And Jon’s delusions about the New York Jets only get worse…

JJ
jj@kuklaskorner.com

The Bolts Beat iTunes subscriptions

JJ
jj@kuklaskorner.com

The Bolts Beat iTunes subscriptions

JJ
jj@kuklaskorner.com

The Bolts Beat iTunes subscriptions

In case you’d forgotten:

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Of the incident, Cooper said it was, “One of the crazier things I’d ever seen in hockey,” and neither the Gamblers’ fans nor their opponents would soon let them forget it.

“For about a month, the (Green Bay) fans threw bats for the first goal,” Cooper said. “And the first time after that game (with the bat), we were at Lincoln and they played the theme to ‘Batman’ when we went on the ice.”

Of course, Cooper preferred his team to be noticed for their actual hockey efforts on ice, rather than their bat-battling exploits but, as he told his club at the time, “If this is what it takes for our team to make SportsCenter, it’s better to get looked at than to get looked over.”

For the Tampa Bay Lightning, the hope is that the new bench boss for their top minor league affiliate will get that club looked at for all the right reasons as well and, bat attacks aside, Cooper’s track record, which includes multiple championships and coach/GM of the year honors at various levels, suggests just that on the horizon in Norfolk.

For more on Jon Cooper joining the Lightning/Admirals organizations and my conversation with him yesterday, please check out today’s piece at Kukla’s Korner.

JJ
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The Bolts Beat podcast archive

In today’s episode of The Bolts Beat, Mike and Jon discuss the Lightning goaltending situation (and silly fans wishing for Antti Niemi), Tomas Kaberle/Ryan Malone rumors, reach into the Bolts Beat mailbag again to answer questions and take an early look at how we see the Southeast Division in 2010-11.

Click below for the latest episode of The Bolts Beat:

From Steve Yzerman’s appointment as general manager, to his magic act of shedding two bad contracts for lofty returns, to yesterday’s underrated depth signing of center Dominic Moore, need areas are being filled, damage control from the mistakes of the previous regime has been effective and, on paper at least, the team looks to be in far better shape than they were at the end of last season.

But for all the good work Yzerman has done and the loose ends that have been tied up throughout the organization, one mystery that stems back to October of last year remains to be solved.

What will become of one Paul Ranger?

This situation has been handled with kid gloves by all since day one and rightfully so. When a player is granted personal leave by his team, there should be no digging into what the individual’s plight might be, nor should there be any speculation, which would be completely unfair. And, save for some message board folks claiming to be “in the know” here and there, few (if any) have crossed that line.

I certainly haven’t, as I’ll be the last person to involve myself in anyone’s personal affairs that have no bearing on my life whatsoever. It’s a simple approach, really, and we’d all be better off if more people, in every walk of life, would adopt such a policy. Accordingly, those that have been clamoring for an explanation for Ranger’s lengthy absence, thinking that they are somehow owed as much, just don’t get it. Period. The guy had a personal issue or issues to deal with (and clearly still does) and, to this point, he hasn’t seen it through.

His business. Not yours.

Speculation is one thing and intrusion quite another, but one and all can remain respectful of Ranger’s personal tribulations and still garner several clues at the same time by relying on simple fact. Article 16.12 of the CBA explains a “non-roster player”, which is exactly how Ranger was classified when the leave was granted. In part, it reads as follows:

Upon approval of the Commissioner, a Player who is unavailable to play
due to reasons other than injury, illness or disability (e.g., birth of a child, attending a
funeral) will be designated a Non-Roster Player…

Essentially, by the definition of a non-roster player alone, you can rule out any and all high drama, so put the conspiracy theories to bed. And there is no reason to snoop any further into Ranger’s thought process unless, one day, he makes himself available for that sort of inquiry (despite having no obligation to the public to do so).

That said, as we recently hit the 10-month mark of Ranger’s leave of absence and with the 2010-11 NHL season inching closer, a decision needs to be made here.

Are you coming back? Or aren’t you? The smart money should be placed heavily on “No,” at this point and, if that is the ultimate answer, fine. Point is, the time has come for the Lightning (and probably Ranger as well, really) to move on this.

The team is safeguarded, of course, having made a qualifying offer to Ranger earlier in the summer, assuring them of retaining his rights. In other words, it isn’t as though he can tell the team he has no desire to return and then, later on, sign on with another club. So, it looks like there is no danger of the Bolts getting the shaft here.

But, with the lingering uncertainty, perhaps there is?

