The Two-Line Pass 2008-09 NHL season preview: The Tampa Bay Lightning
We’re now something like 50 days out from the start of the NHL season so I figure this is as good a time as any to start doing the season previews. This is mainly for two reasons: 1) I am lazy and there’s no way I’ll do one of these every day, and 2) This is early enough that if I just stop doing them entirely you’ll have forgotten by October anyway. Oh and I guess also to show off my near-infinite knowledge of the National Hockey League. I’ll be previewing the teams in reverse order of finish in the 2007-08 season. Please note, though, that this is the opinion of one man, however smart and handsome he may be.
Tampa Bay Lightning, you’re on the clock.
This happened FOUR years ago!
It’s a rare thing indeed to see so much upheaval for a team in a single offseason. New owners, new GM, new coach, completely new second line, new contract for the franchise player, and a new rookie sensation. It’s an exciting time to be a Bolts fan, right?
Well, not so fast. Because one thing that hasn’t been improved is the team defense and goaltending, at least not appreciably, or for the present. Trading Dan Boyle, a very good do-it-all defenseman may have yielded a pair of promising blueliners in Matt Carle and Ty Wishart, but neither is ready to be Dan Boyle on Oct. 5. Not even close. The goaltending situation isn’t much better, as obviously-bad Marc Denis has been replaced by obviously-aging Olaf Kolzig, who, at 38, is ancient even by NHL goalie standards. He was the oldest goalie in the league to start more than 50 games and fourth-oldest overall.
Kolzig, like every one of the Bolts’ goalies last year, posted a save percentage under .900 and a GAA around 3 (Mike Smith was 2.46/.906 in Dallas but those numbers dropped to 2.79/.893 in Tampa). Kolzig also had the luxury of playing behind a Washington blue line that allowed 36 fewer goals than did Tampa last year.
The offense, though admittedly upgraded from last year, is still pretty mediocre. Its 223 goals was tied for 17th in the entire league last season, with offensive powerhouse Minnesota (yes, really). All but one team that scored fewer than the Bolts (the lowly Atlanta Thrashers) actually allowed more goals. Some of the “promising” new additions are a trio of Penguins in Ryan Malone (27 goals with Evgeni Malkin sliding him the puck), Adam Hall (2) and The NHL’s Oldest Man, 42-year-old Gary Roberts (3).
Then there’s obviously Steven Stamkos, the big-time rookie who will likely center the second line. Yeah he was picked first overall, and yeah he’s very good, but he won’t make the impact the Lightning need him to make to get to the postseason in his rookie year. It’s very rare that anyone’s that good. Sid Crosby and Alex Ovechkin couldn’t do it, and even though Stamkos has the benefit of having Vinny Lecavalier on his team, that’s still not enough.
More after the jump.
The Hero (the team’s best player): Vincent Lecavalier. Indisputably so. Vinny, freshly rewarded for his 100-point pace in each of the last two seasons with a contract of reasonable price but outrageous term, means everything to this team because he’s probably one of the top five or six hockey players alive today. He leads the top-heavy Bolts offense, which had only eight players post a goal total in double digits last year, and they’ll lean on him heavily in every situation.
Don’t worry though, Vinny can handle it. At least as far as he goes, Tampa has nothing to worry about.
The Darkhorse (could break out): I’m going to go with Mike Smith here, but with an asterisk. It could be 21-year-old Karri Ramo instead. Smith, 26, played 34 games last year and looked about as good as a backup can in Dallas, and as good as a starter can in Tampa. With a somewhat worsened blue line, he’ll be busy this year, and if he can stop even 90 percent of the shots he’s facing, he’ll keep the Bolts in decent shape to at least get a point most nights. And if he does falter, Ramo or any of Tampa’s other insurance policies will be there to (hopefully) lighten the load.
If, however, the Bolts see fit to give Olaf Kolzig the No. 1 job, who was deemed too untrustworthy to help Washington in the playoffs, then it’s going to be another long year by the Bay.
The New Guy (this new face will be crucial to the team): Barry Melrose. It’s been a long time since this former coach did anything behind a bench. He is now tasked with bringing the former Stanley Cup champions back to relevance, and hasn’t gotten much help in the way of acquired players who aren’t pluggers. The names are underwhelming at best: Prospal, Malone, Recchi, Roberts, Vrbata, Hall, Niskala, Smith, Koci, Artyuin, Bochenski, Konopka, Hutchinson. Eek.
Melrose, one suspects, was hired as much for his star power as his perceived coaching ability by the new owners. The owners, both big hockey guys and therefore a pleasant change of pace in Tampa, seem committed to winning long-term, but I’m not sure if you want a man most fans know as “the guy with the mullet from ESPN” nurturing your team for success in three to five years.
The Big Question: Can a makeshift defense with five 23-year-olds really hold it together in front of a group of unspectacular, though largely unproven goalies and behind an offense that’s bound to run hot and cold?
Offseason gains:
- Acquired the rights to LW Vaclav Prospal from the Philadelphia Flyers (signed).
- Acquired the rights to LWs Gary Roberts and Ryan Malone from the Pittsburgh Penguins (both signed).
- Acquired D Janne Niskala from the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Signed G Olaf Kolzig (Washington Capitals) to a one-year contract.
- Signed RW Adam Hall (Pittsburgh Penguins) to a three-year contract.
- Signed RW Radim Vrbata (Phoenix Coyotes) to a three-year contract.
- Signed C Wyatt Smith (Colorado Avalanche) to a one-year contract.
- Signed LW David Koci (Chicago Blackhawks) to a one-year contract.
- Acquired Ds Matt Carle and Ty Wishart, a 2009 first-round pick and a 2010 fourth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks.
- Signed RW Mark Recchi (Atlanta Thrashers) to a one-year contract.
- Signed RW Brandon Bochenski (Nashville Predators) to a two-year contract.
- Signed RW Evgeny Artyukin (Russia) to a multi-year contract.
- Signed D Andrew Hutchinson (New York Rangers) to a two-year contract.
- Signed C Zenon Konopka (Columbus Blue Jackets) to a two-year contract.
- Signed C Steven Stamkos, the team’s 2008 first-round pick (first overall).
Offseason losses:
- 2008 seventh-round pick and a 2009 conditional fourth-round pick (Prospal deal).
- 2009 third-round pick (Roberts/Malone deal).
- 2009 sixth-round pick (Niskala deal).
- Ds Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich (Carle/Wishart deal).
- RW Junior Lessard (to Atlanta).
- LW Mathieu Darche (to Buffalo).
- RW Andre Roy (to Calgary).
- D Doug Janik (to Chicago).
- RW Craig MacDonald (to Columbus).
- G Marc Denis (to Montreal).
Apropros-of-nothing TLP predicted finish: The team will improve, but it won’t make the playoffs. Third in the Southeast, 11th in the East, 23rd in the NHL.
