This is going to be a good hockey team

I know, they're 0-2-3. They matched the 1998-99 team as the only Tampa Bay squad to start a season winless in five games, and the team lost a franchise-record third straight overtime game. It has just eight goals. But I really believe this is going to be a good hockey team.

I'm not saying it will make the playoffs or anything beyond what we can evaluate right now. And I know I'm going to hear about this on this post and at the end of the season if things don't work out, but this team is so much better than it was even three games ago, the difference is notable. Paul Ranger has single-handedly settled the defense; I'm not saying it's great but it is a huge improvement. The goaltending is solid. All the team needs right now are goals, and it is not possible the top two lines will continue to be as lame as they've been so far.

I know, Marty St. Louis has just five shots, Ryan Malone eight. Radim Vrbata already is scratched.

Now, think about this. It's five games into an early season that really is Tampa Bay's training camp. I am discounting the trip to Europe. It was great for bonding but lousy for building the on-ice product. Too much travel, sloppy, though enteraining, games against non-NHL oponents. Don't bring up the Rangers, a different situation with a generally stable core of players.

Hey, I could be so wrong it's laughable. It's happened before. But the Lightning buzzed through one of the best defensive teams in the league, and if not for Eric Belanger covering up two open nets, Tampa Bay wins.

Geez, they had 30 hits (Steven Stamkos even got two), 59 total shots, including blocks and misses.

The key might be the mind-set of the players. If they get discouraged at the early lack of results, that's trouble. But there was enoughy chatter in the locker room after Saturday night's loss that it shows the players had some perspective. I don't think it was false bravado either.

I'm sure they are disappointed they have to wait three days to face the Thrashers. What this group needs now is games.

Comments

[mistake]

The whole comments section of this log has gotten a lot like the Lightning at the current moment..............

Pointless.

Damian - you still rock though brother, thanks for taking the time to post interesting information

[PD]

Re Impostor:
I would think it a pretty simple thing to match an IP address with a post, no?

It,s all recorded.

[Herb]

Thanks Don, as well as your family. May everyone come home safe and sound.

[coach bill]

To our anomymous imposter- There was once this Jewish guy named Paul( he died a while back). He wrote alot of letters and his words are often quoted. There's one for you in there. Check our 1 Thes 4:11 in the bible. The blogger was Jesus Christ.

[Boltflasher]

Yes, the imposters are like those idiots that think its funny to plant viruses and then the virus ends up shutting down some hospital system's network....

[mike p]

Yea, stealing other people's names is lame. Don't mind whoever is doing this Hockey Chic. The Koolaid thing was kinda funny, but a little overboard...a few is funny...the whole team is scary. "Vrbata has no koolaid" That was the best line though.

[Don in St. Pete]

Herb, Bless your son for his service, as well as my new son in law Tim in the Navy and our own Tackleberry as well as my wife's nephew in the Marines, headed to the big A this month. It's a crying shame the blogger's can't at least sign there own names to their post's. While PD is the blog Cynic, he at least has the guts to back up his post's with his own name and take the heat unlike the mindless wimps who find it amusing to ridicule themselves by posing as others. These are the same treacherous ilk that would steal your credit card or pin number. We know the bloggers here by there writing style and their intelligence. If you have none of either you're only fooling yourself.

[Herb]

I will be there Chic....along with my hockey buddy....my daughter, now that my son is in the Army. He will be here for Christmas before he goes to Afghanistan in January.

[Boltflasher]

I meant the kool aid flavors was funny, not any of the imposters...

[**The Real Hockey Chic**]

Thanks ajax if you are ajax. I don't trust anyone anymore. Bill is not Bill, me is not me and gosh knows who else is not really them. If you are the real ajax, please show up at the Blogger's Happy Hour. I will be the one overlapping several stools (Good thing there is no cover charge).