With several improvements already made, the Lightning could be in a position to hit training camp as they are currently constructed (with some details to iron out, that is, such as unsigned RFAs, a la Steve Downie) and be just fine. But it is safe to assume that Yzerman will continue to feel out the free agent market, in search of deals that make sense and, conceivably, that could include another addition to the blueline.

Would not settling the Ranger business once and for all make judging a potential acquisition in that area that much easier?

It sure would be a shame if that type of indecision would stand in the way of further upgrades.

I suppose, with the ball in the player’s court, for the most part, there isn’t any sense of urgency in his camp. If he still isn’t feeling ready to decide, as reported recently, the Lightning can continue to play the polite card and tell him to take his time – that they’ll be there if and when he’s ready to come back – and they’ll be perceived as having handled the situation as best they could. Further, if he wakes up tomorrow and decides he wants to come back, the organization outstretches the welcoming arms, the team – voilà! – adds a puck-moving defenseman and the feel-good stories go to print later that afternoon.

But the longer this goes on, eventually, someone has to force a hand, no?

All things considered, appreciation for the player’s handling of personal affairs should never waver and, if he should never play another game in the National Hockey League, so be it. That will be, at least in part, his choice and one that, while many of us may not possibly be able to understand, all must respect. At the same time, if he comes back and chooses never to discuss the lengthy absence, those wishes must be met with reverence as well.

Still, with this particular line sitting in the water for the better part of a year now, at some point – and hopefully soon – Paul Ranger will have to fish or cut bait.

All due respect, of course…

—

As announced on yesterday’s episode of The Bolts Beat, I’ll be joining Kukla’s Korner and expanding my coverage next season to encompass the entire Southeast Division.

It is the perfect opportunity for me at the perfect time and I am very appreciative to have found just what I have been looking for, after a lengthy search. Joining forces with KK provides me tremendous growth potential and I can only hope that my addition to their team strengthens the overall product as well.

While my work there will go beyond the Lightning, as I said, they will remain my primary focus. Additionally, I will continue regular contributions here at Hockey Indie that will remain strictly Bolts-related. The Bolts Beat, of course, will continue to call HI home as well.

But I do hope that you will join me at my other new home in the upcoming season also and I thank everyone for their continued support through this whirlwind transitional phase I’ve gone through in the last six weeks.

Officially, I won’t begin over there until September but sporadic guest spots (of the quality you’ve come to expect, naturally!) are planned in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned!

JJ

jjordan79@tampabay.rr.com
JJ on Twitter
MMA coverage at Y2JJ.com

In today’s episode, we review the Lightning’s acquisition of Simon Gagne, Jon finally admits (sort of) that Mike was right, we answer all your questions in the Bolts Beat mailbag, talk about the current state of the team and where they might go from here and, finally, Jon “LeBron” Jordan makes his big announcement for where his future work will be (aka, “THE DECISION, PART 2!”)

Click below for the latest episode of The Bolts Beat:

The problem is (or was, I suppose, now that Gagne is indeed officially the newest member of the Lightning), none of us, no matter how we were thinking, had any inclination that the price for a player of Gagne’s caliber would be as low as it turned out to be.

I opined that, at most, a 2nd round draft choice should be the offer out of Tampa Bay and that anything Philadelphia desired beyond that should be met with a chuckle, a thank you and a swift return to the wait-and-see, methodical approach.

But flipping another disappointment from seasons past in defenseman Matt Walker and a 4th rounder in 2011 for Gagne was far more (or less, depending on how you look at it) than anyone could have expected – and certainly a price worth whatever risk(s) come with the player.

While the Yzerman love fest appears to have already hit its stride here in Tampa, as evidenced by a second round of calls today from my readers for a statue in his honor outside the St. Pete Times Forum, folks may want to remind themselves that his team has yet to take the ice on his watch. That said, I can see how people have a hard time not getting ahead of themselves when you look at what the Lightning’s new GM has accomplished in a very short period of time.

Walker and fellow defenseman Andrej Meszaros, both with contracts considered to have crippling effects on any trade hopes for either player prior to Yzerman’s arrival, are no longer Tampa Bay’s problem. Regarding Meszaros, it was thought that if any team did have interest, the Lightning would be forced to take some unwanted salary back. That Yzerman was able to land a 2nd round draft choice from the Flyers in that deal still leaves many stumped.

Add the details of today’s move and you have a pair of Philadelphia-Tampa swaps that add up to highway robbery:

Meszaros, Walker and a fourth in 2011 for Gagne and a second in 2012.

