Kolzig, with left arm strain, still is out

Lightning backup goaltender Olie Kolzig said last week he hoped to be back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Coyotes. Instead, he now is shooting for Monday's game against the Kings. That is because the muscle strain in his left arm is not responding to treatment as quickly as hoped.

"I've never really had a muscle injury, so for me this is something new," Kolzig said Wednesday. "I guess it's a process. It's good when shots and wristers are controlled and I don't have to have an explosive motion. As soon as somebody is taking a slap shot and I have to really explode my arm up to get it, it's still weak. I wouldn't say it's a setback, I just expected it would be better than what it is. If you want to play a game, you have to be ready for those explosive saves, and it's not ready."

All that mens is that Karri Ramo remains with the team. Mike Smith, who has made a career-high 10 straight starts, gets the nod again against the Coyotes. Coach Rick Tocchet said Ramo likely will start Friday at Anaheim.

"It's frustrating for him," Tocchet said of Kolzig. "I feel bad for him because he's working his tail off. But it's not responding the way it should."

"I don't know," Kolzig said. "I'm hoping for LA. We have a pregame skate  (Thursday). We have a pregame skate in Anaheim, maybe a practice or two before LA, and we'll see where it's at." 

Other stuff from practice: Tocchet confirmed what has been obvious since the return of Ty Wishart and Vladimir Mihalik to AHL Norfolk. Paul Ranger will play against the Coyotes after missing three games with an upper body injury. ... Forward Paul Szczechura's left knee is still sore. Tocchet said he is hopeful of getting him in against Phoenix, but it sounded more likely Szczechura will play Friday at Anaheim.

Comments

[leo]

Mike,
You can have the Younger, not the Elder. But hopefully, Mr.Gainey will join'em at the hip cuz dang, they play VERY well when twinned up.
But you can ask for the Younger, pretty sure on that. (more vision, more talent than his older bro, but too hot-tempered and erratic to keep an even keel, down to youth, I suppose, sure to get better as he ages and wises up)
PD,
THAT part of the argument, I am NOT debating. I totally agree with you on that. I'm sure that "saving cap space" must be in TB's immediate plans. But how does that pertain to Mr.Gainey?
What I WAS debating is Our end, that We WOULD take him, no matter WHERE he came from with that contract.
Oooh, all the UFA's at the end of the year, oooh nooo, what are we gonna do???
We'll keep Komo for sure, MAYBE the Artiste, Tanguay and Kosto, rest are gone for sure. That liberates approximately 15 million dollars.
"What'll we do without Bégin, Brisebois and Dandenault?" you ask?
We'll live.
P.

[PD]

Leo, if Tampa throw in 5.5 mill along with Vinny that indeed might work except I doubt its legal under the CBA.

Besides Tampa doesn'thave have 5.5 mill or they would pay their rink attendents and equipment trainers as you noted the other day. So its moot

Mr Gillette may be a little skinny too according to the Bank of Scotland today.

Nice thorough job by your boys tonight.

Bryz stoned Bolts tonight. Not bad for a freebie goalie.

[olin]

....Yeah baby, #1 GO GATOR'S

[Coach Bill]

Mike- Double digits was just a starting point. You're right.

[Mike13]

Leo, If the brothers K aren't in that deal, there's no way I'd take it.

Coach Bill, we need a GM with an IQ in the triple digits, not double. :)

As for Kolzig, I sure hope we gets himself healthy. It just doesn't seem right for him to go out like this.

[leo]

Hihi, can you not address me without spewing bile? Please do not call me a troll. That's not nice.
As for not having what you could want, We are considered the team in the NHL with the MOST fine prospects and We got nothing you want??? Ok. Not twisting anyone's arm off.
As for saying "keep'im; We don't want him", of course, I was referring to my V4/Priceberg deal I started ages ago. In THAT context, yes: keep'im; We don't want'im.
Right? That's what I said, wasn't it? I'm sure you just forgot about that, Hihi.
As for ?mocking? me for not witnessing a Cup in my lifetime, that's incorrect. There've been 6 and I witnessed 2. Oh, and let's not play the comparison game on that one, whaddaya say? You champion-team-lover you, right? Very weak argument, Hihi; others have done much better.
PD,
What'd I tell ya about expotulatin' on Gainey?
If Vinny wants, and if TB takes back 5.5 mil, guess what? You got a deal.
Don't say "No".
It's "Yes", regardless of what you think.
We won't give you the Priceberg for him, neither K the Senior, Pacioretty or Subban.
Rest you can root through. Yes, even McDonaugh.
Don't tell me; I'll tell you.
Nothing TB wants? Fine.
But don't tell me We wouldn't take him NOW, even if his contract kills us in 7 years. We'd take him NOW in a heartbeat and deal with the consequences later. Talk figures with Ajax, not with me. We'd roll over our ENTIRE club for him. Don't know if you've heard, but We wanna go for the Cup THIS year, whether that dream is attainable or not.
I'm not exasperated at all but on this matter, PD, your finger is NOWHERE NEAR the pulse of the Beautiful team, trust me.
P.

[Coach Bill]

Then again, without a GM with an IQ in double digits, it might be a moot point.

