Deadline dealings are about the future

The Lightning added youth and cut salary before Wednesday's trade deadline. It also maintained its draft choices for next summer in Montreal. Summer must seem like a long way away right now, but that is what GM Brian Lawton's mind was when he made these deals.

Think about it. He traded Mark Recchi and a 2010 second-round draft pick to the Bruins for highly regarded defenseman Matt Lashoff, 22; and for the potential of right wing Martins Karsums, both of whom have played only a handful of games in the NHL but are all about potential. Lashoff would be with the Lightning immediately if not for a calf laceration that should hold him out about 10 days, Lawton said.

Sending defenseman Steve Eminger to the Panthers for defenseman Noah Welch and a 2009 third-round pick was pretty much a salary dump. Eminger is making $1.2 million in the final year of his contract. He will be a restricted free agent but arbitration eligible. Given he has played top-four minutes while the Lightning blue line was decimated by injuries, Eminger likely could double his salary next season, and as Lawton acknowledged, "As we looked ahead ... we simply cannot afford what he could get in arbitration. People don't want to hear that, but in today's world, that is a reality." Welch, 26, is a huge work in progress. He has been a healthy scratch 36 times this season, and he played just three shifts in Tuesday's game with the Thrashers. But Lawton said Tampa Bay's scouts see promise and perhaps Welch is just not a good fit with Florida. The bottom line, though, is that with him making $750,000 in the final year of his contract, he will be much easier to sign than Eminger.

As for the final deal, that was the most interesting as Tampa Bay sent goaltender Olie Kolzig, defenseman Jamie Heward and minor-league defenseman Andy Rogers and a 2009 fourth-round pick to the Maple Leafs for rugged minor-league defenseman Richard Petiot, who was assigned to AHL Norfolk. The NHL actually got involved in this transaction. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league gave it a look because all the Lightning players involved are injured. The NHL, Daly said, wanted to ensure the deal included "legitimate hockey assets." The deal was approved. Apparently, Toronto so badly wanted the pick, it was willing to take what was left of those salaries.

FYI: here are the Lightning's draft choices, a first-rounder, two seconds, a third, a fourth, and sixth from the Predators that could become a fifth if Nick Tarnasky plays 55 games, and a seventh.

All the above -- the new faces, the money saved, the draft choices -- will play into how Tampa Bay  operates this summer. The downside is that the rest of this season is going to be, shall we say, challenging. Losing Recchi's offense is a blow. But the real struggle will be on the blue line.

The defense already is without Paul Ranger, Andrej Meszaros and Marek Malik, all injured, and counting on hobbled rookie Matt Smaby and converted left wing David Koci. Now add Welch to a group that also includes Cory Murphy, Lukas Krajicek and Josef Melichar. Not exactly an impenetrable wall. Even Lawton agreed, "It's unprecedented tough times here."

In other words, buckle up. The last five weeks of the season are going to be quite a ride. But for those of you who can look at a macro view instead of micro, Lawton offered this: "I'm pretty pleased with what we accomplished (Wednesday). We tried to get younger. We tried to address our (defense), we're trying to add some draft picks and do a little bit of cap management."

Recchi added this perspective: "There's going to have to be some patience. It's going to be interesting to see how the summer plays out. For (owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie), this has been a good learning experience. I think they have good intentions to do good things there. I think they will."   

Comments

[McGz]

If the Bolts draft JT, V$ is as good as gone, no questions asked, and I wouldn't be upset one bit.

[McGz]

If Tavares is not picked first, regardless of which team wins the lottery, that team will be cursing itself for the next 25 years. Daigle?? Are f'n kidding me?

[Mr. Pibb]

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_scorers

By The Numbers: Five to go for Tavares in the Hunt for All-Time Ontario Hockey League Goal Scoring Record
March 5, 2009

Toronto, ON – The number is five. London Knights’ star John Tavares is in striking distance of the all-time Ontario Hockey League’s goal scoring title needing just five goals in five games or less to capture one of the OHL’s most distinguished records.
http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/by-the-numbers-five-to-go-for-tavares-in-the-hunt-for-all-time-ontario-hockey-league-goal-scoring-record-p127774

While the names of those that Tavares passes to get the all time OHL scoring title may not sound familiar to some of you, one needs proper context to the all time OHL scoring title. The OHL alumni include the likes of Gretzky, Orr, Yzerman, Lindros, Nash, Coffey, etc, etc.