$23.775 million in salary and a combined $5.7 million dollar cap hit until 2013 out and $5.25 for a single season in.

Really?

Granted, Philly was up against it, cap-wise but come on… Just what is it Stevie Y is holding over the collective heads of the Flyers organization? (The threat of running video of Darren McCarty’s undressing of Janne Niinimaa in the 1997 Cup Final on repeat on LightningVision whenever the Flyers come to town, perhaps?)

In all seriousness, I don’t mind being wrong from time to time and, since my potential beef with a Gagne trade was all contingent upon the asking price, how could I possibly have anything bad to say about the Lightning bringing in a player who has topped 20 goals seven times in his career, 30+ four times over and 40 or more twice for a 5/6 d-man and a mid-round pick next summer? Not a chance.

Further, for all of my public concerns about adding Gagne and worrying more long-term, should things work really well and he stick around for more than just a single season, clearing out Walker’s salary over the next three seasons at least lightens that burden somewhat – and potentially gives the Bolts a good problem to have.

It also gives them a top-six forward bunch that has the potential to be the best in the entire National Hockey League. Gagne-Steven Stamkos-Marty St. Louis-Vinny Lecavalier-Ryan Malone-Steve Downie… Impressive.

Any way you look at it, once again this summer, this team is better off, all-around, than they were yesterday.

Talent-wise, that would have happened in adding Gagne regardless but to move another unwanted long-term contract at the same time is where the real genius lies in this deal. And cue up “The Yzerman Factor” (trademarked by Corcoran, by the way, who’s pining for credit there and, team player that I am, I’m trying to help him out) as Gagne’s no-movement clause was no issue whatsoever.

The focus now can move to filling out the bottom-six forwards, though nothing may really have to be done there. Yzerman indicated on this afternoon’s conference call that he would be debating with his staff as to how that segment of the team should be fleshed out: via further free agent or trade explorations or through holdover options. There’s still a need for some grit but not necessarily the designated fighter type. (After all, were that a priority here, fan favorite Zenon Konopka could have easily been retained.) Instead, role players currently under contract could find themselves in a healthy competition in training camp, which is never a bad thing and several young players – including a few who might fill a third or fourth line role rather nicely – will also get a good look.

Walker’s exit also bodes well for players like Matts Lashoff and Smaby as well as other defensemen under contract. Head coach Guy Boucher’s affinity for an excess of blueliners and one less one-way contract in the mix increases the odds of an upstart rearguard nailing down a spot of his own in September.

All in all, the skill set that Gagne brings to the Lightning is reason enough to celebrate today’s deal but the fact that the intricacies of the transaction have made a positive impact in several areas for the organization should make fans appreciate what’s happening here tenfold.

And who knows? Maybe these statue crazies are onto something after all…

JJ

jjordan79@tampabay.rr.com
JJ on Twitter

In this episode of The Bolts Beat, Mike and Jon discuss the recently completed prospect camp, the potential for moves the team should or should not make and, as always, Mike’s “Missed Call of the Week” and Jon’s “What the Hell Was That?!?” segments. We also reach into The Bolts Beat mailbag to answer your questions!

Click the player below to hear the latest episode of The Bolts Beat

I came away slightly disheartened.

Have we learned nothing from the last two summers?

Granted, making a play for a proven commodity in Gagne wouldn’t exactly be on par with some of the outlandish moves of recent off-seasons gone by. However, a deal for this very injury-prone, very expensive winger (albeit a short-term expense, in all likelihood) doesn’t exactly go hand-in-hand with general manager Steve Yzerman’s “methodical” mantra.

You see, I see adding a guy like Gagne – a risky investment, any way you look at it – as a move more suited to a Stanley Cup contender. And make no mistake about it, the Lightning aren’t anywhere near that status right now. You, me, Yzerman and, hell, ThunderBug would be crazy to think otherwise.

Playoffs this season? Sure. Why not? The newfound stability and confidence permeating throughout the organization lately probably would have been enough on its own to push last year’s roster, completely untouched, right into that conversation. But challenge for the Cup in year one of the Vinik/Yzerman era? Come on… How about we shoot for not finishing in the bottom-six of the entire NHL for the first time in four seasons, for starters?

Nobody’s doubting the talent of Simon Gagne here and, yes, if the Flyers are truly “desperate” to create cap space then one would think the asking price wouldn’t be unreasonable. If so, you have a conversation or two. But the minute Philly thinks they’re hauling a significant return in the deal, you walk.