[ajax]

Damian, I am pretty sure you can figure out who is doing this. Find Same thread signing multple names. It would be great for you to block. I advised this a long long time ago, stop responding to it and they will get tired of not being responded to. This smells of Shrinkage. It will go away when everyone stops. I am sure the next blog will be something very nasty, signed ajax. Damian, look into it, your computer people can help instantly and I am sure you can block this person very quickly. Thanks in advance. I will help him out, so he can write a horrible blog and sign Ajax. Lightning stink, Smith stinks, Owners stink, D stinks, O stinks, SLOW SLOWER SLOWEST, I want Brad and Danny backm Melrose is a joke (Did I do a good job?). Blogs enable people of poor character, you can be soooo nasty and never really have to be held accountable. Great boost for some people. Hockey Chic you are a class act and I love your rosies!!!

[rbc]

He/she will have no trouble finding you. You're the one taking up three stools!!!

[**The Real Hockey Chic**]

A how would you know I had a fat a#$ you butt head. I bet I can out skate your a$& any day.

I am not sure who the hell you are but I have about all I am going to take. Bring it to the get together and say it to my face...If you have the sand to do so...Grow up you little boy or girl..

Go Bolts!!!

[Boltflasher]

Too funny!!

[Not the Marlboro Man]

who ever the little cowardly twinkletoed communist slimeball who wasn't man or woman enough to put their name up should keep there opinions to themselves. Until you can prove that I don't have a source or prove that Gary Roberts and Melsore aren't having problems then shut your crunk saucer!

[Hockey Chic]

I of course will opt for Rootin Tootin Polished Roseberry. It's about all my fat a s s can stand.

[PD]

pretty good but Roberts and Recchi are into the prune mango

[shock therapy]

May I offer the following innovative flavors for the current team:

Beginning with of course:

Koules Koolaid
Barrie's CowBerry
Melrose Mixed Mango
Tocchet Tangerine
Walz Watermelon
Rader Root Beer

Arty Big Apple
Craig's Whipped Cream
Gratton's Shriveled Grape
Hall's Heavenly Tangerine
Halpern's Twister
Jokinen Java Juice
Koci Kiwi Punch
Lecavalier's lemonade
Malone's Slow Mangoberry
Prospal Surfin Punch
Recchi's aging & ripe rasberry
Robert's rainbow Juice
St. Louis' compact cola
Stamkos fresh strawberry
Vrbata has no koolaid
Ward's waiting in the wings watermelon
Carle's developing cranberry
Krajicek's cross country mix
Lundin's lethal lemon
Meszaros assistant lemonade
Niskala's night off
Rangers saving bolt
Olli's orange sparkle
Smith's Wandering 40 pound watermelon

[Casper]

I feel sorry for this kid.

[PD]

OK RBC , I hear you. Be advised the calendar tells no tales..

Shock Therapy, you have come to the right place for the Koolaide, step right up. 100 different flavors.

A straw poll with a few of the obvious suspects: Don, Twiner, Ajax, Casper,RBC, Hockey Chic, Bingo , Mike P, Tack etc seems to suggest that these are the current most popular Bolt Kool Aid Flavors.. in no special order:

Soaring Strawberry
OH-Yeah Orange Pineapple
High as a kite Jamaican Tamarindo
Double Double Cherry
Incrediberry

Take your pick from the full list, but stay away from the grape.

Strawberry, Cherry, Grape, Lemon, Orange, Root-Beer, Raspberry (Discontinued)
Singles flavors[13] Cherry, Tropical Punch, Orange, Watermelon, Grape
Sugar-Free flavors[citation needed] Double Double Cherry, Triple Awesome Grape, Lemonade, Soarin' Strawberry Lemonade, Tropical Punch
Agua Frescas flavors[14] Jamaica, Tamarindo, Mango, Pineapple, Mandarina Tangerine
Other flavors worldwide or previously available[15] Frutas, Frutas Vermilhas, Grape Blackberry, Grosella, Guaraná, Kolita, Lemon, Lemonade Sparkle, Orange Enerjooz, Chocolate. Apple, Berry Blue, Black Cherry, Bunch Berry,
Cherry, Cherry Cracker, Cola, Eerie Orange, Frutas, Golden Nectar, Grape, Grapeberry Splash, Great Bluedini, Incrediberry, Kickin-Kiwi-Lime, Lemon-Lime, Lemonade, Man-o-Mangoberry, Mountainberry Punch, Oh-Yeah Orange-Pineapple, Orange, Pina-Pineapple, Pink Lemonade, Pink Swimmingo, Purplesaurus Rex, Rainbow Punch, Raspberry, Roarin' Raspberry Cranberry, Rock-a-dile Red, Rootbeer, Scary Black Cherry, Scary Blackberry, Sharkleberry Fin, Slammin' Strawberry-Kiwi, Soarin' Strawberry-Lemonade, Strawberry, Strawberry Falls Punch, Strawberry Split, Strawberry-Raspberry, Sunshine Punch, Surfin' Berry Punch, Tangerine, Tropical Punch, watermellon