[Mr. Pibb]

You guys are crazy to be pimping Hedman so highly, even if you are unable to draft Tavares. Victor Hedman is all flash & little substance, all sizzle but no steak. A huge d-man with offensive skills, but is and plays as soft as a Krispy Kreme donut. He is the second coming of Aki Berg, and if you've never heard of Berg, there is a reason why.

If Tampa need a d-man going into the draft, they'd be insane not to look at taking Jared Cowen, who at least has some actual grit to his game, unlike the comparably sized Hedman. The only risk with Cowen is the prognosis regarding his current injury, which would of course be up to medical staff to decide.

Aside from all of that, Tavares has now clearly distinguished himself as the #1 pick, and the balance of the field is drifting further away by the day.

[Steve-O]

Chicago's model says different. Tavares and Stamkos could be a powerful combination. However I still think we need the D and Cowen is strong. Its a deep draft. A top pick that is NHL ready is cheap for three years.

[Ryan]

Plain and simple, NYI with the first pick (provided they win the lottery) will take hedman.

Dont take tavares, trade him to a club who will overpay with more picks and a solid player.

[olin]

....Marcus Ragnersson is a veteran NHL'er 37 year old defensmen that led all d-guy's in elitesen this season with 12 goals and 25 assist, tops for all d-men, and veteran for leadership on the D for another possibility, since OK likes the vet's, but now showing that they like going with a younger hand. In case they cant land an Mattias Ohlund or a Victor HEDMAN.

[olin]

..forgot to include the goalie's(malveckt) to the Finn's and Swedes for Defense and in goal. Keep the Canadians scoring the goal's!
Go Bolt's

[Spooky]

Geografer:
I agree that Hedeman needs to be our goal. If not him, we need some D. Still, I think Stamkos could be moved to right wing with Tavares at centre. This would give us a junior MVP line with mother hen Malone watching the boys.

That is if Hedeman is gone. Getting Tavares would buy the Bolts a whole lot in trade- just for the draft pick. Remember just how much Philly gave up for Crybaby 88? That's a nice position of strength to deal from, assuming we didn't keep JT. Cowan just doesn't have the talent or demand of Tavares. Trade the pick or draft JT- seek trades or build the blue line with UFA's- real ones, not players in the Heroes of Hockey game.

I would target two defensemen over the summer, if I was Lawton, and thankfully, I am not. Marc-Andre Bergeron and Dennis Seidenberg. Both are still in their 20's, not in the Bouwmeester price range, and servicable puck movers.

Keep working with Mezz and coach Lashoff. We cannot handle young players like Crispy did, and end up with underachievers like Gratton and Hamerlik.

I would like to see more depth in goaltender, but after the Kolzig project went bust, I would hesitate to bring in a retread. Ramo is good enough to be a number two, and will improve as time goes on.

Forward depth is a little limited, but it always has been. Two good lines and some checkers are alright. A little sandpaper on the fourth line- where Arty belongs.

[olin]

...I like the deal's that were made, except for the 2nd rounder with Recchi to Boston, but did get 2 upcoming good players. Recchi is near his end, and did a great job with Stammer. I would like tyo see the Bolt's sign Ohlund in the off season FA, then draft Hedman, bring back from Djurgarden Andreas Holmqvist, who has muscled up, gotton a tough guy attitude, 3 years older now than when he was here(never got a shot, only AHL), bring back Janne Niskala, to go with Ranger,Mezzy, and Smaby, Keep Koci on the blueline, and that would be a decent D group. Hedman being MODO groomed, always turn out succesfull NHL'er's. Possibly do a trade with Atlanta for Tobias Enstrom for a great puck mover, then I believe Daniel Tjarnqvist might be a FA from the Ave's. He likes Tampa, bring in my Swede's....please. Like I maintain,Finn's and Swedes's for defense and the Canadian's for offense....
Go Bolt's

[Steve-O]

The main focus of summer should be our first round pick and getting a #1-2 d-man. Hopefully the lottery allows us to get Hedeman. The rookie salary would be affordable and there is then money for the #1-2.

If we can get the puck out of the back and protect our blueline, then I believe our top three lines are OK. #1 MVP, #2 Stamkos, Malone, Downie, #3 Halpern, Arty, Szczechura???
Put some Defense behind something like that and we could be respectable.

The mistake they made last summer was trying to change too much and got worse than they had and no chemistry. Add a few pieces and then wait till January. We can all dream, right?

Let the artillery commence!!!

[Randy C]

Geografer,

How is Tyrell doing? What do you know about Hedeman?

Lawtons tone is becoming more we than I if you can believe it. Have heard him talk a lot about D, happy with our forwards. Summer will be interesting, I really think they plan to get some D help.

