What’s that? Ah — Playoffs? Don’t talk about — playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? Believe it. The Tampa Bay Lightning (42-24-11) are going to play in the NHL’s second season thanks to a well deserved win over their likely first round opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 at the sold out St. Pete Times Forum Thursday night.

Goalie Dwayne Roloson was the star of the night as he stopped 36 of the 37 shots the Pens fired at him. He was spectacular in the penalty filled second period where he stopped all 14 shots. Marty St, Louis scored his 30th goal of the season and Steve Downie also had a goal.

Simon Gagne extended his point streak to four games with an assist and Superstar Steven Stamkos had a point for the second consecutive game, his first such streak since early March.

The Lightning has won three in a row after a dismal four game losing streak.

The game was a physical one and the Bolts outhit and outplayed the Penguins. This was a

huge confidence builder for Tampa Bay as they proved that they can play a tight checking, physical, playoff style game and win. This win will provide strength for the Bolts if they play the Penguins in the first round, which is all but certain. They mustered the strength to fight through a frenetic Pittsburgh rally in the third period and come out on top

With Steve Downie and Ryan Malone back in the lineup providing a physical edge, the Lightning can be a daunting team.

This is an organization that was on the verge of extinction only to be brought back to life by a deep pockets, non-meddling owner who knows how to hire the right people and let them run his organization. Jeffrey Vinik is to be congratulated for pulling this franchise out of the dumpster and revitalizing it. His team has gone from an 80 point, group of underachievers to a 95+ point, devoted and hope inspiring band of brothers in less than one season. This is nothing short of amazing.

Vinik, GM Steve Yzerman and Coach Guy Boucher have rescued the fans of Tampa Bay from the clutches of the Barrie – Koules insane clown posse and their pompous, obsolete, so-called “leader,” Barry freaking Melrose.

The Bolts may not yet be a true Stanley Cup contender, but the Vinik regime has NHL insiders and fans using words like credible and respectable to describe the Lightning franchise.

Remember, this is a franchise that has dismissed a trio of coaches and every player aside from Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Blair Jones since 2007.

While it’s not time to pop the Champagne corks and pat each other on the back, the entire Lightning family should take a minute or two to applaud each other.

Yzerman is reportedly interested in 5-6 candidates, including Portland Pirates’ (Buffalo’s AHL affiliate) Kevin Dineen. The Quebec City-native (my hometown), who won the AHL coach of the year in 2006, is also targeted by the Columbus Blue Jackets, for whom he worked and played earlier in his NHL career.

Gerard Gallant is also a very strong possibility as he is Yzerman’s close friend and former teammate with the Detroit Red Wings. Gallant, who also played for the Lightning, was named the CHL’s coach of the year after leading Saint John of the QMJHL to a franchise-record 53 wins.

Another candidate is Paul MacLean, a Red Wings assistant for five years, who also played with Yzerman during the 1988-89 season in Detroit.

AHL head coaches Scott Arniel and Guy Boucher could also be of interest to Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Will be Guy Boucher make the jump to the NHL?

Howson will reportedly ask the permission to the Canadiens to speak with Boucher as early as this weekend and a decision will likely happen in the next seven to ten days. Noel replaced Ken Hitchcock when he was fired by the Blue Jackets on February 3rd, 2010. Columbus missed the playoffs after their first apparition in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2008-09.

ATLANTA
Atlanta Thrashers’ new GM Rick Dudley has also interviewed Scott Arniel, the Manitoba Mosse head coach, for the vacant head coach position; however, Dudley is reportedly waiting until the end of the Stanley Cup finals to talk to Chicago Black Hawks associate coach John Torchetti, the leading candidate as John Anderson’s successor according to many hockey pundits.

Boston Bruins assistant coach Craig Ramsay is also on Rick Dudley’s list of candidates. Other potential candidates include Ken Hitchcock, Guy Carbonneau (former Hab-coach), John Stevens (former Flyers coach) and Craig MacTavish (former Oilers coach).