For those who appear to be immune; Leo, StevR, Vott, Beau, Matt Flasher etc, I recommend a double Glen Livet

[Steve-O]

rbc gets a hat trick for that last post. I thought it was great to see the owner watching from the stairs while the other person on the couch detests his existance, a circus she calls it.. At least they are interested enough to spend some money and chemistry can be a finicky thing. Think the Rays beat Boston in Game 7 if M. Ramirez was still in the line-up, he's gone because he made bad chemistry. Come the trade deadline we are likely to see a few new faces to improve the chemistry that ain't working by then. That's why the play a whole season. Ah the newness of spring. Oh wait this is fall.

[rbc]

Pd, been pretty constant from the beginning. I said it will take time, check after 20-25 games to get more of a handle on this team. Everybody wants a cup this year, i have said an improvement over last year and maybe sneaking into the playoffs would be great. I like the team, like the direction this tean is going in, like the new ownership, am i on board with all the choices, no, but willing to give them a chance. All teams go through retooling and lose some really good players, that's what happens in today's nhl and only time will tell if the ok hockey group passed. I give them "A" for effort, passion and commitment, That's been missing for a few years.

[shock therapy]

I need some of that Kool-Aid! Regardless of how it tastes, it will leave a better taste in my mouth and feeling in my stomach believing in the fantasy outcome versus the taste and feeling I have now!

[coach bill]

Keith - I didn't post that last comment. Come to the HH Sat night or get back if you live in the Orlando direction and want to ride in together.

[Maxine]

First, the Lightning are 0-5. They have not won a game. They essentially got 2 points for trying.

Secondly, this team is being populated with aging personnel and poor draft choices EXACTLY as Al Davis did it. There is no regard to fit or chemistry. Hell, the national hockey blogs have the Lightning in the running for Mats Sundin.

Thirdly, the Kool Aiders were talking Stanley Cup after last year's 3-0 start. This year's 0-5 launch hasn't deterred those who refuse to admit they threw away hard-earned dough during a recession and possible job loss on season tickets to witness this Hollywood charade.

[PD]

Since you started it RBC, if there is the quintessential delusionist on this blog it would be you in spades.

I'll check back with you Nov 14.for an update.

Right flasher, heavy road sked interupted for a home game against the Sens.

Definately a trial by fire.

noted on Minnesota's goal output put that's with Gabby, he wasn't here.

[rbc]

pd, get over yourself, everybody being mean to me (boo hoo). My point is you pontificate and if somebody has varying opinion they are dilusional. Hey genius, philly lost every game this year too, and as bad as we were last year we smoked them pretty much the last few years, oh yeah dallas and anahiem, please get a clue. Bolts are getting stronger everytime out and as long as they are competitive, can't complain. When did we go by who plays for teams and last years record as to who is gonna win the cup?

[BDA]

I also think you guys will be OK, once the chemistry is established.
Remember though, this last game was a loss to a team that was on the last day of a 3-game road trip, was missing 3 of their top 6 forwards, and 1 of the top 4 defensemen. It's funny some here view it as a great accomplishment to get a point out of it. I am certain that the Wild do feel like they stole two points though.
(By the way PD - Minnesota scored as many goals as the Lightning last season.)

[Boltflasher]

I think all PD meant was the next 15 are mostly on the road...

