Tampa Bay Lightning: The Quest for the #1 Pick
Tags: Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay has been under quite a bit of scrutiny this season. The team is now owned by a group that includes NHL journeyman (if 187 NHL games for 4 teams can be considered a journey), Len Barrie. It is painfully obvious that the new owners have been calling the shots since taking over the team. GM Jay Feaster “resigned” last week. The moves have been the source of numerous jokes by the PuckHogBlog team and hockey fans.
Let’s compare their top 9 forwards this season to the end of last season:
Last Season:
Player Points
Lecavalier 92
St. Louis 83
Jokinen 42
Halpern 42
Ouellet 36
Darche 22
Gratton 21
MacDonald 11
Tarnasky 10
Total Points 359
This Season (Based on Last Season’s Stats)
Lecavalier 92
St. Louis 83
Vrbata 56
Malone 51
Recchi 48
Jokinen 42
Halpern 42
Ouellet 36
Roberts 15
Total Points 465
On paper this looks like an upgrade, but both Roberts and Recchi are in the twilight of their careers. Recchi’s point totals have been steadily dropping over the past few seasons and they should continue to drop this year. Roberts was injured quite a bit last season and ended up with only 15 points in 38 games. He only played in 69 the season before and has not played more than 70 since 2003-2004.
Ryan Malone had a career year playing with Crosby and Malkin and playing with Lecavalier might enable him to notch 50 points again. Radim Vrbata also had a 50+ point season with Phoenix last season. His previous best was 41. His career is similar to Malone’s. A few 20 and 30 point seasons and one 50 point season that somehow earned them multi-mullion dollar deals. Vrbata gets $3M for 3 years and Malone gets $4.5 for 5 years.
I’d be shocked if the top 9 forwards ends up coming close to that 465 point total. The signings made by the Lightning owners (the GM was recently fired) are not for the future or even for the present. Malone and Vrbata need to prove that their 2007-2008 stats are not flukes and are truly a sign of the players they can become.
4 Comments, Comment or Ping
Patrick
I don’t think offense will be an issue with this team, especially with Tocchet working with the special teams. He got a lot out of raw talent in Phoenix, now what can he do with the guys that transforming the way they play like Vinny.
Their success lies with Mike Smith. With a young but skilled core of defensemen in front of him, he can’t afford to have any off nights. And Kolzig is not an insurance policy.
Jul 15th, 2008
Barry Hillep
It will be interesting to see what happens in net. Kolzig feels he is a #1. Look what happened in DC when he rode the bench….he cleaned out his locker and bailed. I doubt he will be happy getting 10-15 starts this season.
Jul 15th, 2008
Dickie Dunn
Whoever they have in net had better be ready. Without team defense, they’ll find themselves behind early and often..which will lead to odd man chances, lazy penalties, and a ton of quality scoring chances.
It takes time to gain total team commitment to a system. With so many new faces entering into brand new regime (with thick, lustrous hair), it could be a painful first few months for fans of Hockey Bay USA. What’s up with that name by the way? I guess they’ll start throwing sting rays on the ice next.
To quote Herb Brooks, they don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone. I wonder what Darren Puppa is up to these days anyway…
Jul 15th, 2008
Patrick
You’re right Dickie-
Washington and Carolina will be the class of the league. It appears both teams will have balanced line-ups and a solid presence in net (look out for Michael Leighton, Cam Ward’s backup).
Tampa will struggle much in the same way Florida has struggled the past few seasons.
Jul 16th, 2008