NEW JERSEY
According to different sources, GM Lou Lamoriello has finally started looking for a new head coach. John MacLean, Lowell Devils head coach is a strong candidate for the position. Although MacLean was already passed over for the job three times when he was an assistant with the Devils, the experience he garnered as an AHL coach this past season, behind the bench of the Lowell Devils, will be a great asset. He guided Lowell to its first AHL playoff berth since 1999-2000.

Mario Tremblay, Jacques Lemaire’s right hand man for the past decade (both in NJ and in Minnesota) could also be a quality candidate for the position although he has not been a head coach since 1996-97 with Montreal.

Another strong candidate of interest for the head coach job in New Jersey is former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Michel Therrien, who is still under contract with Pittsburgh even though we was fired in the middle of the 2008-09 season, one season after he led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals.

Coach Rick Tocchet deserves more time behind the Bolts' Bench

Tampa Bay Lightning fans and bloggers alike are a fickle lot. After the circus antics of the new Hollywood cowboy ownership group and the Barry Melrose fiasco, many were screaming for “stability!” The Lightning decided to pass the coaching mantel to Rick Tocchet and they came out of the gate this season inspiring hope with a 9-12 record, good enough for third place in the Southeast division.

Many bloggers and fans were eager to see the future. Posts titled, “On the cusp of something special?” “Hopeful” and “Maybe” touted the good but also mentioned the bad. At the very least, the Lightning blogosphere felt the team “Had a chance.”

Cut to the present. The Bolts have lost eight of their last nine games. The team has scored a paltry 13 goals in those nine games. They have been, simply dismal of late.

Writers are now looking for a scapegoat for this painful stretch of losses. Understandably, Rick Tocchet is square in their “sites.” Certainly Tocchet and his coaching staff must shoulder some of the blame. I have in fact put him on the watch list, myself. While I cannot disagree with my fellow bloggers for being critical of Tocchet, I can’t accept their cries for his removal as the solution.

Stability is something that takes time and some painful patience. Firing Tocc now would destroy the Bolts’ season. It would be a step back, not forward. One only need look at the Bolts’ Stanley Cup winning coach John Tortorella’s history to gain that patience.

In 2001-02, Torts’ first full season with the Bolts, the team had a 27-40-11-4 record while accumulating 69 points. The following year, the Lightning bettered their point total to 93 and in 2003-04, Tortorella led Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup Championship with 106 points. Over the next two seasons the Lightning finished second in the division, scoring over ninety points in both years.

This year is Rick Tocchet’s first full season at the helm. The Bolts have accumulated 31 points over 32 games, on pace to end the season with 79 points, ten more than that Tortorella coached 2001-02 team. Why the panic? Have the Lightning been so good over the last few years to expect anything north of eighty points?

Let’s learn from history and not be so quick to throw in the towel! Let’s look for stability and give Tocchet and his staff the full year. When an organization fires a coach in mid-season, there is a shock factor that may or may not jump start the players, but two things always happen: The players begin blaming themselves and they have to start over with a new staff and possibly a new system.

Yes, many of you will point to Dan Bylsma coming in and leading the Penguins to the Cup last year, but I don’t see a Crosby, a Malkin or a Fleury on the Lightning’s roster. Nor do I see a team that can play .800 hockey over the last 25 games.

Stability breeds winning and we have learned from history that winning puts fans in the seats.

Don’t do it! Tocchet deserves more time!

“Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience.” – Hyman Rickover –

Lightning coach Rick Tocchet and General Manager Brian Lawton show a united front

In a thought provoking post, Kevin Schultz of FANHOUSE has singled out Tampa Bay Lightning coach Rick Tocchet as his number one coach to be pink-slipped this season.