[Don in St. Pete]

PD, Sorry I didn't mean to label you as an outsider, but you definitely qualify as a naysayer. I think we'll be okay. We're starting to hit our strides and they are all men, no superhumans that I have seen. I can see us going 50% through that stretch. Nobody out there is unbeatable. I'll withhold judgement for now.

nov 12 at the Turds

[PD]

Heh Don if Sarasota makes me an out of towner, you got me there, but its humorous to see the continual barage of insults from RBC and all the Koules Rat packers when the Bolts are cast under the the bright light of reality.

To my last comment about not having to wait a month before figuring out how this ill advised chemistry experiment works out, just check out the next 10 games after the Flamers

Don do you think the talent here equals that in Philly Dallas or Anaheim? me either.
We just played maybe the worst team in hockey at home with their B goalie and lost and last played a team that can't score even with Gaborick and lost so it all magically comes together on the road against this schedule??

That's why I said save the wait.

I'm always prepared to be surprised.

I did pick the Rangers to be the surprise team.

Sat Oct 25, 2008 Sharks
Tue Oct 28, 2008 Leafs
Thu Oct 30, 2008 Sabres
Sat Nov 1, 2008 Senators
Wed Nov 5, 2008 Devils
Thu Nov 6, 2008 Rangers
Sat Nov 8, 2008 Flyers
Mon Nov 10, 2008 Capitals
Wed Nov 12, 2008 Lightning
Thu Nov 13, 2008 Red Wings

[Steve-O]

Wouldn't it be great if our team could win the Stanley Cup every year! All the haters seem to think that the only measure of the team is that destination. I for one never expected they would go there after the complete overhaul. I want to see a change in direction from 30th get back to the playoffs and then tweak. Heck my wife is still so angry at the change she can barely watch. Glad to see there are some real knowledgeable folks who don't prescribe to the Al Davis, George S method of team management. I worry about the internet junkie wanna be's that have never coached anything but T-ball yet have all the insight and back room contacts. Is it dark in Grandma's basement when you're blogging? Will they win the cup? Doubt it. Will they beat last years point total and standing? If Saturday was an indication of style of play, yes! You can not keep MVP and others out of the net all year. Go Bolts!

[Bob]

Its good to know things havent changed much in a year.All the negative people posting here need to take a look at the standings.The Lightning are in last place true.Thing is its not even a month into the season.Where are the Flyers?How about the Ducks or Calgary for that matter?I wonder if their fans have written them off yet.The big question mark on going into this season was the D.Well seems to me they have held up pretty good.Other than being outshot they havent been blown out of a game yet.The forwards need to gel and Melrose needs to shut his yap and stop making panic moves.

[the real coach bill]

Sorry Keith but I live in the other direction. It's some dimwit's idea of humor.

[rbc]

pd, get real, you profess to know hockey and yet you say stupid things alot. What does the next 15 games have in store for us? if you mean some tough games, they are all tough, this is the nhl ( get a clue ).This team is getting better each time out and that's all i am asking, im patient. I said from the beginning all i want to see is progress and they are progressing, especially the d and goalie. Time will tell and i am happy with the progress, after 20-25 games we will know. Good luck the leafs though.

[coach bill]

Keith- Are you near Orlando? I come acroos Orlando(2 hrs) and often am looking for someone to go with

[Tackleberry]

Mike p,
I agree 100% with all you said, especially #2, not to mention that Stammer has an incredibly quick release/shot.

BUT, they need to get that first win. I think there is a lot of pressure on the team right now due to the lack of a win. Just my 2 cent theory.

I would like him to make a "lacrosse" or "spin-o-rama" goal.

[Don in St. Pete]

What a shame that the blog has become a bulletin board for out of town Bolt Haters and trollers. At least Leo, Steve R. and PD usually have something intelligent to say. PD in case you hadn't noticed, many of the teams predicted to be leading the pack this year are struggling early as well. Do you seriously believe Dallas, Anaheim, and Philly will all finish in the bottom 5 in the league? I don't believe the Bolts will either. The team was sharp in the last game and we're currently in the top 5 or 6 teams in goals against. Rag on the D all you want, but they are showing the insight into the off-season moves. Goal scoring will start to come. V4 especially was much better last game, and Ranger was a beast. Mez had his best game and obviously this team continues to get better each game.