[Steve-O]

If indeed Emingers agent was playing tough for a big money bump then this makes some sense. It kills me to lose him as I was becoming appreciative of what he was doing with little support. However, he is not a top 3 D-man, even if he was our top three and paying him as such was what Jay used to do. Save the money for a real top 3, don't give it away because we were thin and he played a lot.

Did anyone really think we were going to swing a big deal and bring in a top 2 D-man? the salary dump to get below the number for revenue sharing may have been the smartest thing they have done all year. And no PD, it doesn't mean they are folding and packing the tent. The Coyotes on the other hand maybe, so go harass them. we're tired.

[Geografer]

Eric - Tyrell would not be doing anything in Norfolk this year he would be exactly where he was before he went to World Jrs and blew out his knee - in Prince George. He is 19 which means make the big club or go back to Jrs - can't go to the AHL over Jrs unless he is in his overage (20 yo) year – which would be next season.

Leftheart - Olie won't play for Toronto - his arm won't be better in the next month (really hard to believe the regular season in over in just over a month - 4/15 to be exact) and Toronto sure is heck ain't making the playoffs. This was a salary dump pure and simple and while I don't like that we gave up a pick for them to dump $500K or lose the veteran presence Olie brought to our two young AHL goalies I get why they did it - don't agree with it but I get it. The only way to get them to take the salary was to give them this pick.

Spooky - this isn't tanking. This is a salary dump and trying to correct the idiocy (is that a word) that they committed last summer. The only problem is that with Lawton still there and Lennie boy a bit too involved I don't know that it will happen. Lawton is too high on himself to realize or acknowledge mistakes. And Lennie seems to think he can play fantasy hockey with his players and that chemistry is not a factor in the locker room or on the ice. Also, this team will not pick Tavares. I have said this a lot. Where are you going to play him? Someone (Vinny, Stamkos or Tavares) is going to have to get 3rd line minutes. You aren't going to pay Vinny to play the 3rd line and the lack of minutes will kill the development of Stamkos and Tavares. This team needs D. The player (Taveres or Hedman) that goes first will be based on what the team with the 1st pick needs and for TB that is D - pure and simple. If we don't get Tavares I would say we go with Cowan.

The Recchi deal was a good one - it is too bad we had to give up a pick but we also got a former 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder in the return. As far as the Eminger deal - I get why it was done. I admit I was pretty ticked about it at the time and I think it is a bad move for this season but I get it. I do think Eminger is going to get a heck a lot of $$$ in arbitration and we won't be able/willing to pay it. I don't think Florida will either and he will probably end up signing elsewhere for less than his arbitration award (could it be us - who knows - that is one of the joys of free agency). All I can do at this point is hope that the team goes out and gets us solid D this summer and doesn't sign 17 forwards again. Fact is we have some deals we will be eating as it is. The other reality is we probably won’t know the true outcome of these trades for a season or two or three to come.

[PD]

Spooky I think that you are 100% right on the tank.
Starting Jr B goalies and Jr B defencemen will do that for you.

Its basic Len Barrie. He has no fans with other team owners.

The franchise won't survive it financially though, so point B is academic.

[Randy C]

PD,

We'll see. I haven't heard, but it is early on season tickets. Since we have so many relocated fans the draw to see our opponents is very high. We are still putting 18 to 20 thousand fans in the seats on the weekends. That compares well to a lot of stronger clubs, the summer will be crucial for OK.

[Spooky]

The league should not walk away from this one. Anyone remember how the sens tanked in 93 to get first crack at Alexandre Daigle? This is tanking just for the sake of a run at Tavares or Hedeman.

Who the heck is this Welch guy? We give away our best D-man for him as a salary dump? Yeah.. The same team that resigned gratton and picked up Gary Roberts for way too much?

Anyone remember how well Daigle worked out in Ottawa?

Anyone remember how well he worked out in Electric Blue, and who we had to give up to get him?

It would serve OK, Barrie and Lawton right if Tavares tanked.

And the league needs to investigate, and strip the team from this clown school for the good of hockey and fans.

[PD]

Randy, Davidson will sell it to someone else is more the likely scenario..no they don't want it back or it would have been theirs in Janauary.

How do you think seasons tickets renewalls will go now that OK's cards have been played and the economy has tanked??

If they get back 2/3 it would be a miracle and they only have 9200.

[Randy C]

Jim,

Speculation is all you've got. Remember everyone thought Emminger and Downie was throwing away Carle for nothing. Have you seen OK's books? P@L?
Davidson will not take this team back, and If my speculation is wrong, so be it.