“The lame thing about NHL coaches this season is that there’s no one you can point at and yell ‘DEAD MAN WALKING!’ A lot of thought-to-be-crappy teams are good. A lot of good teams are mediocre. A very small handful of teams are very bad. The Lightning are not very bad. But the Lightning are off to a bad start (3-3-3) and are led by a coach who was interim for most of last season and was hired by the previous coach. That latter is the coaching kiss of death, which is why I believe Tocchet will be the first to go this year. And also because anything goes at Cirque du SoLightning.”–Kevin Schultz, October 30, 2009, FANHOUSE–

The article does make some good points, but Schultz is  simply wrong about Tocchet’s situation. It wasn’t Barry Melrose that took the interim label off of Rick Tocchet and tendered him a two year contract. It was the current Lightning management. The Bolts 4-3-3, 11 point start is a “bad” one? Ask the Thrashers, Hurricanes, Panthers, Maple Leafs and Islanders if they would like to be in Tampa Bay’s position! Oh, and the Red Wings also have accumulated 11 points so far this season.

While I agree with much of the article, Rick Tocchet will not be the first coach axed this season and here’s why. The Lightning roster has been improved greatly due to the off season dealings of GM Brian Lawton. The defense is much improved over last years AHL blue line corps and the Bolts young superstar Steven Stamkos is tearing up the NHL with nine goals and five assists in the first ten games. The quick development of Stamkos is due in large part to Tocchet’s handling of him with kid gloves last season. Criticized by many for his benching of the teenage phenom to get him physically stronger and mentally sharper, Tocchet believed in his plan of action, and the results have been phenomenal! This alone, may have been enough to get Tocchet the full time job and keep him employed throughout this season.

Schultz  has what can only be described as an OK Hockey brain cramp. This was understandably created by the “Lightning Clown Posse’s” (owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie) past comedic actions, but this is no excuse to throw Tocchet under the bus. Following this seasons first catastrophe (a two game beat down where the team was outscored 11-2) Tocchet got the players to circle the wagons and get back to basics during a “Four Day, Mini Training Camp” after which they soundly beat the Sharks and Senators.

What Mr. Schultz doesn’t realize is that the players are responding to Tocchet and buying into what he is selling, something that never happened when arrogant Barry was “in charge.”

While I agree that Tocchet should be put on a “watch list,” he certainly should be far down on the “Pink Slip Index.”

Bay Area Hockey Is Back!

To be very clear, I am not a fan of  Tampa Bay Lightning owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie. They have done some outright stupid things that have set the franchise back for years. They are embroiled in a business tug of war that will end with one of them face down in the mud, and maybe in jail, guilty of embezzlement. But lately I find myself thinking that the team can be competitive this season. Can they overcome their ownerships shortcomings and battle back to respectability? Their recent history of boneheaded decisions may be changing…just in time.

Soon after the Hollywood cowboys at OK Hockey hired the mullet clad Barry Melrose, they realized their mistake and sent him packing. Arrogant Barry woke up and realized he wasn’t in the nineties anymore, took his stellar 5-7-4 record and went crawling back to the, “Is hockey a sport?” network and continued doing what he does best…criticize others.

After doing exhaustive research and analysis, the Koules-Barrie contingent decided that instead of a having a so-called television studio analyst as coach, they would try a convicted sports gambling felon instead.

Enter Bolts assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Tocchet has spent 25 years in the NHL, mostly as a player including 17 seasons with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, and Phoenix. He retired as a player in 2002 and joined the Colorado Avalanche as an assistant coach. In 2005 he joined Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky on the bench of a terrible Phoenix Coyotes team. Tocchet, as you’ll remember, pleaded guilty to conspiring and promoting an underground gambling ring. At the time, I thought this was another bad hire, but it now looks as if Tocchet may be the right man to lead the Lightning back to their 2004 prominence.

On draft day 2009, my Lightning family and friends held a hockey séance to send some divine NHL guidance to the empty-headed ownership group encouraging them to do the right thing and draft the big Swedish defenseman from MODO, Victor Hedman. After all, they had proven their lack of mental faculties when they marked their entry into the NHL arena by trading valuable defenseman Dan Boyle for the “irreplaceable”  Matt Carle, who, in turn was replaced after 12 games in a Lightning sweater. It worked and the draft went off without a hitch. The Lightning now had their defensive building block.

