt "terrible. It didn't feel like where I wanted to be. I couldn't shoot. I was like, 'Oh, my god, I'm not feeling right.' Not to be able to shoot like I normally can was disappointing."

He said he has skated five or six times since.

"It's not 100 percent, but it's getting better and my shots are getting better," Lecavalier said.

In addition to rehabbing, Lecavalier bought a house he said is about 30  minutes from downtown Montreal. And he recently took a week off from rehab for a getaway  with long-time girlfriend Caroline Portelance. But clearly his days mostly have been taken up with rehab.

"With a shoulder injury like this, you do something for the first time and haven't done it in a while, it feels terrible," Lecavalier said. "But the second time it's way better. It's like the first time I did a push-up four weeks ago; oh, my god. But the next day I could have done 10. You just build your shoulder and confidence about not getting hurt again. You have to be careful. ... I'm still getting stronger and building it up, but I'm way better than the first day, so I'm excited."   

Frozen Funk band auditions

Apparently, the Lightning has added a new entertainment element to its game-day operations. Here is the announcement from the team:

The Frozen Funk, the Lightning's in-arena band, will hold auditions Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Music Showcase in Brandon. The band is looking for individuals with unique personalities who are exciting, outgoing and capable of providing plenty of energy at Lightning home games.

The Frozen Funk, arranged much like a collegiate athletic band, will perform high-energy music at all Tampa Bay Lightning home games. The instrumentation of the band consists of saxophones, sousaphones, trombones, trumpets and a drum set. The band will be directed by John Schnettler, director of the USF "Herd of Thunder" Marching and Pep Bands.

Those interested in auditioning will be asked to perform a high-energy marching, pep, rock, jazz or blues piece of their choice, along with a mandatory piece, "Shake a Tail Feather," which is available for download on the Music Showcase Web site (http://www.musicshowcaseonline.com). Applicants will be asked to sight read a pep band song provided at the audition. They will also have the option to perform an improv piece, in B-flat blues, in the same tempo and style as "Shake a Tail Feather."

Interested applicants must be at least 18 years old and own their own instrument (Sousaphones excluded). Applicants must also be able to sight read music and good improvisational skills are encouraged. Candidates should be able to work as many as 20 Lightning home games throughout the season and be willing to stay as late as 11 p.m. Marching or pep band experience is a plus.

The Lightning will provide the band with uniforms and members will be compensated $50 and given a meal voucher and a parking pass for every game they work. Bonus pay is available for those interested in being The Frozen Funk's music arranger. Those with previous experience in this area are asked to bring a sample of their work.

For more information, please contact John Schnettler at (813) 974-0845 or at schnettler@arts.usf.edu.

Vinny was a phone call from being traded

It has been seven years since Lightning superstar Vinny Lecavalier almost was traded to the Maple Leafs, and when I say almost, I mean it. Former Lightning president Ron Campbell, who on Friday was named a senior adviser to the new ownership group spoke at length for the first time about what almost went down in December 2001.

Campbell has been credited with stopping the deal that would have brought Nik Antropov, Jonas Hoglund, Tomas Kaberle and either then-prospect Brad Boyes or a first-round draft choice.

"I didn't stop the trade, per se," Campbell said. "I stopped the conference call."

That's how close Tampa Bay was to trading Lecavalier. According to Campbell, a deal was done with Toronto and general manager Rick Dudley was simply waiting for the conference call with the league to make it official.

This is Campbell's take on what happened:

He said the team had badly "mismanaged" the negotiations with Lecavalier, who was a holdout from camp in September 2001. When an agreement was finally reached the day before the season's first game, Campbell said Lecavalier was not told he would not play in the first two home games. He also wasn't told that decisions had been made by the team that he was not ready to continue as captain.

"John was really fearful he wasn't in playing shape and didn't want him to get hurt," Campbell said of then-coach John Tortorella. "Vinny didn't know until he finally showed up in Tampa, and then he found out he was no longer going to be captain. That's what created the big gap between him and John Tortorella. John should not have been the messenger on either one of those fronts, but he was put in that position."

The gap between player and coach became so strained, Lecavalier asked for a trade. Then-GM Rick Dudley determined the two could not coexist, and why not get a windfall of assets for a future superstar?

"And John endorsed the trade because it had become such a distraction, and he wanted to move forward with the team, and getting assets wasn't the worst thing in the world, and to start with a clean slate," Campbell said.

Campbell said he, Dudley, Tortorella, then-assistant GM Jay Feaster, then-Lightning CEO Tom Wilson and then-owner Bill Davidson met in Tampa Dec. 7 to discuss the possible deal.