(As a bit of a side note, I now find it hilarious that the Flyers are apparently in desperation mode, in terms of moving salary. What business, in the name of Alexei Yashin, did they have in acquiring Andrej Meszaros and his $4 million dollar cap hit until 2014 then? And the $2 million they’ll be shelling out to Nikolai Zherdev, of all people, is a better investment than hanging onto Gagne? What’s going on up there, Philly kids?)

Maybe a healthy Gagne would be aces alongside Vincent Lecavalier. Maybe. But keep in mind that Alex Tanguay was supposed to work well there too and that turned out to be about as big a nightmare as any from last season’s train wreck.

(Another side note, whoever the latest cure to Vinny’s ills ends up being should be a relatively moot point. I’ve long said it’s high time Lecavalier starts making those around him better. Period. But it’s far too early to get on him…)

And if you’re looking at Tampa Bay acquiring Gagne for more than just a year, i.e. theoretically re-signing him after a successful first season, stop. Unless, that is, you’re prepared to undo all the good that the magic of Yzerman jettisoning Meszaros did in one fell swoop.

Gagne comes in, has a 30 or 40-goal season, and reinvigorates the captain at the same time? Great. Now you’re stuck. Re-sign a now 31-year-old Gagne long-term or go back to having to move Ryan Malone, realistically. (Recent responses to my putting forth that reality before the Meszaros move were met rather unkindly by Lightning Nation, for what it’s worth.) And the idea around here is supposed to be to create some long-term flexibility, you might recall.

Is Simon Gagne a risk worth taking? Another maybe. It depends, again, on the asking price which, unless it’s of Meszaros for a 2nd rounder quality (only this time, in reverse), forget it.

You want to flip, say, one of Tampa’s highly-regarded goaltending prospects or a first rounder for an injury risk now, in the summer? Or you want to hold on to those chips until some time in March when, hopefully, this team is in position to strengthen itself for a playoff run? Simple choice (well, for me anyway…)

Could you add Gagne for a year and continue the slow, long-term focus as well? Sure. But you might end up kicking yourself anyway for 50-or-so games in return at a $5 million dollar cost.

And let’s all hold our horses one last time as we recall Gagne’s no-movement clause, a potential deal-breaker, even if something tangible actually materializes here. He’s 30-plus now and, odds are, wouldn’t exactly accept a deal anywhere. (Though I will buy into the argument that the so-called “Yzerman factor” now makes Tampa Bay far more attractive than any old anywhere franchise.) But who’s to say the player doesn’t want some stability of his own beyond 2010-11? With NMC rights, he can wield a pretty mighty hammer. “That team only wants me for a year? No thanks. Not waiving.” Yeah, that kind of hammer.

This franchise is just beginning to get back to its feet and shake the cobwebs of a dizzying couple of seasons. Yzerman’s methodical approach is the right call. This is not an entire rebuild but the slow, analytical direction is the way to go.

And while many fans might be just fine with making a quick fix, shot in the dark type of leap in getting after Simon Gagne, Yzerman and the Lightning are probably better off staying the course.

JJ

jjordan79@tampabay.rr.com
JJ on Twitter

As head coach Guy Boucher recently indicated to my Bolts Beat colleague, Mike Corcoran, in his Creative Loafing blog, adding two or three forwards via free agency remains a likely direction for general manager Steve Yzerman before summer’s end. That said, even if the max – say, a trio of free agent forwards – was brought in, it appears as though at least one or two spots among the forward lines will be legitimately attainable for some of Tampa Bay’s young prospects.

In Tuesday’s scrimmage, the play of 2009 1st rounder Carter Ashton and veteran of 48 NHL games James Wright, stood out from that of their peers at times and these two would be at or near the top of the list to challenge for any potentially available roster spots. Also in development camp once again is speedy winger Dana Tyrell, who was tabbed by several Norfolk insiders as most likely to crack the Lightning lineup this season, out of players who spent a significant amount of time with the Ads last year (as chronicled in the 2009-10 JJ Awards).

Tampa Bay’s top draft choice of a little less than one month ago, winger Brett Connolly, also impressed in the scrimmage but, with just 85 games of major junior experience, thanks to last season’s hip injury, logic foretells another year at that level, barring an earth-shattering performance in training camp.