Vinny Is Giddy

Many of us began preparing for the nuclear winter that would ensue following the trading of Lightning captain, Vincent Lecavalier. The rumor mill churned out possible destinations for the face of the Lightning franchise…Los Angeles, Detroit and the hockey garden of Eden that is Montreal. As I gathered some bottled water, canned goods and VHS tapes of Gordie and Bobby, the July 1 deadline came and went without Vinny being moved. Hockey Bay would remain intact.

The skinny on Vinny is that he is healthy, happy and motivated. Sorry Habs fans, Vinny is still a Bolt…a Bolt for life. After battling another season ending injury and numerous wild and random trade speculations, Vinny is back and ready to resume his place as a top five NHL player. Despite his declining numbers, I look for Vinny to rebound with a 45-50 goal, 90-100 point season.

Why is Vinny so giddy? Because the Bolts management did something right. They went out and got themselves a top six forward, former Canadiens star, Alex Tanguay. “All the guys I talked to who played with him said he’s unbelievable,” Lecavalier said. “He’s going to bring a lot of offense to our team.”

“He’s a hard-working guy — a good guy and you never have enough of those guys. I played with him in the world juniors. I’m happy he’s part of it.”

Vinny and Marty St. Louis reportedly sold Tanguay on Tampa.

The captain said the team will be stronger next season with the addition of Tanguay, former Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund and second overall draft pick, big Victor Hedman.

It’s a big season,” he said. “We didn’t have a good season last year but the team has changed and has been given a new dimension.”

Vinny and Marty showed true leadership by helping to lure their French Canadian brother to the Lightning. After a tumultuous off-season of innuendos and rumors, it’s good to see Vinny happy.

The defense in 2008 was simply awful. Injuries forced the Bolts to use an amazing 22 blue-liners, with non-household names like Petiot, Krajicek and Quick. No defenseman played more than 52 games and the point’s leader was the departed Steve Eminger with a meager 23. Only one defenseman (Cory Murphy) had at least five goals.

GM Brian Lawton went out and smartly added talented defenders young and old, puck movers and stay at home defenseman alike. Swede Mattias Ohlund “chose” to come to Tampa and mentor the number two overall pick, big Victor Hedman. Lawton added grit by signing Chicago’s Matt Walker, who will be a sure fire fan favorite. Other newcomers battling for spots are Kurtis Foster andDavid Hale. I spoke with GM Lawton and he told me that the Lightning will keep eight defensemen and not the usual seven. There are 11 players battling for those eight jobs. I’m sure the blue line will be better this season, especially with Victor Hedman-ing the puck.

Can Goalie Mike Smith Remain Healthy?

The Lightning has one of the most productive net minders in the league, in Mike Smith, if he can remain healthy. The Lightning were 28th in the league in shots on goal given up per game and they gave up the fourth most goals per game, yet goaltender Smith posted a career best save percentage of .916.

In his 41 games between the pipes, he was able to keep the Bolts in just about every contest. His season ended when he suffered a concussion, but by all accounts he is healthy and ready to be the number one backstop for the Lightning. Mike is a great athlete and as feisty as they come. If he can stay on the ice, he will be an elite Eastern Conference goaltender.

Okay. Let’s review. An intense head coach that isn’t an arrogant dinosaur with a mullet…check! A big, talented, puck moving defenseman…check! A happy and healthy Vincent Lecavalier…check! A top six forward to skate alongside Vinny…check! A couple of veteran rough and tumble blue liners…check! A financially solid ownership group moving forward in the same direction…umm…gag…. choke! Well, five out of six ain’t bad.

The long and bothersome summer has run out and hockey is back in Hockey Bay USA. It is premature to say the Lightning is a playoff team, but there is little doubt that it is a vastly improved team. The real question is, can the team on the ice play through all the distractions off the ice? In fact, can they win despite their dysfunctional ownership?

Training camp is under way and the Bolts will begin answering those questions.

What do you think, puckheads? Can the Bolts be competitive this year?