Wishart called up

The Lightning, apparently not wishing to risk Mike Lundin on recall waivers, seems likely to call up Ty Wishart from AHL Norfolk. No official word from the team.

Wishart, 20, was acquired from the Sharks in the Dan Boyle deal. He has a goal and three points in 31 games for the Admirals.

 

Comments

[Steve R]

Agreed Leo, hiring a good GM should be a priority.

[leo]

Right now?
Smith for Brad straight-up would be a lop-sided deal.
For what it's worth, Smith is The Man on this team, only one carryin' it. (again, for what it's worth)
Brad ain't carryin' poop.
Am I wrong?
Great deal for TB. Great, great trade.
Now the BOYLE trade?
Eeuuughhhhh...ouch. Then TRADING the guy you GOT for Boyle??? Bleeeuuugh. Terrible-loss-of-face ouch.
When Feaster looks like a genius compared to another move, you got a problem.
After standing back for awhile and watching, seems VERY clear that the problem is upstairs.
P.

[Brittany]

PD, I think I can speak for most people here and say please put a sock in it. You can go ahead and keep loving Richie, but I think most here would take Smitty again every time. Go spread your crapola someplace else, thanks.

[PD]

Would be nice if you guys could read before flailing at the keys.

I never once said Smith was a less than average goalie.

Did point out his record
Did mention that an average NHL goilie with 40 games to play should get at least 8 wins playing for any team

I do realize how desparate some of you are to justify the Richards trade though.

The guy behind the Carolina bench is the one I said Tampa should have signed last summer. Would be in a whole different place right now.

Ajax you non stop strawman Feaster accomplishements by never mentioning that he never had the budget these incompetents do.

He's coming back, count on it.

[olin]

...here's a thought? Wonder if Arty could play defense?..and in front of the net on the PP?

[Boltflasher]

As far as Wishart goes, please remember he's 20...can't compare him to Boyle (or even Krajicek) at this point...

[Boltflasher]

By now I would think all of us can predict what PD will say and what he says should come as no surprise ...we've already heard over and over how bad the current team is, how great last year's last place team was, how everbody here loves KoolAid, and how the Leafs have something going...nothing new there.
I enjoy the occaisonal new insights from PD.

[ajax]

I can handle PD not being nice. We all deal with "those" everyday in real life. Momma always said, don't be mad at those people son, think how miserable they must be inside, to be so miserable to others. That is how I handle PD. Humility and Prayers. Sometimes I admittedly fall short, sorry to all. He just is biased and misinformed and a Leaf zealot(bitterness is an ugly pill to swallow for 40 years). Homer and Richards?? vs. Smith and Jussi and Halpern and 4 million. Loyality is one thing, crossing over to insanity is the leap of the insane. Complain about the Boyle trade, once and for all stop going back to Brad, you lose all credibility, ALL. Look at our 6 Dmen playing tonight and any goalie in the world, past present and future would lose 5 pounds before the game even started. You keep going back to the W-L record as your reason for thinking Smith stinks. Luongo, career losing record, in fact a losing reoord every year with Panthers. Osgood is 39-11-8 the last two years with a save percentage below .900 and yet he is considered the weak link in Detroit. You always look for obsure facts and never talk hockey. Why is Smith no good PD?? What part of his game is minor league?? Do you even watch the games??? Your logic is so biased, never holds to any tests for the same players you love. First of all he is 11-23-9, once again you post a stat that speaks your typical half truth. Richards scored 72 and 60 points the last two years for 7.8 million per. But somehow you defend that stat because he was on a bad team. Wait a minute he was on our team, the team we should of kept together for another last place finish. You want last year back, yet defend Richards cause of the quality of teammates. The wheels on the bus go round and round, must be your favorite song, with that insane logic.
You never responded to the most glaring "fact" of all. 12 players that played 50 games with us are no longer in the league PD. And you can't wait to get the mastermind of that "minimum wage stew" Feaster back?? He signed 12 non NHL players all cause we had the farm tied up with 4 guys. That is the team you still keep dreaming about. You are one of those people who hate everything about things, but than regret when their is change. Buyers remorse?? Yet you post how Richards and Homer would turn this team around. You mean the Homer than plays in Europe (again) I might add. Brad by the end of tonight could be once again leading his team in his favorite stat (minus) why, what excuse this year?? Playing on the team with the worst goal differential in the league and with 5 empty netters against them Marty and Vinny are +7 and +4 meaning they would really be +12/+9. PD, they won three in a row and all you did was continue to see everything wrong. Instead of talking x's and o's and what was right, all you could post was, enjoy it cause the owners will be broke and in jail with their backstabbing floater captain. Never the x's and o's of hockey, always just some imaginary crumbling of the cards to make you feel better when we win. You are exhausting!!! How bad you want them to lose, yet you see yourself as the voice of truth. Like I have always said, everyone has a beef about the team, You just have 7x24x365, 110% beef. Figure out why Toronto is giving up 5 a night in your spare time. 1st in revenue and 26th in salary and looking to dump Kaberle from what I read. 30 years old and a stud from what you print. Doesn't make sense to me, he should be coming into his prime and they want to dump him?? Another Toronto mistake PD? Oh I forgot they are in a rebuilding year.....for 41 straight years!!!! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. One last stat and then type away explaining your "truth" Guess which player in the NHL last year was 1st in salary cap, 3rd in salary, 53rd in scoring, 95th in goals and 850th out of 852 in minus ratings. One guess. By the way Perrin and Fedetenko both had more points last year playing on the 3rd lines after leaving boywonder. EXPLAIN that one PD. HA!! Maybe they had a 3rd line center that actually drifted below the top of the faceoff circle, got a little dirt on the jersey and didn't stop at Bern's everynight. Watching Brad play I think of one word, "Floater" And then the all time stat for Brad Richards. Last year he was credited with 13 hits the entire year. What a complete hockey player he is!!! Yeah let's hope we get him back at 7.8 large!!!!!