"Mr. D just laid out some ground rules," Campbell recalled. "One of them was you take 30 days and make sure you get the best possible deal. Literally within hours, Rick had a conference call to trade Vinny. I walked in and I challenged him. I said, 'I thought you were supposed to take 30 days?' He said, 'Well, I've been working on this for 30 days.'

"Mr. Davidson had just told him to take 30 days from that moment, and then I walk in three hours later, he's preparing for a conference call. I told him, 'Let's rest on this for tonight and let's talk in the morning, and make sure we have Mr. Davidson's blessing.' So I didn't stop the trade. I just said, 'We're not following what my owner recommended we do."

Campbell said he also had reservations about the trade's possible repercussions from a business angle.

"The team had been going along with 17 wins, 19 wins (it actually had 24 in 2000-01), but the one icon of Tampa Bay was Vinny Lecavalier, so you would be stepping back greatly if you trade him. ... But the biggest reason, I said, 'If you trade a player because he asked to be traded, if you do this for Vinny Lecavalier, where does it stop? You cannot let a player dictate. You may trade him down the line, but it's under your whim, but not on someone else's.' We agreed to pull the plug on the trade at that time."

I've told this part of the story before, but it's worth repeating here. I was on the team bus heading for the Senators' stadium and speaking to Dudley, who told me Lecavalier would not be traded. I asked him if he had spoken to Lecavalier. He said he had not. I told Dudley tat Lecavalier was sitting right behind me, and did he want to speak to him? He did, so I handed my cell phone to Lecavalier. That is how he found out he was not being traded.

Granted, this is only one man's story, but it is worth noting that Campbell was on record in the St. Pete Times on Dec. 5, predicting Lecavalier would not be traded. "I don't think Vinny Lecavalier should plan on going anywhere," Campbell said at the time, "And we're not going to accommodate anyone but the Tampa Bay Lightning."

Having lived through the story myself, it gives you a good flavor for what was going on at the time.

It's official: Campbell named senior advisor

As Times sports writer Damian Cristodero first reported on Thursday, Ron Campbell has been named a "special advisor" to Tampa Bay's new ownership group, and is no longer team president, a position he held since the summer of 1999.

Here is a news release issued by the team:

TAMPA BAY – Ronald J. Campbell has assumed the role of Special Advisor to the Ownership, the Tampa Bay Lightning organization announced today. Campbell, who became president in 1999, when William Davidson purchased the franchise, remains in his role as Executive Vice President for Palace Sports & Entertainment, based in Auburn Hills , MI . In his new role with the Lightning, Campbell will work to develop new business and community relationships, nurture existing relationships and work on NHL governance issues for the ownership led by Oren Koules and Len Barrie.

“We thank Ron for his willingness to remain engaged in the Lightning operation while we continue and complete the ownership transition and start to make our mark on Tampa Bay ,” said Oren Koules upon making the announcement. “His experience in building the franchise to what it is today is invaluable to us as we look to grow upon what is already here.”

Campbell expects to remain active on numerous boards and leadership committees in Tampa Bay and the state of Florida . He will assist ownership with its NHL interests as well, helping maximize revenue opportunities for the team as it positions itself for future successes.

“I look forward to working with Oren Koules, Len Barrie and the new ownership during the transition phase and beyond, building on the foundation that has been established in recent years,” said Campbell . “My hope is that Tampa Bay remains a very strong hockey market and we continue as a model franchise in the National Hockey League, on and off the ice.

“Additionally, I would like to thank Mr. Davidson and Tom Wilson for giving me a great opportunity here in Tampa Bay and I thank our management, employees and the players as well as our many business and civic partners and our fans for all of the successes we have been able to achieve,” said Campbell, whose nine-year tenure as president marked the longest such run in franchise history. “I have to believe our 2004 Stanley Cup championship will always be the number one professional highlight in my career, but I am especially proud of the impact our organization has made in the community including the activities of The Lightning Foundation and all of our charitable endeavors.”

In his nine years as President of the Lightning and the Times Forum, Campbell brought stability, credibility and a winning philosophy to the organization. During his reign, the facility was recognized annually as one of the most productive venues in the country and the Times Forum hosted two first and second rounds of the Men’s Basketball tournament, the Women’s Final Four, and the ACC Men’s Basketball Championships. It is currently slated to host the 2009 SEC Men’s Basketball Championships, the 2009 Women’s Volleyball Championships and the 2012 “Frozen Four” Men’s Hockey Championships.

“We would like to thank Ron for his tireless service and dedication to the Lightning and our Tampa interests,” said Tom Wilson, President and CEO of Palace Sports & Entertainment. “His energy, creativity and commitment to excellence led a once underachieving organization to a position of prominence and stature in the Tampa Bay community and the National Hockey League.”