All indications are that the 2010-11 Bolts will carry eight defensemen at times, leaving room for just one extra forward on the active roster. While nothing is guaranteed, restricted free agents Steve Downie and Nate Thompson are virtually assured of returning, while any of the rest of Tampa Bay’s RFA forward bunch (names like Blair Jones and Paul Szczechura, most notably) would have to have an overly impressive showing in camp themselves to crack the big club.

A pair of Swedish wingers in Johan Harju and Niklas Persson are now under contract as well and both should be high-end contenders for a roster spot out of camp, though Persson, at 31, cannot exactly be considered a prospect.

Of course, for the youngest players under consideration, what kind of role they would fill will surely be a factor. After all, you don’t want thwart a kid’s growth as a player with fourth line duties at 19 years old when they could be playing a prominent role elsewhere. But some of these kids will be in the conversation, for sure.

While the theme of any club’s development camp is just that – development – Lightning fans hoping to get a glimpse at their team’s future in tonight’s Young Guns Game may not realize that a part of that future could be far closer to the present than most think.

Any way you look at it, with Ashton, Connolly, Tyrell, Wright and others in the mix, a healthy infusion of young talent at forward gives plenty of reason for optimism down the road.

And any way you look at it, with what will surely be a steady blend of veterans and youth come actual training camp in September, the competition to round out Tampa Bay’s forward ranks will be one of the major storylines to watch.

JJ

jjordan79@tampabay.rr.com
JJ on Twitter

In the latest installment of The Bolts Beat, Jon and Mike catch up with the Lightning’s newest goaltender, Dan Ellis and discuss the latest off-season happenings for the Bolts, including more unrestricted free agent signings, a couple of restricted free agents re-upping in Tampa, Mike’s recent sit-down with Lightning head coach Guy Boucher, the upcoming development camp and much, much more!

Click the player below to hear the latest episode of The Bolts Beat

Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you, folks. Yup, it’s that guy (and in written form, no less!) Formerly of ‘Da Buzz, currently the co-host of The Bolts Beat podcast and soon to be a permanent fixture as a featured contributor at another prominent hockey web site (to be announced via ESPN special, a la some basketball dude everyone’s been talking about lately), JJ is alive and well, stopping in here at Hockey Independent, officially the first of his many new homes moving forward.

Most of you were spot on when you called bullhonky on my hints at a possible eternal hiatus after leaving my last post. The thing is, I truly wasn’t sure if I’d really be continuing on as I had in the past. But I couldn’t stay away… And while my new role elsewhere will be the main attraction once that begins, I’m happy to announce that, starting now, I’ll be posting fairly regularly here at Hockey Indie as well.

What I’ll be doing primarily (and where I’ll be doing it) for the 2010-11 season remains a secret but there, I’ll have more than just Tampa Bay Lightning material to work with. Bigger and better, in terms of content… Which is exactly what I was hoping for.

But that’s in the future and today I’m here, officially throwing my HI kickoff party now for a few reasons

1 – The Brothers Gallof have been kind enough to host the first two re-launched episodes of The Bolts Beat here in recent weeks with the promise of further material down the road. Time to deliver. (Finally!) Looks like the show will continue to be hosted here throughout the summer and into next season as well.

2 – What I post here at HI will have a very familiar feel to what my longtime followers have come to expect. Most, if not all, of what you’ll find here from me will be focused on the Lightning in very similar fashion to my previous coverage elsewhere. (Which means, in all likelihood, the third annual JJ Awards will make HI their new home!) And, with plenty of Bolts news to discuss so far this summer, it’s high time I started chiming in again on the regular.

3 – You can’t keep the champ down for long, folks. That’s right. I said it. Champ. When it comes to online coverage, this Sunbelt franchise has a growing contingency of quality contributors out there. But my game hit its stride a long time ago and (aside from making an ass out of myself via Twitter from time to time) hasn’t slipped since. The strap’s mine until somebody else proves otherwise and it’s time once again to carry on as a fighting champion, bringing you the absolute best in Lightning news and opinion.

New home(s), new attitude, new man…

Fresh dressed, like a million bucks
Threw on my white socks with my all blue chucks

… … …

Lodi dodi
We likes to party

May as well get started then, eh?

I left the old stomping grounds on the heels of Steve Yzerman being named Lightning GM and Guy Boucher as head coach. Since those two widely praised hires, change has continued for Tampa Bay in the form of draft choices, buyouts, free agents coming and going and one simple, unanticipated trade that has some clamoring for an Yzerman statue outside the St. Pete Times Forum already.