[PD]

Hear you Randy but Norman Vincent Peele would have to search hard for the positives.

Its pretty clear that there are few trades to be had anymore and the dropping cap 2010-2011 will be a disaster for any team with suspect long term contracts.

There is only one way out and that's to develop your own.

[PD]

That's why you are 2way, Two way.

[Randy C]

PD,

I didn't take your post that way, I definitely agree, a win win.

On the catastrophic failure of a season, your only a little correct. I'll give you our record. After Melrose the team has been in a total evaluation mode from top to bottom. They now know what they have and are starting to execute their plan to build a winner. They have had everyone up from Norfolk they needed to see. They are younger, bigger and when healthy competitive. We'll see on this and the trades, anything else is total opinion. As usual, I'll look at the positives!

[2WayCenter]

PD - Thanks for the compliment. I was thinking I had gotten overly negative on the Emminger deal. And I certainly have not been complimentary in the majority of my posts on Lawton. But glad I read like a fan.

[PD]

Jersey Jim look no further than the ST Petes Time Forum sign.

[Jim from New Jersey]

Randy C- noone will say OK doesn't care about the team, it's obvious he does. His problem is that you can't afford to learn lessons on the fly in pro sports especially if you come in with an empty wallet. I'm sorta looking forward to Davidson getting the team back. Maybe Saw 6 will better too- everyone wins!

[Jim from New Jersey]

Damian- did the Bolts pay to write that or are you drunk with false hope? We got CRAP in return AND we lost a 2nd rounder! We got AHL'ers, that's all.

Lawton didn't do his job, plain and simple. I feel bad for OK as he's obviously surrounded himself with people he can't rely on. He needs REAL hockey brains, not so-called "friends".

[PD]

Randy on who played who..it was a win /win..no?

[PD]

You have been one from Day one 2 way
why change now?

You can't admit that this year has been a catastrophic failure.

[Randy C]

Alouetta,

We have 18 games to see how these trades turn out. Your showing some classless assumtions about OK, you don't know them or how much they have sacrficed to learn the lessons they have. They want to win and have found a way to be successfull at whatever they have done in the past.

PD,

Who played who?

[2WayCenter]

Yes, I am a corporate lackey, and as such I have access to user IPs and PC cookies.

[PD]

No actually its a shill as in corporate lackey...2way

[2WayCenter]

Ah! PD - Wait, let me create a couple more user accounts and we will play.

And it's Shrill.

[PD]

2 way if there is a shill here it you.

On Class see Dan Boyle, Torts and shopping Vinny.

On winning the guy didn't say a thing about the players here rather that a free agent would go with a team that could win ..as in the Cup.

He's 100% right.

[2WayCenter]

Alouetta - Please, the class card is over the line. Economy and cap are creating issues for everybody. Since his return from injury Malone is more than pulling his weight.

Yesterday, we made 2 good trades and one that is questionable in my mind. But we will see how it works out.

Your comment the the players in Tampa must not care about winning is absurd. You are obviously a shrill and your posts will be discounted as such. Don't waste anymore of your time.

[Melanie]

This whole deal makes me sick! It seems that the whole D is counting on Ranger and Meszaros to be 100% next season and build around them. What happens if they are not 100%?? So we do a salary dump and get rid of a good D man and get crap and a draft pick on return! There were so many more people we should have dumped!! Just let Eminger play the rest of the season here then see what happens!! I am seriously angry with this trade! Who is coming up in the draft that is a worthy D man??

[PD]

Explain much:

The reason why Tampa Bay general manager Brian Lawson was looking to shed more salary with in excess of 6 million dollars in cap space was because the Lightning needed to descend below the league payroll’s midpoint line of $48.7 million in order to become a recepient of league revenue sharing. That trade sure was slimy, but very well played by Burke. It’s nice to see Burke’s finding innovative ways to exercise the Leafs’ financial clout in a salary cap landscape

[alouetta]

Randy the good ones aren't looking to retire they are looking to win.

You are totally erasing the fact that these guys talk and Koules/Barrie are pretty much bottom drawer in terms of class.

No Randy the only way Tampa lands anybody worthwhile is to way over pay like they did with Malone ($$ and length) and hope that the guy could care less about winning.

Just happy talk Randy..won't happen.

OK doesn't have the money anyway so its moot.

Only hope is to trade for one.