[Patrick]

PD doesn't have to be nice, I would settle for anything above the level of idiot. He doesn't seem to be striving for that though.

[Joe The Plumber]

PD this is why many people here think you are just an idiot that makes comments to get a reaction. everyone knows smith came on at the end of last year to a team that was very bad and he had never played with before. so he had to learn everything from scratch. then to top that off we got a coach that didnt help in melrose because he never got the offense going this year so when smith let 2 goals in the game was over. now our offense is scoring so 2 goals doesnt mean that the game is over not by a long shot.
so apart from you i think everyone else can see that smith has been nothing short of great for us this year and that his record is not what should represent him but his goals against and his save percentage.
so PD for you i give a big 1 finger salute and say dont make comments that our goalie is less then average when you know its just not true.

[Brittany]

See PD, why can't you be nicer like leo? Obviously leo has watched some of our games this season. Although, I'm not sure I can say the same about you PD, because if you had then you would see that most would agree Smitty has been playing as an above average goaltender this season.

It is a team game, and when Smitty is left exposed the other team is going to score goals. Smitty has made up for this fact and kept us in many 1-goal games that we had no business being in.

Doesn't all that negativity get tiring after a while? Do you have anything nice to say about the Bolts? You can blame Smitty for the loss the other night, but you cannot blame him for his record this season. You just can't. Our one lone bright spot has been Smitty. If you can't see that, maybe you should have your eyes checked. Please give it a rest.

[leo]

That's what I meant by "not being nice" PD.
Lemme make sure I understood you clearly:
You are saying that Smith is a LESS than average goaltender?
P.

[PD]

2 way center "Smith is entitled considering what the record would be with an average goalie".

Smith record is 11-32 as a Bolt.

Are you saying an average NHL goalie couldn't match that in his sleep.

How would that record look with an average goalie in net and Brad Richards in the linup for those 43 games?

Ajax is afraid of the teams psyche? Compared to what exactly?

Man the Kool aid is flowing for a Saturday morning.

[2WayCenter]

I agree Ajax. Team seemed hung over. A lot of the energy from the 2-4 lines was not there. D was out of position and got burned on several breaks. Smith is entitled considering what the record would be with an average goalie.

On the other hand, the first offensive line made plays and looked great on several drives. All Vinny had to do was keep his stick on the ice.

But in the end, more evidence that a good defense in the NHL is a priority.

[Tampa Wine Guy]

Well, guess we now really get to see what we got for Boyle. I sure hope Ty is ready for prime time. One thing is for sure, these kids (Wishart, Smaby, Mihalik) have an incredible chance with the recent injuries to make a statement to the coaching staff that they either belong in the NHL, or they continue life in the minors. What a great opportunity! I sure hope they make the best of it, we need to continue building from within. Our forwards (not just Marty, either) had better do a great job of back checking tonight, or this could be a very long game. Smitty has to get his "A" game back, kind of disappeared on him against the Craps.

I've met Heward a couple of times and was so sorry to see him hurt, but very glad to see him released and back with the team. He is a class act and genuinely nice person. Take care Jamie, and hope to see you back on the ice soon.

Won't be at the game tonight. I have a prior dinner commitment. We'll catch up with everyone when the team is back home from the long road trip.

For the next blogger happy hour, let's plan Saturday, Feb. 7th 6:00 pm at my shop (Wine Design) in the Channelside Complex. We play the NYI that night. For those who don't like wine, beer is readily available............TWG

[hockeytalkie]

quick meet and greet -...that's over by the Westshore Pizza vendor on the east side.

[Joe]

Overall the team is playing much better now then a month ago. I think Tocchet and Sullivan have done a good a job as can be expected. Now if they would just release Malik. Im sorry he is terrible.