Let’s have a look at what’s been done under Yzerman already and take a peek at what might be in store before the puck drops in October:

The new general manager put his faith in a holdover scouting staff and their collective decision for the sixth pick of the first round in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago left many scratching their heads. The general consensus had been that Tampa Bay would get their hands on the lone defense prospect left after two of the heralded trio of Erik Gudbranson, Cam Fowler and Brandon Gormley were gone some time in the top-five.

Of course, Gudbranson was off the board at three to the Florida Panthers and when neither Fowler nor Gormley enticed Columbus or the New York Islanders enough at four and five, it seemed the Bolts had their rearguard of choice in waiting.

Not so fast!

The Lightning had their eyes on forward Brett Connolly, two seasons removed from a 30-goal, 60-point showing as a 16-year-old with Prince George of the Western Hockey League and didn’t let a hip injury that cost him most of the 2009-10 season scare them off.

As I mentioned on the pre-draft, re-debut episode of The Bolts Beat, I was right in line with most others thinking defense was the way to go for Tampa in the first round but I did offer one caveat, if the Lightning were of the “best player available” mindset:

“If there’s a forward there (at six) that they have rated higher than whatever defenseman is left available, could you really argue with them taking that guy, if that’s what they really thought?”

I was surprised at the Connolly pick, yes but, in checking the tape from my very own show, I guess I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was. Even a blind squirrel, huh?

The Bolts filled out their 2010 draft class with five defensemen (quantity over perceived quality, perhaps?) with everything from NHL bloodlines in Brock Beukeboom (via father, Jeff), to a heavy hitter in Radko Gudas to just a sick hockey name in Teigan Zahn and also plucked another pair of forwards in James Mullin and Brendan O’Donnell.

Fans can get a look at these players and several other Lightning youngsters as they culminate this year’s player development camp with the Young Guns Game next Wednesday at 6:00.

Post-draft thoughts turned to free agency on July 1st where things were sure to be different than the free-wheeling, wild spending of the last two summers. In fact, free agent season opened for the Bolts with not a signing but a trade as Yzerman unloaded disappointing defenseman Andrej Meszaros to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second round pick in 2012.

That he was able to find a taker for Meszaros and his $4 million dollar cap hit until 2014 without bringing any bad salary back is commendable.

That he hauled in a 2nd round pick in return, the going rate these days for a significant trade deadline pickup, by the way, is where the Yzerman love fests are kicked into high gear.

Is this guy a Jedi or something? Picture this:

Yzerman: “Hey, Paul. How do you feel about Meszaros for a second rounder?”
Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren: “Well, sure… But you have to somehow reimburse us for whatever we paid Mike Rathje not to play the last few years.”
Yzerman: [waves hand] “You will take Meszaros and you will give up a second rounder for him.”
Holmgren: “How about a second round pick for Meszaros?”
Yzerman: “Deal!” [waves hand] “You will apologize for the Rathje bit. You want to go home and rethink your life.”
Holmgren: “Hey, Steve. Sorry for the Rathje bit. I’m going to go home and rethink my life.”
Yzerman: “No worries, Paul. Take care.”

Or something like that…

Either way, Obi-Wan Yzerman was off to a flying start by ousting Meszaros, who now will no doubt become an All-Star caliber d-man in Philly. After all, the Flyers turned Matt Carle (deemed useless in Tampa after 37 seconds or so) into a fine compliment to Chris Pronger and, against all odds, made Lukas Krajicek a serviceable postseason blueliner, of all things (though my Philadelphia following seems to hold “Killer” in the same unimpressed regard as his Tampa faithful did, to be honest).

In all seriousness, getting out of that contract may prove to be more of a rejuvenating maneuver in the long-run than any of us can really forecast now. Further, if you had your choice between moving Meszaros or Ryan Malone (something it truly may have come to, at some point), who would you pick? Exactly.

The Mesz trade may have been a stunner to yours truly but not much else from the first few days of free agency caught me off-guard.

Antero Niittymaki’s departure was something I told anyone asking to expect for quite some time. I didn’t know particulars but it was no secret that he wanted too much term and too much money for the Lightning to remain interested.

And bringing in Dan Ellis to replace Niittymaki as the other half of Tampa’s netminding duo was no shocker either. After all, I’d put that name on everyone’s shortlist for well over a year now.

But the most interesting and relevant thing, to me, about Niitty out/Ellis in is that Niittymaki got two years and $4 million from San Jose while Ellis will bring home $3 million for the same term. An extra $500k per season could have brought Niitty back then, presumably. So, why not?

