"It was good for them to get another voice"

Coach Barry Melrose on Wednesday spoke about skipping Tuesday's practice and handing it over to associate coach Rick Tocchet. If you recall, the coach called a meeting before practice to talk about effort (or lack of it) especially in the first period the past two games.

He joked that goaltender Olie Kolzig's characterization of the meeting as a "scolding" was too strong.

"I don't think it was a scolding," Melrose said. "We've been together 14 games. I think I have a pretty good read on the guys now. The only thing I've asked them from Day 1 is that they are the hardest working team in the NHL every night. I'm a very easy guy to play for. I'm not a big rules guy. I don't think Integrity needs rules. I just ask them to compete every night. When we do that, we're an excellent hockey club. When we try to do it for 20 minutes. When we try to do it for 40 minutes, it costs you, and it cost us against Washington. That's not acceptable."

As for the meeting, Melrose said, "I think it was an airing from my point of view. I let everybody know where I stood with them. It wasn't a meeting to embarrass people. It was a meeting, 'This is where I see us after 14 games.' These are the guys who are buying into what I'm selling, and these are the guys who have got to buy into what I'm selling."

And, finally, on skipping practice: "It was good for them to get another voice in practice. I'll be doing that as the year goes on. I've been with these guys every day ... so it was good for them to have a practice without hearing my voice, and hearing a different voice."

Other stuff from this morning: Melrose said right wing Evgeny Artyukhin (groin) is "100 percent" and will play tonight, though he wasn't sure on what line. Artyukhin had been playing on a line with center Jussi Jokinen and Mark Recchi. But Gary Roberts has two goals and three points in his past two games on that line and is getting power play time, so expect some experimentation with Artyukhin. ... Mike Smith starts in goal. ... Left wing Ryan Malone (believed to be a groin) did not skate and will not play. ... And for all of you who caught the reference yesterday about Melrose making fun of my rental car here in Sunrise, he added this: "And I would just like to say that I'd like to see the St. Pete Times get better cars."       

Comments

[Redwing fan]

I fail to see any problem with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

[Redwing fan]

I fail to see any problem with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

[Redwing fan]

I fail to see any problem with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

[Redwing fan]

I fail to see any problem with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

[Brian]

Another voice??? They won't get another voice until they win games as a reward.. I would be in their face every five seconds harrassing them. This team is demanding of coaching. Every five seconds. The reward for winning games is that I'm not in your face every five seconds. Otherwise, my voice is the only voice you will hear until I'm fired traded, or tossed out. That is the way it should be. Everyone needs to do their job !!!! The reality is that no one will pay you for the exhibition like tonight. No other team will want you, the fans won't pay to see you. I mean look at the fans in florida tonight !! No one shows up.

[Brian]

What do we need to do to win games ????? Detroit is coming in town. Another 5-2 loss ? 9-0? When are we going to wake up from this fairy tale? When will the talent of this team wake up ??? Wake up !!!!!!

[Brian]

Saw tonights game against the panthers.What are we doing ? This isn't the lightning team I know. 1. we need to be tougher.2. We need to get more consistent pressure on d-men.Our hitting is non-effective. We don't scare teams enough.3. Effective chemistry. Our puck passing,back checking, forechecking is terrible with almost always with three guys getting caught back in 3 on 2 situations.4. Consistent goal- defense tending situation. Non-existent. What do we need to do ? Make them all do suicide drills if they lose a game!!!!Stamkos barely touches the puck. Is he afraid? Well, it makes him look like he is. Welcome to the NHL son. All the guys we traded away, it shows. No Dan Boyle, no oluette, no tarnasky, no lukowich, no brad richards, no andre roy, no freddy modin, no fedetenko, no cullimore, no kuba,no sydor, and no cory stillman = no experience = no wins..

Forget it all. Change the lineups a bit, mix it up. Go after them. Otherwise lose every single game again and get another draft pick. This team doesn't look good tonight and it doesn't look like we have a chance of just winning a game. After tonights exhibition of what we call lightning hockey, is, or was just a fairy tale.