In his continued role as Executive Vice President for Palace Sports & Entertainment, Campbell will re-engage himself in the company’s Auburn Hills-based business affairs, working on specially assigned projects at The Palace of Auburn Hills and its multiple divisions. Campbell started working for the Detroit Pistons in 1984 and he assumed his Executive Vice President’s role for the Pistons and The Palace in 1992.

Campbell move continues front office transition

The man who in December 2001 stopped a potential trade of Vinny Lecavalier to the Maple Leafs is out of a job, kind of.

Ron Campbell has been named a "special adviser" to Tampa Bay's new ownership group, and is no longer team president, a position he held since the summer of 1999. Campbell, 52, was instrumental in turning the St. Pete Times Forum into one of the nation's busiest entertainment venues, and was ultimately responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, which won the 2004 Stanley Cup title.

But the hands-on approach by new owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie made Campbell's position redundant. Koules even moved into Campbell's Times Forum office. It was unclear if Campbell was pushed out or stepped down, but he is expected to remain an executive vice president for previous Lightning owner Palace Sports & Entertainment.

An official announcement is expected Friday.

Campbell will be best remembered for stopping a proposed trade of Lecavalier during the 2001-02 season, when Lecavalier's feud with then-coach John Tortorella was like an open wound. Lecavalier had asked for a trade and then-general manager Rick Dudley decided at the time Lecavalier and Tortorella could not co-exist, figuring to reap a windfall from the transaction.

Speculation has been the Leafs were ready to hand over Nik Antropov, Tomas Kaberle, Jonas Hoglund and either prospect Brad Boyes or a first-round pick. But, as the story goes, Campbell, not willing to trade the face of the franchise and perhaps alienate fans who had grown to identify Lecavalier with the team, stepped in and, well, you know the rest of the story.       

Masked men

So what will the well-dressed goaltender be wearing on his head next season? If you are Lightning No. 1 Mike Smith and backup Olaf Kolzig (that's how the season is supposed to start, anyway), the art on one's mask reflects some personal roots. For Smith, his love of fishing cultivated by his father, Ron, back in Kingston, Ontario. For Kolzig, the Godzilla nickname he got in 1993 while playing for AHL Rochester.

First to Smith, who said the biggest fish he ever caught was a 150-pound tarpon off Boca Grande after last season. Ron beat him with a 155-pounder.

Smith, who after being acquired from the Stars in the Brad Richards deal, had a mask (shown here)quickly made with a big lightning bolt across the top. He said next season's will have fish scales as the design base. It will have a fishing pier, "And, obviously, lots of lightning and stuff like that."

Smith said he truly likes the sport to which Ron introduced him. Back home, they fished for pickerel and bass.

"It's a nice way to get out with your dad and your brother and friends of the family and enjoy it on the water and drop a line in," Smith said. "I love fish to eat, too. So usually in the summer, we'll go early in the morning on a Saturday and try to catch some lunch."

Smith said if you catch it, you have to clean it. "I get dirty. It gets bloody. My dad doesn't clean too many because I'm the one catching them all."

Kolzig said his mask will stick to the basic theme that carried him through his years with the Capitals. He will have "Zilla" written across the lower extension and Godzilla, the fictional, prehistoric, fire-breathing dragon will be on top, snorting flames. Other than that, a couple of swaying palm trees and some lightning bolts.

Kolzig said the first time he had the animal drawn on a mask, "It ended up looking like Barney. Now we've got it right."

He said his Godzilla nickname dates to his minor league playing days in Rochester.

"I still had a bit of a temper and I played with a lot more fire back then," he said. "I was a big guy and playing well. I came to the rink one day, and somebody had a sign up that said, 'Nobody beats Godzilla.' It just kind of stuck with me ever since."

No pictures yet as the masks, both goalies said, are still being painted.

Training camp in a hurry

Training camp, held for the first time at the St. Pete Times Forum, is going to be a lot different than previous camps at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. Given a Sept. 16 start date by the league and the Players Association, the Lightning has just three days on the ice (Sept. 17-19) before playing its first preseason game, Sept. 20 at Pittsburgh. That means no two days of fitness testing. something made famous the past several years by former coach John Tortorella. Rather, the coaching staff will be teaching the new system and practicing right away.

Coach Barry Melrose said that also means quick and decisive position battles because the team wants to be as close to its regular season roster as it can be by the time it leaves for Europe after a Sept. 25 preseason game at the Rangers. That trip ends with regular-season games Oct. 4 and 5 in Prague against the Rangers.

"All the guys will go to New York we're taking to Europe," Melrose said. "There might be two or three other guys we're giving one more look to in New York. By the time we go to Prague. we're basically going to have our team picked."

With that timetable, Tampa Bay will have only nine days on the ice before making final cuts.

"Everything is accelerated," Melrose said, "without a doubt."