For starters, while Niittymaki was very good at times last season, nobody can argue that the Lightning goaltending was up to par and Niitty is no doubt partially responsible for that. When the tandem from a year ago didn’t get it done and you’re no longer contractually obligated to one-half of that pair yet that particular half desires a significant increase in salary, you walk away. It didn’t work. Period. Move on.

Two, Niittymaki has not one but two wonky (okay, repaired) hips – the goaltending equivalent of a ticking time bomb.

Next, in Ellis, the Lightning have acquired a goalie of the same age with significantly less injury risk, if history is any indicator and saved a million bucks over two years in the process.

Finally, Ellis and Mike Smith have history as teammates in the Dallas Stars organization and friendly competition in a goaltending tandem is an excellent motivator.

Essentially flipping Niittymaki for Ellis was a coup indeed. And, while we can’t exactly measure how much of an accomplishment it was just yet, you can play along using the following formula:

Money saved ($500k/season) + Ellis wins (x 2 per shutout) + ½ per wins for Smith (moral support) + Niittymaki losses (x 837 per games lost due to injury) + 0.0027397 for Ellis being exactly one day younger than Niittymaki = True value of Ellis vs. Niittymaki

Or something like that…

Another expected free agent departure came by way of Kurtis Foster moving on to the Edmonton Oilers. At a reported two years and $3.6 million bucks, Foster didn’t exactly break the bank on the open market, which was what I thought might make his exit a foregone conclusion initially. My guess was, had the Bolts deemed his return a priority, an aggressive attempt to re-sign Foster prior to July 1 would have been made. When it wasn’t, I knew all I needed to know.

And let’s all be honest here: While Foster might be a great guy and everyone’s sentimental favorite stemming from his recent personal battles and, more than anything, a legitimate family tragedy, is his leaving any great loss, in the grand scheme of things?

Yes, he has a cannon for a shot. Grand. But for every goal he scored last season, he was left behind his own net for two by the opposition. We aren’t exactly talking about a defensive stalwart here.

But Foster’s departure did leave the Lightning a little short on the blueline, numbers-wise, which was addressed the very next day with the return of Pavel Kubina to Tampa Bay and, days later, the addition of former Colorado Avalanche d-man Brett Clark. As longtime Lightning fans surely remember, Kubina brings some offense (118 points the last three seasons) to the table, while Clark appears the more ol’ reliable type (though struggles last year in Colorado appear to indicate that he’ll have to work awfully hard to earn that description in the future).

Elsewhere, Alex Tanguay managed some Jedi magic of his own, swindling nearly $2 million in salary and a freakin’ no-movement clause in a deal to return to Calgary, Ryan Craig left the only organization he’s ever known to sign in Pittsburgh, Todd Fedoruk was bought out of the remaining year of his contract (that Radim Vrbata deal looks thrice as lovely now!) and fan favorite Zenon Konopka punched a ticket to Long Island on a one-year deal with the Islanders.

There’d better not be any tears shed over the first three names here but it’s safe to bet that Konopka’s departure bothered a few among the Lightning faithful.

While he won’t turn the Islanders into a playoff contender, he’ll do exactly what he did in Tampa: He’ll fight anyone and hit everyone, he’ll win more faceoffs than he loses, he’ll energize the bench, he’ll endear himself to the fans immediately and he’ll do wonders for the locker room.

He’ll also make you local New York scribes wet yourselves from laughing. (I never wet myself… But I’m pretty sure my radio co-host did!)

Case in point, on the day the Canadian Olympic roster was announced, as us local media types entered the Lightning locker room to annoy Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos with questions about why they weren’t given the honor of representing their country, Konopka walks in with this gem of an ice-breaker:

“Don’t worry boys, I have dual citizenship, so I’m sure I’ll make the American team. You don’t even have to ask me.”

He’ll be missed by many in Tampa and do the same wonders for the young Isles as he did for last year’s Bolts but I didn’t see a real on-ice fit for Konopka here looking ahead, honestly. After all, this is a Steve Yzerman team now and all you had to do is ask yourself, “How many successful Red Wings teams do I remember over the years dressing a full-time, one-dimensional enforcer type?” Mmm hmm…

Want toughness, Tampa Bay? You’re still taken care of. In the event his services are needed, 6’7”, 240+ pound Mitch Fritz was recently re-signed to a one-year deal. Fritz was singled out by several part-time Bolts/part-time Norfolk Admirals as a stabilizing force in the Norfolk room last season… And, oh yeah, he’ll mangle your face if you disagree.