[Coach Bill]

Olin- Let me explain my thinking- don't EVER think I'm bashing Vinny. He's the greatest player of this time. I've likened him to Jean Beliveau before and even Leo agreed with me. But you said we pick up a couple of good blueliners "some way" and "maybe" teach R2 to play defense. God bless you, Olin for your opptimism,but try to think realistically. I hope you're right about the ship being righted,but I think it will take a few years to get us really back to what an NHL franchise is supposed to be. By that time, Vinny will have been wasted and MSL will be long gone, and Prospal will be - I don't know where. With the current market for these stars, we could right now put together a team that will be competitive in one or two years. That's my thinking.

[Chris]

Vinny made the All-Star Team! Congrats.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=29090

[mikessssss]

Hey I found this article... I sure miss this guy he was my favorite.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Sports/Tampa+tumble+saddens+shark/1146631/story.html

[ajax]

Without a doubt they are playing better. They do need some help. They are ultra thin on the roster, thanks to efforts of "past"management" If they simply did better in OT we would be much much more respectable. If we were 8-5 in OT instead of 3-10 we would be almost .500 today and the world would seem bright. With a total retool of the ship and helm, it is amazing they are doing as good as they are. Marathon.

[olin]

...Coach Bill, I just don't understand your thinking here, I believe the ship is slowly being righted, these guy's are coming around, see DC's story today about what Recchi is saying of Tocch. If it weren't for the disaster at the beginning of the season, as of now, the Bolt's would be right up there looking for a playoff spot. They pick up a couple good blueliner's some way, let Olie retire, bring up Kari full time, Riku to Norfolk, maybe even teach Arty to play D, ??? get a legit GM, leave V4 alone, maybe him give up the "C", leave the MVP line alone, and you know V4 will become a legend as he already is in Tampa...why let him go??? Foolish in my eye's, why do you think Leo and Montreal wants him so bad??? He's a fixture here, howmany jersey's do we have in the rafter's??? Captain Dave should be there now, and V4 to follow. Gotta start somewhere. I'll be up for dallas and see BR19 return- 120 by the zamboni entrance, behind sun channel vid guy's, on the glass.
Go Bolt's make a good showing tonite boy's...

[PD]

Coach thats the shame of it.

You can see it in his eyes and in his play. He knows it too.

Hasn't worked out the way he thought it would when he signed with the snakeoilers.

[PD]

Agree with Hij and Oscar, zero chance.

Leo the Habs are right up at the top of the Cap with half the team up for contracts at year end and Gainy is going to try and slip a lifetime cap hit into the mix?

Speaking with your heart not your wallet cuz its not yours.

Gainey is a tad more bottom line.

[hyjyljyj]

OK trolleo so NOW you want Mr. Horseman so bad you're about to explode, while at the time of the big contract signing it was "Y'a'll c'n have 'im, we don't want 'im" or some such nonsense

Oops--darn it, not everybody forgot...awww

Lemme put it so's youse kin unnerstan':
We got 'im, we're keepin' 'im,
He's reeeeeally good 'n' gettin' better,
Nuttin' youse got would we take fer 'im,
He's a-stayin' right Heresville
Most poignant image of Vinny in a Montreal context will always and forever be...forcing OT by scoring in the final minute, top shelf, backwards, between the legs, en route to The Big Sweep.

Ahhhhh....how Sweep it is.

And will always be.
Will Montreal ever win a Cup in leo's lifetime? Who knows.
But the name Vincent Lecavalier is already on that Cup. Forever.
Fait accompli
Darn it!

[Coach Bill]

Olie - speaking of "flying again" hope to see you back for another flight. Good luck!

[Coach Bill]

Leo- That would make sense IF the "whatever you want" could address our needs with some good young D and some prospects or drafts. I'd love to see V4 fly again with his home behind him. He's wasted here. ( "wasted" meaning by the time we could ever right this ship, he'll have lost the window to become the legend that he really deserves). Can't see it though-not with the GM we have here.

[leo]

Ok Oscar?
Ummm...if the contract was written, whether they keep V4 or not, at age 39, he won't be worth the cap-hit, granted.
That's why you DON'T trade for him at 39!
We don't want him at 39 in Mtl, we want him NOW!
Oh, it'll be a problem at 39? Fine! What? Are YOU the one signing his check? What do you care? I think we can deal with his cap-HIT in Mtl (which, btw, is NOT what he'll be PAID).
Oscar is NOT of the Flannel. If he was, he would NEVER affirm that V4 would be "untenable" in Montreal.
Can't speak for other teams. Maybe V4's contract IS untenable everywhere else. All other 29 teams. Maybe.
But in Montreal?
We'll take him. In a SECOND. For whatever you want.
Call us and see.
P.

[Oscar]

Congratulations Dan Boyle from Montreal!! See you soon.

To the two previous posters, I must say that I followed the back and forth here last couple of days.

One guy, PD brought an argument backed factually and one was out of his league.

Just so you know, hockey is in dire straights and two US clubs plus the obvious Canadian ones are skewing the numbers or they would be a disaster.

Thank Chicago and Washington stateside.

But 2011 is ominous. I'm guessing you must know that in Florida.

On the player with the lifetime contract discussion, Montreal Vinny, (who we would have loved to have), once he plays a game after age 35, the entire cap remaining must be honored even if he loses a leg or retires.

That’s 7 Million plus a year, every year, cumulative. He/she was absolutely correct, that is an untenable contract to even consider as a practical agreement.

You can not buy out a cap number if the player has already been paid or everyone would do it.

I had a great time at the Forum and it was full but half of us were from Quebec.

Look forward to coming back next year.

[Max Hunter]

You ain't done yet, Godzilla. You just got to start believing in yourself again.

Max