How did the schedule happen?

According to Players Association spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon, the four teams going to Europe -- the Lightning, Rangers, Senators and Penguins -- are starting camp three days before the rest of the league. But it was Tampa Bay's choice to play its first preseason game so quickly. Given the accelerated schedule, that is best, Melrose said.

"I'd like to have a game on the 17th," he said. "We have to find out about our guys. You're going to find out playing another team quicker than scrimmaging, so you might as well throw the guys into the fire and find out if they can play against NHL teams. Pittsburgh is a great challenge because they're so skilled. If you can play against the Pittsburgh forwards, you can play against any forwards in th NHL."

The Lightning plays four of its six preseason games against the Penguins and Rangers.

"Those are two good teams to play," Melrose said. "That will give us a good judge four our team. It also will give us a real quick judgment."

Where will the best position battle be?

On defense the top five are believed to be Paul Ranger, Filip Kuba, Matt Carle, Shane O'Brien and Alex Picard. That means Mike Lundin, Janne Niskala and Andrew Hutchinson and long shots Matt Smaby and Ty Wishart get to battle for the final one or two spots.

Hockey ops chief Brian Lawton has stated Mike Smith is the No. 1 goalie, but Olaf Kolzig is expected to at least push.

It also will be interesting to see what happens with 6-foot-6, 238-pound enforcer David Koci. There has been much speculation since Andre Roy left as a free agent about what the Lightning will do about an enforcer. Melrose said Koci, who has a one-year, two-way contract, will have every chance to make the team. Koci says his skating needs work. Brian Lawton, hockey ops chief, said team toughness can overcome the lack of a true enforcer.

I'll have a big package on the enforcer question on Aug. 31, I believe. (Space is tough right now with the Rays playing well and the Bucs getting rolling.) When it runs, and it includes a great Q&A with Melrose on his take on fighting in the NHL, it is definitely worth your time.

Is camp moving permanently to Forum?

Has the Lightning held its last training camp at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon?

The team has held camp there every year since 1998. But because of this year’s short camp (thanks to the trip through Europe that begins after a Sept. 25 exhibition game in New York), and an added 3,000 square feet to the St. Pete Times Forum weight room, camp will be held for the first time in Tampa.

“If it’s a success,” coach Barry Melrose said, “You’d be crazy not to do it again.”

In fact, Melrose said he pushed for camp to be held at the Times Forum.

“That was one of the things coming in that I asked for,” he said. “It’s a beautiful building. It’s our building. We’re making huge improvements to the weight room. We want to become one of the best organizations in the NHL. This is one of the steps, having state-of-the-art surroundings for these players.”

Camp begins Sept. 16 with physicals. First day on the ice is Sept. 17. Team spokesman Bill Wickett said practice sessions Sept. 17-19 will be open to the public, parking in the west lot is free, and FanFest is Sept. 21. But that pretty much ends camp as Tampa Bay plays home games Sept. 22 and 23 against the Penguins and Rangers, and then takes off for New York and the start of its European adventure that ends with season-opening games in Prague.

Certainly playing at the Times Forum will take some stress off the equipment guys, who otherwise would be scrambling to haul gear on consecutive game days between Brandon and Tampa. But Melrose had more benefits.

“You’ve got the hotels right close to the arena; you don’t have to worry about buses in the morning to take the guys to practice. They can walk,” he said. “It’s easy for the medical staff to get there; just a great location. The dressing rooms are much superior to the practice facility. It’s just a first-class way to have training camp. I think it’s awesome.”

From a fan perspective, the move has its down side. The Ice Sports Forum, which has four years left on a contract to be the Lightning's alternate practice facility, was terrific for getting very close to the action and the players. It was noisy. It was fun. The cavernous Times Forum may cut down on some of that ambiance.

As Brenda Sholl, Ice Sports Forum manager, said, “Fans are very disappointed.”

Wickett said the team has no intention of separating itself from its fans, and decisions on future training camps have not been reached.

“Our election to hold training camp at the St. Pete Times Forum this season is by no means an indicator that we are making any sort of permanent move,” he said. “But it is acknowledgment that our improved and expanded training facilities in the arena are an important upgrade for us. It’s fair to say the new ownership and the hockey operations management will evaluate the year’s camp before making any decisions for the future.”

Melrose: Better safe than sorry

Lightning coach Barry Melrose and wife Cindy last week found a home in the Tampa area to rent for the upcoming season. Melrose said he and Cindy already bought furniture. But when reports began coming out that Tropical Storm Fay could turn into Hurricane Fay and (at the time) was headed, it seemed, straight for the Tampa Bay area, Melrose and Cindy flew out of town to their home in Glens Falls, N.Y.