Speaking of re-signings, restricted free agents Mike Lundin and Teddy Purcell were officially re-upped yesterday, each to one-year contract… And, before I forget, Yzerman gave some dude named St. Louis a four-year extension. (Hardy har, JJ… Hardy har.)

The St. Louis extension is probably Yzerman’s most important feat to date. He obviously recognized what Marty means to this organization as its true heart and soul, not to mention what he did last year for the development of Stamkos and Steve Downie. Locking up St. Louis shows Yzerman is a man of his word (he had indicated it was a priority almost immediately upon being named GM) and immediately identifying him as a cornerstone of the club, whereas others may have been tempted by trade value, reveals that the new GM has his finger on the pulse of his club far more than his immediate predecessor ever did.

That takes care of what’s been done already and both Yzerman and Boucher have commented in recent days that, with the defense and goaltending set, it’s time to focus on filling out the forward ranks.

Downie’s new deal is a work in progress, though there is no indication that it will become any sort of problem. A mega-extension for Stamkos was also identified as a priority as Stevie Y took the reins and, with the St. Louis deal as a leading indicator, we should expect that gets done some time this season, I’d imagine.

The only RFA headed to arbitration is grinding center Nate Thompson, who will likely be back by either working out a deal prior to their as-yet unscheduled hearing or being awarded a fair award by the arbiter.

No one else on Tampa Bay’s list of restricted free agents sticks out as a major player at the NHL level other than, that is, Mr. Question Mark himself, Paul Ranger.

Everyone’s been sensitive to his plight since day one and will continue to do so. Besides, at this point, why he’s been gone doesn’t really matter. But it’s time – now – for the kid to figure out if he wants to play hockey or not. Otherwise, the Lightning need to move on.

Ball’s in his court, really, what with a qualifying offer already being made and all. If he wants to play, sign it. If not, don’t. In case of the latter, the Bolts technically will retain his rights but should otherwise politely walk away.

Time to resolve this matter, one way or another.

By the way, I’m not being insensitive here at all. While no one’s ever indicated exactly what’s going on with Ranger, a quick glance through the CBA told quickly last year that his status as a non-roster player excluded illness, injury, substance abuse, etc.

So, to me, it boils down to a kid having to decide whether he wants to make serious money to play hockey or not.

Okay, then. Decide.

Over the remaining off-season months, I expect Tampa Bay to add a couple of muck-and-grind types at forward – guys that can contribute a bit offensively, add some veteran character to the mix and play a responsible, two-way game. I have some names in mind, personally, but I think I’ll save that for next time.

For now, sit tight. I’ll be in the mix at development camp and will be all over Twitter with notes on that and anything else than pops up in the coming weeks.

Until then… It’s a pleasure to be here and thanks for having me.

JJ

jjordan79@tampabay.rr.com
JJ on Twitter

Former HockeyBuzz.com Tampa Bay Lightning correspondent, Jon Jordan, and Creative Loafing’s Lightning writer, Mike Corcoran stop in for a cameo here at Hockey Independent with the second episode of The Bolts Beat – a relaunch/rebranding of the podcast formerly known as BoltsBuzz Radio.

On this week’s episode, Jon and Mike work out their recent differences in a no-holds-barred brawl, check in again with Lyle “Spector” Richardson and discuss the happenings of NHL free agency thus far.

Click below to hear the Bolts Beat Podcast

Former HockeyBuzz.com Tampa Bay Lightning correspondent, Jon Jordan, and Creative Loafing’s Lightning writer, Mike Corcoran stop in for a cameo here at Hockey Independent with the debut episode of The Bolts Beat – a relaunch/rebranding of the podcast formerly known as BoltsBuzz Radio.

On today’s show, Lyle “Spector” Richardson joins Jon and Mike to discuss the highs and lows of the trade rumor game, the expected transaction frenzy of this weekend’s NHL Draft and the off-season ahead for the both Lightning and the NHL in general. Also joining the broadcast: Lightning blue chip goaltending prospect Dustin Tokarski, who shares his draft experience and gives his thoughts on the bright future that lies ahead for him.

All that and more, including draft and offseason opinions and predictions from the hosts as well as the return of former BBR features, “What the Hell Was THAT?” and “Mike’s Missed Call of the Week”. (And maybe, juuuuuuust MAYBE, a little insight into the mysterious future of JJ’s Bolts coverage???)

Click below to hear the Bolts Beat Podcast