I do think the bolts can compete for a lower seed in the playoffs but not sure if they can end up getting one. Its gotta start with 4 points this weekend because a tough road trip follows.

Go Bolts!

[Coach Bill]

Anyone interested in a quick meet and greet- I'm meeting Hockey Talkie between the first and second periods at the Berlin Wall sign behind 114-116 tonight. Tackleberry will be with me. Boltflasher will probably be there too ( I'll call him and Tampa Wine Guy and of course The Chic). See you all tonight. Go Bolts!

[Hockey Chic]

Morning all,

I agree that the game the other night was not as bad as it looked. You could tell the guys played tight and that is never a good combination with Ranger being out and Smitty just having a bad day.

If you got no goalie and no D then you pretty much have to rely on you O and they can only do so much. Especially with the way all the teams in the NHL play. It is an impossible feet without two of the three hitting on all cyclinders.

I am also interested to see how they bounce back for sure. I re-watched the canadiens game and man did msl lip look bad. I had to hurt but the heart will take you a long way. Good luck tonight fellas I will be screaming from the rafters.

Go Bolts...Lets go Lightning.

[Joe The Plumber]

ajax i happen to think that the team played very well last night they had a few slip ups but not nearly bad enough to justify your second sentence about them. sadly it was just an all around bad night for smith. the rest of the team not including malik (that big goofy idiot)played well and got four goals to try to keep us in the game.

but apart from my above i agree with you ajax about malone and halpern they are for sure a big part of our teams motivation. and yeah lundin needs to be packaged away and hope we can get something anything for him even a bucket of pucks would be nice i mean for his age he should have alot more as far as development goes but o well you win some you loose some.
and yeah i think we have the works for a good blue line with mezzy(though i think picard was better)ranger and eminger wich eminger has impressed me alot not sure what it is but i havent noticed him on the bad end of alot of plays.

[ajax]

Should be a very stern test for the team Psychy. Sloppy game by lots versus Washington. How they bounce back should be a real test for this team, especially with the mix/match D we are going out there with. Coaching has to expect the same out of the subs, nothing less, and sometimes you are surprized when you challenge guys to be better today than they were last week. I am a firm believer that coaching makes a huge difference. About Wishart, I remember when the deal was done, I went to the SJ blog and they were more ticked about losing Wishart then Carle, yet with how thin our Dmen are and watching Mahalik/Smaby drudge, Lundin overmatched, then Malik and Heward signed as last gasps, I do not think it is a stretch to predict the kid isn't ready (and I have never seen him)
Lundin picked up?? Was that a funny that no one got. I would go out on a small limb here and predict you never see Lundin again in the NHL. Average skater, below average size, has shown zero play making ability/skill. He is 24, I started typing at least a year ago, that as long as Lundin was playing you could bet we had huge blueline problems. I think Ranger Eminger and Mezzy with their age are a great starting point for the next few years. Malik is a good 12/15 minute a night guy (the guy has got very good hockey skills and hands, just can't skate) The rest of the large slow revolving door guys they keep trying are not ready for prime time players. Krajicek is playing himself out of the NHL. He is another guy with skill but no heart. As a RFA you think he would be busting his butt to sign a three year deal, but if you can't play D in Tampa, buyer beware in the off season. Anyway, I am very nervous about tomorrow night. Hate to see the mindset in the locker room be jilted. I think Malone and Halpern being healthy is a huge part of our recent success. Any roster is lucky to have very good two way players.

[Coach Bill]

I was excited when Wishart came aboard. Was a bit dissapointed watching him in training camp. Now he's back with 3 points in 31 games in the WHL. Not good TY, but I'm still hoping you cn put it together. Good luck, kid.

[Brittany]

Should be exciting to see what Wishart can do. Stinks to be in this situation, with half of the d-men having played in the minors just a week ago, but at least we can see what they have. I think Smaby has played exceptionally well in his most recent call up so I'm excited to see what the rest of them do with this chance.

Sure hope whoever is in net tomorrow night (Smitty again? Ramo on Sun?) is on their game because it is probably going to start out a bit rough. Not to mention we are going to be playing Carolina (ugh, someone look out for the snipers in the stands) so I'm betting we spend at least half of the game on PK.

[Kipp]

Very exciting to see what Wishart can do. Equaly exiting not to be reminded what Lundin can't.

[Joe]

I say bring up all our young blue liners. Smaby has proven he is capable i think he's been out best d man last few games. Emenger playing pretty well also.

[bingo]

Well I guess we get to see what we got for Boyle?
Smitty had a bad game yesterday but was dealt at least two deadly blows by the 'D'.
Mezz on the firtst goal went cross ice instead of to Prospal on the same side.
Malik - He is a dork with no skills. Simple pass and stumbled like he does every night.

Looking forward to the weekend games.

[Boltflasher]

I would be shocked if any one claimed him...