"We were going to stay but with the weather looking the way it did, we left early," Melrose said.

Told the newest storm track had the brunt of the storm missing the area to the east. Melrose allowed he had been told by hurricane-savvy Floridians the storm was not going to be much to worry about, relative to some of the other huge storms that have come through the state.

"I know it's not going to hit there, as you experienced Floridians say," Melrose said. "But I didn't want to get caught with my pants down."

Tortorella seems headed for TSN

When I wrote last week that former Lightning coach John Tortorella would be a great television analyst, I was just throwing it out there for the sake of argument. Now, it seems, he really might take such a job.

Andrea Goldstein, spokesperson for Canadian sports giant TSN, (think ESPN north of the border) said the network has "no announcement at this time," but hiring Tortorella is "on our radar."

If it ultimately happens, it seems a nice fit. Tortorella, who most recently interviewed for the Islanders head coaching spot, is smart about the game and can be incredibly engaging, and he certainly has opinions. He also has a lot of cred in Canada, having led Tampa Bay to the 2004 Stanley Cup title and earning league coach of the year honors. No word on how many days Torts, who still has a home in the area, would have to be in Canada or exactly what his duties would entail. Would also assume there would be a clause in his contract to allow him to leave for any coaching vacancy that might come up.

It all will come out when things are finalized one way or another, perhaps in a week or two. The first Lightning game TSN is scheduled to show: Oct. 28 when Tampa Bay goes to Toronto.

Energy Team auditions

The team announces:

The Lightning Energy Team will hold auditions for the 2008-09 season on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. in Icons Restaurant, located in the St. Pete Times Forum. The team is looking for sporty, energetic individuals to motivate Lightning fans this season both in-house and around the Tampa Bay area. There is no fee to audition, and applications will be available upon arrival.

Those interested in participating should be prepared to perform a talent in front of a panel of judges. Talents can include, but are not limited to, stilt walking, juggling, impersonations, tumbling, dancing, singing and comedy routines. Please be prepared to provide your own music, if necessary. After the talent portion, applicants will be placed in small groups to perform skits in order to showcase their talents and show their ability to work together as a team.

Interested applicants must be at least 18 years old and live within 50 miles of the St. Pete Times Forum. They must be either full-time students, have a full-time job or a combination of both. Team members must be able to commit to the busy schedule for one year and be available for most game nights, one rehearsal per month and various community appearances.

The Energy Team can be seen all throughout the St. Pete Times Forum on Lightning game nights. The team runs contests on the ice during game intermissions, mingles with the fans on the plaza before games and can be see launching T-shirts and other fun giveaways for sponsors throughout the stands during games. Energy Team members also represent the Lightning throughout the town through appearances such as watch parties, charity events, school pep rallies and more.

For more information, please contact Hope Donnelly at (813) 301-6877 or at HDonnelly@sptimesforum.com.

More blogs from which to choose

We're trying to make it a little easier to access blogs from other NHL writers around the league. Next time you read an entry on this blog scroll down and look along the right rail. There you will find blogs concerning some other teams. We're trying to get permission from writers from all 30 teams to post their blogs. It's a work in progress, but it's a start.

Slovakia game added to European trip

The Lightning's preseason jaunt to Europe is becoming quite a country-hopping affair. The team and league announced another exhibition game in Slovakia on Sept. 30 against HC Slovan of that country's Extraliga. It will be the first NHL game ever played in Slovakia. It will be Tampa Bay's sixth preseason game before opening the regular season Oct. 4-5 against the Rangers in Prague, Czech Republic.

Here is the announcement from the team:

The Lightning has added an exhibition game against HC Slovan of the Slovak Extraliga, the top professional hockey league in Slovakia, at 1 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local) on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008 at Samsung Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia. This will be the first-ever NHL exhibition game in Slovakia.

"The Tampa Bay Lightning are thrilled to be involved in this historic event that will see us be the first club in National Hockey League history to play a game in Slovakia," hockey operations chief Brian Lawton said. "We would like to thank HC Slovan owner Eric Assimakopoulos for all of his efforts in making this game possible as we round out our exhibition schedule before opening the 2008 NHL season in Prague!"

The Lightning will be in Europe preparing for their NHL regular-season games against the New York Rangers in Prague, Czech Republic at the O2 Arena on Saturday Oct. 4 and Sunday Oct. 5 as part of NHL Premiere 2008. The team is also scheduled to face Eisbaren Berlin in a preseason matchup at 10 a.m. ET (4 p.m. local) on Sunday, September 28.

Along with the games in Prague, the NHL will host regular-season games in Stockholm Oct. 4-5 when the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins play two games. It will be the first time two NHL games will be played in Europe on the same day. The League in 2007 played its first-ever regular-season games in Europe when the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings played a two-game series in London. Previously, the NHL hosted three successful Game One events in Japan in 1997, 1998, and 2000.