[alouetta]

agreed LH

[Randy C]

Bob,

So Lawton is supposed to come out in the press and say that our D sucks? No, he's going to support them, period, untill they are gone. Remember, from the beginning they have said they wanted to see what we had in the system. We did not have the cards to land a blockbuster D, we aquired 2 D that may end up ahead of where Emminger would have been in our plans. Let's see the next 18 games.

Alouetta,

You need to rethink about playing in Tampa, this area is consistantly rated as one of the nicest places to live in the world. You can have the weather in the North, I'll take today's weather here, thank you. Don't let yourself buy into BS that all is bleak around here, let PD do that!

[Leftheart]

Alouetta,
Perhaps my post didn't make the point I was trying to make. I totally agree with you. My point was we were giving up a draft pick. To me, Lawton was giving the impression he was going to covet draft picks. It's going to be a very interesting summer!

[alouetta]

"Who knows if they will sign a Komisarek or Ohlund?..."

I do

Like any reputable player would choose to play for these nuts..dream on.

[alouetta]

Leftheart I feel bad for you.

None of those guys will ever play a game for Toronto nor were they ever expected to.

Toronto just bought a 4th pick for 500K in expiring salary.

Another sign of the Bolt apocalypse.

[Bob]

They only trade Lawton made yesterday with any upside was acquiring Lashoff.How many young defensemen went through Tampa this year that had a quality prospect tag hung on them by Lawton only to be sent packing.Like I said the Lightning soon will be known as the Rays of the NHL.Get prospects build them into good players then when it comes time to resign them say we just cant afford them.People here keep saying Eminger was no better than a #5.Take a long hard look at his numbers since being a top 4 D-man for this team,They are good numbers on a team that is in the shape the Lightning are in.

[Bob]

"Deadline dealings are about the future",and how little money we can spend on salary and quality players.The Lightning organisation is beginning to look like the Rays previous ownership.When the Ice Palace/St Pete Times Forum is empty,they can look back at this past season and Lawton's lack of trade sense as the reason.

[Steve]

So we can't afford to pay our best defenseman (Eminger)almost $3 million/year? And we are supposedly getting the top 4 defenseman we all know we need from.........the AHL? Trading Eminger was a terrible decision, and if we can't afford to pay him, imagine what lies ahead?

[Leftheart]

Trade deadline day was supposed to be about the future and draft picks. So how do you trade 3 injured players along WITH a draft pick???? Ollie was a bust, I almost feel bad for Toronto.

[Steve-O]

Deja-vu all over again. Back to last summer. Core group on offense, serious needs on defense and the hopes of a high lottery pick to get Hedmen, Tavares or...

Please bring up some of the AHL guys and give them some minutes so they will understand what training camp will require.

Sure hope Smitty's head get healed otherwise next year will look eerily familiar

[Patrick]

Boltflasher,

Maybe Lawton is planning on getting a big free agent defensemen. But we already needed a big free agent defensemen signing before this trade, now we need another to fill Eminger's shoes.

I completely do not buy the he's a #5 defenseman story. #5 defensemen can't carry you defense for your when everyone else is injured, they can't play 30 good defensive minutes a night for you while leading your team in points by a defenseman (23 points in 50 games ain't too shabby). When I think of 5th defensemen, I think of Cory Sarich, guys who are too physically limited to play a bigger role either by their skating or their puck skills, or guys like Krajicek who maybe have some skill but no physical game or defensive ability.

[2WayCenter]

Boltflasher - If Eminger is not in our top 3 D than give me your line up.

I was being conservative with my number 3 ranking. Sure Ranger can skate but still makes a few too many so so plays. At 26 Emniger seemed to be coming into his own.

So if you measure based on the last 5 years than sure, he is a #5. But over the last 5 months he is a #3 on a lot of teams and higher than that for the Bolts.

Glad your feeling good about the trades and I do not intend to go on with my rant forever, but in the end this trade lends credence to Ajax's arguments that the team cannot afford to but a balanced team on the ice. I have argued the contrary but now am beginning to see he may be right.

This is salary dump. To justify it beyond that is wishful thinking.

[Eric]

They DID hire new scouts. They pretty much cleaned house in that department if I remember correctly...and rightly so because the draft record under Feaster was terrible. His last draft might turn out ok...but they picked like 5 or 6 forwards so 1 HAS to turn into something right?

If Dana Tyrell hadn't blown out his knee in the World Juniors, who knows what hed be doing in Norfolk this season. He could have been closer than we knew, and if he comes back from that alright I think hes one of the better prospects to watch.

Now: depending on the draft position, go look this guy up: Jordan Schroeder. US player, speedy winger...maybe the next Parise?