[mike p]

Tackleberry, I think Melrose chose stamkos for the shootout for two reasons.
1) Stamkos had that CRAZY shootout goal that you can watch on youtube if you haven't seen it already (just search stamkos+shootout)
2) I think he wanted to show Stamkos that he had faith in the kid and try to boost his confidence after not giving him too many minutes in the early games.

[PD]

Check the next 15 games after Atlanta on the schedule RBC and save the wait.

[rbc]

WOW, reading this blog there are alot of experts with their ear to the locker room. This ex gm said this, this ex coach said that, who cares. The bolts are playing better every game and it shows, hopefully can start translating into some W's. See were the team is after 20-25 games.

[Anonymous From Now On Due to Fraud]

Sorry but it's not "Kool-Aid" (gawd is anyone else sick of that term yet) to observe that a single-minded focus on the W-L column IS a bit simplistic sometimes. Sure you need wins, and they will come by the dozens, but there also are subtleties. Thousands of people saw a highly enjoyable, exciting 0-0 tie vs. MIN, with everyone doing their jobs as a team for the first time. After 40+ years of passionately enjoying and playing the sport, the capability to discern a little more about a hockey game than simply the final score comes about. Stick around the sport a while and you'll see

[keith]

Coach Bill, sorry. Always has to be someone to put vinegar in the punch.Idiots are everywhere.
I live a few hours away, but come to dozen or so games. Will look forward to putting faces to the blogs when I get down to Tampa. Well done getting all the "true-blue" bloggers together

[Tackleberry]

I think everyone is staying optomistic due to the amount of talent that has not blossomed to its potential.

No doubt, the best game of the year so far was against Minn. I only saw the last 10 min of the game but I was impressed with the TB def. They were actually using the blue line as another defender. Kudos to Lundin for being patient to clear the puck on the Minn PP. Really liked Ranger and Lundin's play.

Need more "jel-time".

The only thing I scratched my head about, was the shootout roster and order. No concerns about Jussi or Stammer doing a shootout. Why was MSL passed for Jussi or Stammer? This would have been the first win. All the pressure was on Stammer for the tie. Put one of the vets last. They are better at handling the pressure. I can armchair this to death, BUT, for the first win against a really good team, I would have chosen Jussi, V4 then MSL (in that order) for the shootout.

Again, I dont want to armchair this to death. Great game. Looking forwat to the bolts kicking Atlanta's ar$e.

[coach bill]

Keith and herb- I didn't write that post. Someone is using our "names" and is very insulting. I'll probably stop posting under coach bill( at least for awhile). I can use another name. Herb- alcohal is not a prerequisite for our happy hour. Your daughter is very welcome. WE met once in pre-season and I had my 8 yr old grandson and Tackleberry had his "Minny Vinny"(age 3)See ya' Sat.

[Leanmean43]

Uh last time I checked you do get points for OT and Shootout losses, so they are not 0-5 they are 0-2-3,big difference. The Bolts only have to win 2 games in a row to get back to .500, and .500 means half the possible points earned.

Mike Smith is in the Top 3 in SV% at 94% and top 5 in GAA at 1.90. It's only been 5 games but I think he is the real deal, and definitely better than "OK".

NTMM,
You need to get past your dislike of Melrose. I also think your "sources" are in your own head. Only 5 games in and many of you have it all figured out already. I guess no team has ever come back from an 0-5 start and a team with so many new players and coaches always starts out with perfect chemistry. Geez, unbelievable.

[Nathan]

This is random, but did anyone else watching the game vs. the Wild on Sun Sports see the funny face that Stamkos made before the start of, ummm...it was either overtime or the shootout, I don't remember which. Haha I had to rewind just to watch that face again. I got a good laugh out of that.

[JoeG]

OK,Mr.Hockey Knowledge,O.Koules who posted above,what do you suggest the real fans of this team do instead of "pom pom waving"? Write the Bolts off just 5 games into the season? Geez!