The Lightning's updated preseason schedule is as follows (times eastern):

Sept. 20: at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 22: vs. Pittsburgh, St. Pete Times Forum, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 23: vs. Rangers, St. Pete Times Forum, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 25: at Rangers, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28: at Eisbaren Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 10 a.m.

Sept. 30: at HC Slovan, Bratislava, Slovakia, 1 p.m.  

4 Lightning games on Versus

Oct. 5: vs. Rangers, Prague, noon.

Nov. 10: at Capitals, 7 p.m.

Dec. 2: at Flyers, 7 p.m.

March 3: vs. Penguins, St. Pete Times Forum, 7:30 p.m.

Tampa Bay has two games on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

Oct. 4: vs. Rangers, Prague, noon (the league opener).

March 29: vs. Senators, St. Pete Times Forum, 7 p.m.

NBC only has two of its 10 games scheduled: Red Wings at Blackhawks, Jan. 1; Rangers at Penguins, Jan. 18. NBC's other games will be decided as dates approach.

 

Should we believe the Stamkos hype?

So, let's revisit Steven Stamkos for a bit, here.

There was lots to like about what coach Barry Melrose said about Stamkos' skating ability and ability to get off a good wrist shot. But I didn't get the impression Melrose was being overly optimistic about what he might get out of the 18-year-old in his rookie season. If you read further, Melrose said he knew the skating comparisons to the other players at the prospects camp were not fair and wanted to see the center in an NHL setting. He also was pretty clear that Stamkos needs more beef on his 6-foot-1, 184-pound frame to be able to compete at the next level. But he also pointed out that Stamkos is still a "boy."

So I didn't get the impression Melrose was being unreasonable with his critique.

What is a reasonable expectation for Stamkos? Hard to say. No one is comparing him to Sidney Crosby. He certainly was the best player in the draft, but I can't find any credible "expert" who believes Stamkos is going to put up 100 points. Having said that, though, there is plenty of evidence he is going to be a useful player, and he'll have to be when taking over the second line. Remember, the original plan was to have Stamkos anchor a third line and bump him up occasionally until he got acclimated to the NHL game. But then Jeff Halpern got hurt and, well, all of a sudden, Stamkos' learning curve needed to be a lot shorter.

Dave MacQueen, Stamkos' coach at OHL Sarnia, said for a story we did before the draft that he believes 25 goals and 60 points is not out of the question for Stamkos, who likely will start camp playing with wings Ryan Malone and Radim Vrbata. Still, there is going to be pressure to perform, and that's where I believe Stamkos is well-suited for what's ahead.

I have never seen the kid play, so I'm going on the word of everyone else who raves about his skills. But I have spoken to him at length and found him to be as grounded as an 18-year-old can get. He is confident but not full of himself. He also seems to know his limitations, understands he has to get bigger and stronger. Stamkos seems to understand that expectations should not get in the way of his natural development on the ice.

He also gets the PR aspect of his situation. Talking about the excessive autograph signing he had to do after every practice at the prospects camp, he said, "I have no problem with that."

As for on the ice, it's all wait and see, obviously. But won't it be fun to see how it develops? 

Melrose: Stamkos a "beautiful" skater

Lightning coach Barry Melrose liked so much what he saw of Steven Stamkos at the team's prospect camp in Victoria, British Columbia, Melrose spoke in terms uncharacteristic of the rough-and-tumble NHL.

"He's one of the most beautiful skaters I've ever seen," Melrose said Wednesday. "I hate to use the word beautiful in hockey, but skating ability like that, you're eyes are drawn to him on the ice. I know he was with kids and stuff, and it's not a fair comparison, but a great skater is a great skater."

The camp that ended at the beginning of the month is still fresh in Stamkos' mind. He said it was great for him to meet the other prospects and coaches, and putting on a Lightning jersey, even a practice jersey "was a whole new level for me."

"But as far as people watching me and the pressure, I try not to let that affect me," Stamkos said. "I just went out there and my main objective was to just work hard and have fun."

If Stamkos did nothing else, the draft's No. 1 overall pick created even more anticipation for his first NHL training camp. Beyond Melrose's critique about Stamkos' skating, he also praised his wrist shot.

"It's real quick," Melrose said. "It's the shot you want to have in today's game."

Melrose agreed Stamkos, at 6-foot-1, 184 pounds, has to keep working on his size and strength.

"He's cut," Melrose said. "He'd be a male model if he wasn't a hockey player. But he's slim. He's 18 years old. He's not a man yet. Vinny (Lecavalier) looked like a beanpole with shoulder pads on, too. Matter of fact, Stamkos is thicker than Vinny when Vinny came in."

