O'Brien to be traded? What about Berard?

It is an interesting question given the hair-trigger benching. One game? Seems sudden, doesn't it? Perhaps coach Barry Melrose saw O'Brien play so badly he believed he had to sit him. On the other hand, he also went out of his way to defend him, saying he was taking too much heat from the media (see previous post). Seems a bit of a mixed message, which begs the question, Is O'Brien on the bench so he doesn't get hurt before a trade?

It is no secret the Lightning wants to upgrade its blue line. It recently inquired about Mathieu Schneider. Tampa Bay also wants to save some salary and O'Brien has a $950,000 cap hit. There also is evidence the Lightning is at least peripherally interested in Bryan Berard, who recently was cut by the Flyers but has the offensive instincts Tamp Bay covets.

Berard's agent Tom Laidlaw only would say his client would try to work within any team's salary structure.

With the Lightning coming back to North America after Sunday's game, it will be interesting to see if anything happens.

Comments

[keith]

Benson what you may not realize is some of us have been through the early years with this team. We almost got used to losing.....but then Torts came along. Just dont like to see the boys lose playing poorly underachieving. Dont expect a rah rah after two games like that......but we will be back in full voice for the next game, and the next, win or lose. Finished 30th last year and still SPTF(almost) full most nights.Think you may be talking about that other Tampa team at Raymond James, or maybe the fairweather Rays fans!

[Nan]

Okay, you all did better than I did. I couldn't watch after the massacre in the 2nd period! Ouch! This group needs to do something. The defense with or without OB has problems! The offense is not much better!
Hope it goes better for the Rays and the Bucs today or this could be a long day!
I do have some patience however. New young team, new coaches and new owners. It SHOULD take some time to get everyone on the same page. It would be a stroke of either genius or luck if the team wins these early games. One win out of two games would have been nice but not to be!
Hope the guys have a safe journey home. It will be nice to see them at home for a change and not on TV!

[Goalman]

I said it before and I still think it. Dan Boyle made our offense go. He was a defensive asset because he could get the puck out of our zone. I miss him. That being said,we need to find another D man. Berard has never been tha same since his injury. It would be a mistake to bring him on the team. We have a problem. Why else would we get Jamie Heward?Jokinen might be expendable as well as throwing in Ryan Craig in order to get a legitimate D man.
I'm not worried about our offense. We have the horses. The chemistry has to grow.BUT we need to get the puck to them.Oh yeah, by the way,It's not time to panic. We still have 79 games till the playoffs. Be smart and deal form strength

[Tampa Wine Guy]

Let's look at the bright side, goaltending kept us in both games. Until recently, snow was more likely in Tampa vs. goaltending keeping us in games. While we still have a ways to go, it does seem like at this early stage we've got a foundation. There is a lot of talent on this team, we have to be patient, but I'm still encouraged this team will be much better than last year and at least challenge for a top 8 position in the East.

[Another Joe]

OB Didnt pull his weight all last year either. How long do the bolts give him???

I like OB but he just isnt getting it done.

[Benson]

Crickets here and nothing else.

Tbay fans go into a hole when they lose and start a parade when they win.
Doesn't bode well for the gate this year.

Kuba already has two points not counting today..I'll take it.

[Don in St. Pete]

Well, we played a much better 3rd period at least. Meszaros has got to shoot the puck. Several times on the PP he had a clear shot and tried to pass into traffic instead. Nice to see Stamkos get a little more ice time. I don't think R2KN played at all in the 3rd period. Not sure what the thinking was there. They have 5 days to get it right before the Canes game.

[shock therapy]

Amen Hockey Chic - lets get the guys home and start fresh! We did NHL PR thing, now its time to play. Oh am I so glad I didnt pay to go on this trip.

As bad as the D might be playing, I am still glad to not see Kuba out there!

[kincaid]

well chic you are ever the optomist.

Why the hell should they be tired? The Rangers sure weren't.

[Hockey Chic]

I just do not think trading OB is the answer. Why the hell would we blame all our woes on him.

If Ranger were in there you guys would be saying the same thing. Our d is going to have its owes but that was not the complete problem.

How many freakin shots on goal did our offense generate versus the NYR. Exactly, so you cannot pin todays game and lack of results on the d. There were a lot of break downs. Our guys looked tired of playing the NHL pr game. They just looked tired....

Lets get back home rest up and garner some more playing time together. I know 4 pts is a lot but lets let them work towards those points. Ice time is just that ice time and the team can build on this.