What do we need to do to win games ? Camp torturella ? Are these guys prepared to play every game ? It doesn't show if they are. We made Florida look like they are perennial champions. I hope I'm wrong and proven otherwise. If we don't get it together, not only are we going to lose fans, but we will open the door to trading away our best.

Scouting. What is that? Where is our value for trading away these players? I thought you get something in return ? Obviously, the scouting situation is not good. We have no defence and we make up for it by no offense. Are we going to suck for a few years ?

We need to go back to basic hockey 101.....Apply pressure to the forecheck and do the little things we know the lightning used to do to get scoring chances. 1 game at a time. No focusing on the future games, or past games. Every game is your last game.We need to play tougher, faster, better, stronger to beat the opponent. They don't care about us, since obviously we are the hunted and not the hunter...

[Tom M]

I went on record when Melrose was hired saying that he was a pathetic choice for a head coach. He's proving me right.

I've followed and have written about hockey for 30+ years and I don't think I've ever seen a circus as comical as this --- what a cast of characters!

Barrie guarantees the division title...Carle comes and goes...Niskala doesn't like us anymore...Mullet-head takes the day off...and the list goes on...

For those who listen to XM204...they're having a field day with the stumbling, bumbling leadership of what once was a Stanley Cup Champion.

I love the Bolts and have been a season ticket-holder since day #1 so I've seen the ups and downs over the years...but what I've seen this season is down right DISMAL!

Here's the deal on Koules...likes to make a big splash (hires Melorse) and enjoys the media attention (makes trades as often as possible) but is clueless when it comes to owning and, more importantly, LEADING, and NHL franchise...and I'm not the only commentator who shares that opinion.

We're in for a long season!

[thedudman]

Wow...at least last year we were competitive. Looked like an NHL vs. Collegiate scrimmage. The Fox Sports guys said only on D player tonight was with the lightning in the season opener against the Rangers...kinda hard to play if you don't know the guy skating next to you.

I guess Lawton's tirade a few nights ago really paid off...from winning to losing. Why don't we start trading some more away...I mean we almost scored late in the 3rd period...maybe we can stop that too!

[HockeyBay.com]

Time to give Barry the crappy rental car... Nothing has changed from last year, same inconsistancy, Is Torts in a Melrose costume?

[jason]

Hey Barry how about skipping the game. See if that works! If it does you can skip the next 67 as well. Sure looks from here like this team has quit on Melrose already- 8 shot thru 2 periods!
Torts had a pulse on team. He knew when kick their backside and knew when to layoff. 5-5-4 isn't bad considering we only have 7 guys from last year and only 1 of the D playing tonight was there in Prague (Mazzaros) Why is Melrose hitting panic button?

[léo]

Bullspit, Barry.
Bullspit.
Lemme put this in perspective:
I'm trying to imagine CARBO sayin' and doin' that. He would be fitted with iron and sunk in the Saint-Laurent with the sign "Weakling" hung about his neck.
There's a difference, you say?
Explain it to me then.
P.

[Boltflasher]

I would think we need to see a good effort tonight as the Lawton stated this road trip would be used for evaluation and this is the last game on the trip coming off a poor game. So go Bolts lets get this one...worry about tomorrow night tomorrow...

[keith]

DC.... have you checked out the scooter rentals?

[coach bill]

I thought we were going to be an aggressive physical team this year but we're not. The only showing of that is Arty and Malone. Glad to have Arty back. Get well soon, Ryan. We really need some lift here( as in motivation).I really think we have the talent. We need that other edge( psychological) to get the team to gel. Once that occurs, we should start to hit our potential ( I hope). If not, we're in for a long road.

[McGz]

I agree Arty should be with Stamkos, to create some room out there. Also, what's with all the groin injuries? Sounds like a lack of conditioning and the team seems slow out there to me. I'm just sayin'. Go Bolts!

[BoltsFan]

Put AR2KN on with the new kid!

[Mike13]

Glad to see that Arty is back in the lineup.

Let's go guys. 60 minutes. You can do it.