Still, Melrose continued, "He's got to realize that's his biggest weakness right now is his size. He's going to be playing against men now, and that's his biggest adjustment, playing against guys who are as fast as he is and bigger than he is. That's what he's got to work on. We've got people talking to him every week, got him on nutritional programs, and we have strength and conditioning coaches talking to him every week, so he's going to get bigger fast and heavier fast, but he's sill a boy right now, so it's going to take time."

Having said that, Melrose said he can't wait to see Stamkos in an NHL setting.

"What happens with guys like that is he plays better with better people," Melrose said. "If you watch him play with the kids, he gives them the puck and goes to an area and he expects it back, and doesn't get it back. But if he's playing with (Ryan) Malone or a (Radim) Vrbata, he'll get the puck back. I think it's a case where the better people he plays with, the better he'll look."

"It's going to be a different atmosphere, and the competition will be at a whole new level for me," Stamkos said. "So I'm going to try to prepare myself as well as I can the next couple of weeks here, and go in there and try to make a good first impression."

Oh, and by the way, Stamkos made it clear he wants to be called Steven, not Steve. Never mind that I asked him that question before he was even drafted and said he liked Steve. No matter ...

"That's what it says on my birth certificate," he said of the name Steven. "For me, it's not a big deal. Lots of people call me Steve. But I go by the official word and that's with an N on the end, so I'll stick with it."                

It's a salary cap world

A little more than a month before training camp, the Lightning has a salary cap number of $55.66-million, very close to the limit of $56.7-million. This, of course, is not where the team will end up. Tampa Bay has, hypothetically, spoken in the past of a payroll anywhere between $45-million and $48-million. But asked Tuesday about a target, owner Oren Koules said, "We're not really looking at a number."

There are many ways payroll can be lowered. For instance, no one expects Steve Stamkos to earn all of the performance bonuses that could raise his salary from $875,000 to $3.725-million. Still, for season-opening accounting purposes, those bonuses, along with bonuses for Gary Roberts, Ollie Kolzig and Mark Recchi, have to be included in the cap number. If Jeff Halpern misses 30 games because of his knee injury (and he is not expected back until perhaps Christmas), Tampa Bay starts getting salary relief.

For now, though, what the team is looking at is trades. Though things have been quiet the past few weeks, vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton said that has not diminished the team's desire to deal. Neither Lawton nor Koules would talk about specific names, but it seems certain Jussi Jokinen, Michel Ouellet and Jason Ward are being dangled. Speculation Ryan Craig also could be moved now seems unfounded. As Koules said, "Ryan Craig can do anything. Ryan Craig can play all 12 forward positions. He can cover guys. He's good at draws. That's a heck of an asset. We signed him for two years because we wanted to get him rolling again."

Given the team's cap number, it is much more likely to swap players for minor-league depth or draft choices. That means the rumors about Bryan McCabe, Darryl Sydor and Pavel Kubina can stop.

I know it's been mentioned a great deal around the Internet before, but it is worth repeating here: Nashville seems a likely trading partner. Think about it. The Predators have 13 draft picks next year and a ton of defensive depth that includes prospects such as Cody Franson, Alex Sulzer and Jonathon Blum.

Two things are at play: The Lightning believes it is set at forward, and, as Koules said, "We feel better about our kids (on defense) than anybody else."

The top five blue-liners are Matt Carle, Paul Ranger, Alex Picard, Shane O'Brien and Filip Kuba. The feeling is Mike Lundin, Janne Niskala and Andrew Hutchinson will battle for the final spot, though Matt Smaby and Ty Wishart will get long looks. Muddling the picture slightly is Lundin has to clear waivers if he was to go to the minors and likely would be lost. So if he loses the battle, he could be moved. Niskala has a clause in his contract that could send him to Europe if he did not make the team. Hutchinson has a one-way deal, so he also could be traded if he bombs.

However it plays out, there are still plenty of moving parts that must bet settled through training camp and preseason.

Follow the money.

Players with one-way contracts, except Lundin. (Salaries in millions):

Player                Salary           Cap hit

Vinny Lecavalier  7.167           6.857

Marty St. Louis   5.0               5.25

Ryan Malone       6.0                4.5

Steve Stamkos     .875            3.725*

Vinny Prospal      3.5               3.5

Matt Carle          2.95             3.438

Filip Kuba           3.0              3.0

Radim Vrbata     3.0              3.0

Ollie Kolzig         1.5              2.5*

Gary Roberts      1.25            2.07*

Jeff Halpern       2.0              2.0

Jussi Jokinen     1.875           1.812

Mark Recchi       1.25             1.5*

Michel Ouellet     1.3              1.25

Chris Gratton      1.25            1.25

Shane O’Brien     1.125           1.0

Marc Denis          1.0              1.0**

Mike Smith           .950            .950

Evgeny Artyukhin  .900            .950

Paul Ranger          .950            .933

Alex Picard           .750            .800

Ryan Craig           .775            .787

Mike Lundin         .738            .688

Jason Ward          .700            .675

Adam Hall            .600            .600

Janne Niskala       .600            .600

Nick Tarnasky       .525            .525

Andrew Hutchinson .500           .500

Totals:                52.030        55.66

*Includes performance bonuses; ** Buyout. 

