So let’s see… Tampa gets a defenseman, but gives up 2 in the meantime???

These new owners are hard to figure out.

Posted by Karina on 08/29/08 at 06:14 PM ET

You’ve got to be kidding me! Kuba for Meszaros would had been fine. They produce similar numbers. But to give up Picard and 1st round pick as well… That’s ridiculous! As if we weren’t short enough of decent and young defensemen. I’m not looking forward to the upcoming season.

Posted by Josh from Tampa on 08/29/08 at 06:35 PM ET

oh my.  does this ... make any ... sense ... i just don’t ... i mean ... who would ... sigh.

Posted by ColdWar on 08/29/08 at 08:41 PM ET

So the Bolts traded their best defenceman for the Senators’ second-best defenceman…

That gives the Bolts, what, Meszaros, Carle, O’Brien, Ranger, and a smattering of prospects and farmhands?  Woo, four NHL defencemen!  Maybe Gary Roberts will be playing point…

I love the Bolts.  They’re like a rickety roller coaster.  It’s not even training camp time yet, and you’re wondering when the cars are going to fly off the track.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 08/29/08 at 08:57 PM ET

Well...on the upside, to get him for 6 years at 4 million will probably turn out to be quite a deal. I bet he puts together 2 or more 50 point seasons in Tampa.

Posted by underthechestnuttree from LaSalle, Ontario, Canada on 08/29/08 at 10:27 PM ET

Hell, if Scary gary was playing d, no one would even get near the net.
They say that once Gary Roberts did play defense, the only problem was the goalie was too scared having him that close.

Posted by Kevin from Pittsburgh on 08/29/08 at 10:35 PM ET

That gives the Bolts, what, Meszaros, Carle, O’Brien, Ranger, and a smattering of prospects and farmhands?  Woo, four NHL defencemen!

Well, they did say they were high on their young defense.  Definitely high on something anyway.

I love the Bolts.  They’re like a rickety roller coaster.  It’s not even training camp time yet, and you’re wondering when the cars are going to fly off the track.

The cars flying off the tracks won’t be a problem at all, George.  It’s the sudden change in the acceleration vector when they hit the ground that makes it spectacular! 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 08/30/08 at 06:07 AM ET

And the clearly-worst defense in the league gets even worse.

Awesome.

Is anyone else looking forward to Barry Melrose losing 60 games this year as much as I am?

Posted by Primis on 08/30/08 at 09:58 AM ET

It’s not even training camp time yet, and you’re wondering when the cars are going to fly off the track.

Word is that, in a gesture of sympathy and support, Wings fans are loaning the Stress Train, including the Hasek Club Car, to the Tampa Bay fans until two weeks before the trade deadline. Part of the deal involves T.B. fans hosing down the interior and scraping dried vomit off the seats before they send the train back.

From the looks of the Bolts lineup (963 forwards and five defensemen), it’s gonna be a humdinger of a clean-up party next February.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 08/30/08 at 10:05 AM ET