Go Bolts....

[keith]

And the Rangers didnt have any new guys skating? Thats what pre season is for.
They all have been lacing up their skates since before they could walk.
For what these guys are paid....that was a pitiful two nights work with the exception of Kolzig and Smitty.
No grit. Little heart. I would rather watch kids or minor leaguers than top players who dont give it all.
That being said there are another 80 games to go.....cant wait! Go Bolts.

[Patrick]

Konopka will bring life to the Bolts, just like Arty does. Jokinin, with the exception of when the games goes to the shootout, is useless and brings pretty much nothing to a game in terms of a contribution. He is a figure skater and looks lost out there. This is why he is constantly talked about in regards to being traded.

The Bolts need energy, passion and grit. Konopka brings all of that and more. And we wouldn't have Malone dropping the gloves and keeping himself off the ice for 5 minutes....for NOTHING (as he can't fight).

[PD]

Well Don, nuff said about the pre Sundin Rangers.

Uh about the Bolts D and those what, 85? shots

We never had the puck

[Sean]

And what exactly is Zenon Konopka gonna do? Get 15 minutes in fighting majors every night?

The Tampa fanbase has to have the highest percentage of chicken littles in the NHL.

NOT EVEN 2 games into the season and the freakin sky is falling. Get a grip.

Only 7 guys played on this team the previous year during game one. 2 of them (Jokinen and Smith) were only there half the season.

With that many new faces, a new system, coaches, etc, they're not gonna do it over night. Add in all the extra travel, and that the Lightning are already playing meaningful games when most other teams are still playing pre season games, it's gonna be bad.

This trip was the worst thing that could happen for a team like TB. Once they get back home, start getting regular practice time, and on a NORMAL NHL schedule, they'll pick it up.

If they don't THEN you worry.

Bring up Konopka and trade Jokinen. What a joke.

[Patrick]

Perfectly said, Keith.

Melrose can't be relying heavily on young players, and our D, right now, shows that.

Bring up Zenon. Trade Jussi.

[Drew]

"There also is evidence the Lightning is at least peripherally interested in Bryan Berard"

I think the choice to write "peripherally interested" is in poor taste regarding Berard, given his medical history.

[keith]

It would be a mistake to trade OB at this point. Why make him the scapegoat for a swiss cheese D.?

[keith]

Outplayed, outcoached, out hustled, outclassed, outshot, out of the play offs like this. With the exception of Kolzig this is as bad as it can get. Looks like a practise game for the Rangers. 34-9. 9 freakin shots!! D looks like a bunch of kids on the pond. Where's the nastiness Mulletrose promised? Where's the toughness? Bunch of cream puffs getting exactly what they deserve.....a butt whippin'.
....and still one more period to go LOL!

[Don in St. Pete]

I thought we played well in the second half of the second period. Of course by then our sloppy play in our own end had lead to 2 goals. R2KN is flying. They need to find a way to get him more ice time.

[Patrick]

I would love to hear anyone's argument for why you might feel OB is worthless.

[Herb]

Brian, all it takes is to watch him play and anyone could see that he is utterly worthless.

[Patrick]

OB isn't playing right now, and are we playing any better?

2-1, and the Rags' Colton Orr looks better than any of our forwards.

[Patrick]

This club would be STUPID to trade away OB. He is exactly the kind of grit our D-core lacks, and by having him in the lineup, he helps make up for it. And if we lose another heart and soul guy like OB, watch for this team to be even worse than this club was last season, cuz right now, this Lightning team is HORRIBLE.

Someone is killing this team, cuz before the season started, all we heard was that this club would be big, tough and rough. And at this point, we are neither. We are SOFT -- and we can't afford to lose any of the grit that we actually do have.

The last player we need is Berard

GO Rays

[Brian B.]

I think Herb is a bit diluted in his assessment of this situation. O'Brien isn't terrible, he just needs a bit of work. I don't see him traded just yet.

[Patricia]

I myself, will not be all chocked up if he gets traded. I have never been a fan of O'Brien. I dont think he is a good player and he is dangerous. They need to do something because4 I feel like I am watching last years team. CAn we have anymore penalties??? There are getting there butts kicked by the Rangers. Believe it or not, the goalie is the only one not making this completely embarassing for Tampa!

[Herb]

One game DC?????? I seem to remember Torts benching him as well. OB is a compete WASTE!!!!! I long for the day when OB is a memory....and a bad memory at that.