       

Sullivan doesn't make cut, either

The Lightning's former coaching staff is having a heck of a time finding new jobs.

Long Island's Newsday reported former Tampa Bay assistant Mike Sullivan is not among the final three candidates for the Islanders' head coaching job that will be decided between Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice and AHL coach of the year Scott Gordon. Newsday reported last week that John Tortorella had been passed over and that Sullivan was still in the mix for a job that would entail, mainly, working and developing the team's young up-and-comers.

Former goaltenders coach Jeff Reese also was passed over for a goalie coach job by the Maple Leafs.

It is possible, but not entirely probable, that Sullivan and Reese could end up re-assigned by the Lightning into scouting positions as both also have a year left on their contracts, and Tampa Bay is trying to revamp its scouting operation, anyway. We'll wait and see.

I don't believe anyone, though, would have predicted Tortorella, especially, would have gone so long without landing a job, especially considering the openings this summer. But he is in a position of strength in that he is guaranteed $1.3-million for the last year of his Lightning contract and does not have to take a job just for the sake of taking one. He can wait for the perfect position in which his view of the world and the other team's match up perfectly.

That could come next season when some underachieving squad needs a kick in the butt. And we know Torts has the shoes to do it. In the meantime, I would like to see him as a TV analyst somewhere. When he wants to, Torts can be wonderfully engaging, and he is incredibly smart about the game. He'd have to watch his mouth, though. I can't count how many times, as Lightning coach, he apologized to TV and radio guys for colorful language that would have to be bleeped or edited.  

Torts, Islanders a no-go; Sullivan still in mix

Still on vacation but thought this was interesting enough to post:

For those who believed John Tortorella would be a natural for the Islanders job, think again. Long Island's Newsday reported today that Torts is not on the short list, though former Lightning assistant Mike Sullivan still is.

As Newsday's Greg Logan wrote, "There always was a question whether Tortorella and a team committed to a long-term development plan were the right fit for each other. ... There also would have been a question whether his hard-charging style and impatience would have worked with a team planning to fill some major roles with developing prospects from the organization."

Whatever the reasoning, bottom line for the Lightning is the team is still on the hook for Torts' $1.3-million salary in the last year of his contract.

Still in the running for the Islanders job, according to Newsday, are Sullivan, Bob Hartley, Paul Maurice, Marc Crawford, Gerard Gallant and current AHL coach of the year Scott Gordon.

Preseason tickets on sale Monday

(You'll have to wait a while for these, however)

Condensed from a Lightning release:

Individual tickets for the Lightning’s two preseason home games – Monday, Sept. 22 vs. Pittsburgh and Tuesday, Sept. 23 vs. the New York Rangers - will go on sale Monday, August 11 at 10 a.m.

Priority seating for the Lightning’s 2008-09 regular season games is available now through full-season, half-season and 10-game plans. Individual game tickets will go on sale at a later date.

Tampa Bay opens its preseason on Saturday, Sept. 20 when the Lightning travel to face the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team’s final North American preseason game will take place on Thursday, Sept. 25 at the New York Rangers. The Lightning will then travel to Europe and face Eisbaren Berlin on Sunday, Sept. 28 in another preseason tune-up before opening the regular season with a two-game series against the Rangers in Prague, Czech Republic on Oct. 4-5.

            Tickets can be purchased at the McDonald’s Box Office at the St. Pete Times Forum and all Ticketmaster outlets.

To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 813.287.8844 or 727.898.2100. Also, fans can go online to tampabaylightning.com.

-- BRANT JAMES

Reese speaks with Leafs

Former Lightning goaltender coach Jeff Reese has interviewed with the Maple Leafs, but apparently was not offered the job. Reese has a year left on his contract with the Lightning but has been replaced.

Prospects Camp, Day 5

From TampaBayLightning.com

First of all, the obvious question is about center Steven Stamkos, who showed the full house at Juan de Fuca last night a glimpse of what Lightning fans can expect with two goals and three assists in the week’s second scrimmage game.

Brian Lawton: “He was tremendous the entire week. He worked hard, is a very humble young man. He really fit in with his teammates out here and made a great impression on everyone, as a player and as a person.”

-- BRANT JAMES