Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: steven+stamkos
JJ on Calgary’s FAN 960
by Jon Jordan on 11/14/10 at 09:34 AM ET
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I had the opportunity to be a guest with Rob Kerr on Calgary’s FAN 960 radio on Friday night. We talked all things Lightning, including the continued success of Steven Stamkos, the current injury status of several key Bolts, their overall solid start to the season and where I see them going from this point forward. You can check out the entire segment here (split into two parts) or can download the audio files after the jump.
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Tanguay, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Victor+Hedman, Vincent+Lecavalier,
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Lightning/Maple Leafs, 11/09/10
by Jon Jordan on 11/10/10 at 10:41 AM ET
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From a Tampa Bay Lightning perspective, all was quite good at the St. Pete Times Forum last night and, while a 4-0 shutout for the home squad makes the latter parts of Good/Bad/Ugly slightly more difficult for yours truly, we’ll take it. (And it sure beats most of the G, B & Us put together in years past where the Good was often a stretch and the Bad and Ugly could have gone on for days.)
Now then…
#stamkosmath
What started as an outright joke, as in, “Steven Stamkos is currently on pace for 98 goals this season,” is becoming less funny and more scary good serious with every tally for the 20-year-old Lightning superstar. With two more last night, Stamkos’ early season line of 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points is better than Crosby, better than Ovechkin, better than the entire league and setting a breakneck pace that, as everyone’s new favorite hashtag, #stamkosmath, is documenting by-the-second (well, sort of) on Twitter, projects roughly to a 76-goal, 141-point total over 82 games. (In the interest of showing marksman-like precision, #stamkosmath actually dictates that 91’s projected numbers are 76.142857 goals and 140.57143 points.)
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Ellis, Derek+Boogaard, Dominic+Moore, Eric+Staal, Mike+Smith, Nate+Thompson, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos,
Lightning, Other Southeast Clubs Have Fared About as Expected So Far
by Jon Jordan on 11/09/10 at 12:05 PM ET
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When last the Tampa Bay Lightning were home, a celebration of a hard-fought, come-from-behind, 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins was in order before the Bolts set out on a four-game western road swing. And, after kicking off the trip with a 3-0 win in Phoenix over the Coyotes, at 7-2-1 and atop the Eastern Conference standings, Tampa Bay fans, really, couldn’t have asked for a much better start.
Now, nearly two weeks since that last home game, after an overtime loss in Anaheim and two consecutive regulation defeats following that win in Phoenix, things aren’t as rosy for Tampa Bay and the Lightning look to get back on track tonight against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.
So what are we to make of Tampa’s 7-4-2 start? Hold that thought…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, predictions, Sidney+Crosby, standings, Steven+Stamkos, The+Bolts+Beat,
The Bolts Beat, 11/09/10: Tampa’s Western Swing, Stamkos Contract, Injury Woes and JJ Said WHAT?
by Jon Jordan on 11/09/10 at 08:13 AM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, Mark and Mike pile up on Jon for coming clean about not being able to stay up for late games recently but, later, Jon returns fire by taking the show to a very dark, dark place. Aside from Tampa’s recent west coast road trip, the boys discuss the scuttlebutt surrounding Steven Stamkos’ second contract, the Lightning’s recent rash of injuries (including that of Simon Gagne, who remains out) and the weekly end-show segments are, as usual, full of vim and vigor. “Missing the Mark” targets NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Mike’s “Missed Call of the Week” goes after an officiating staff for their entire body of work in one particular game and Jon’s “What the Hell Was That?” has the Hall of Fame induction committee in its crosshairs.
Enjoy. This one’s a doozy…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Ellis, Dominic+Moore, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos,
Determining The Worth Of Steven Stamkos
by Paul on 11/05/10 at 09:23 AM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times,
Speculation is he could sign for at least five years at up to $7 million per season. Tampa Bay would love to get a deal done before the season is finished and Stamkos becomes a restricted free agent.
“Both sides are open to it,” (Mark) Guy (agent) said. “It’s going to depend on the factors that come into negotiations. But both sides are comfortable and happy to start the process and get something done before the season is out.”
“I’d like to get it done as soon as possible,” Stamkos said. “It’s a great organization. They’re going to do their stuff. But for me, I’m just focused on my game.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Steven+Stamkos,
The Bolts Beat, 11/01/10: Tampa’s Winning Ways, Around the NHL and More
by Jon Jordan on 11/01/10 at 10:56 PM ET
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In the latest episode, Jon quickly puts to bed the nonsense stemming from last week’s show, the gang discusses the week that was for the Lightning, some leaguewide issues (including yet another suspension) and, as always, close things out with the specialty segments, “Mike’s Missed Call of the Week”, Jon’s “What the Hell Was That?” and Mark’s “Missing the Mark” (which desperately, desperately needs a new name, folks).
Filed in: NHL Teams, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Ellis, Danny+Briere, Mattias+Ohlund, Rick+DiPietro, Simon+Gagne, Steven+Stamkos, Vincent+Lecavalier,
JJ’s Three Cheers: 11/01/10 - Plus Thoughts on Tampa’s Continued Hot Start and Stamkos Contract Talk
by Jon Jordan on 11/01/10 at 10:21 AM ET
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Perhaps you enjoyed a day of rest from NHL hockey yesterday. Or, more likely, you were angered, annoyed or even lost at some point last night, with not a shot on goal to be had anywhere. (Or maybe, even, you were like me: Incensed at an awful showing in your weekly football picks – and I mean awful – and left without the catharsis of switching to a different sport at day’s end, left only to the comfort of Dexter and his serial-killing ways… Whatever the case may be, we (or I, that is) have some catching up to do with JJ’s Three Cheers overdue from Friday and Saturday.
Now then, quickly, from Friday first:
***Cheers to Atlanta’s Dustin Byfuglien, whose transition back to defense has gone quite well in his new home. On Friday night, Byfuglien netted the O.T. winner in fantastic fashion for Atlanta, on an end-to-end rush reminiscent of legendary offensive defensemen of years gone by, to top Buffalo 4-3. (I’ll link it twice, actually, because you need to make sure you’ve seen this play.)
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, Claude+Giroux, Dustin+Byfuglien, Henrik+Lundqvist, Jay+McClement, Jeff+Skinner, Steven+Stamkos,
Various Paths to Tampa Bay’s Early Success
by Jon Jordan on 10/27/10 at 11:49 PM ET
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It’s been said, time and again, that the truly great teams can beat their opponent on any given night with any particular style of play. While this year’s Tampa Bay Lightning shouldn’t be too quick to anoint themselves the NHL’s next great club - after nine games, that would just be silly - the results have been impressive to this point and wins are coming in a variety of ways.
Tonight’s triumph over visiting Pittsburgh was of the comeback sort, with the Lightning rebounding from a pair of first period shorthanded tallies by the Penguins, an early goaltending change with Dan Ellis replacing Mike Smith after three goals allowed on seven shots and a 3-1 deficit overall. While no team wants to get in the habit of having to battle back like that and, surely, it can drive a coach crazy, that the Lightning have already proven capable of doing so gives them immeasurable confidence and should pay dividends down the road.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dana+Tyrell, Dan+Ellis, Guy+Boucher, Martin+St.+Louis, Mike+Smith, Steven+Stamkos, Vincent+Lecavalier,
JJ on XM204’s “The War Room” with Mick Kern and Peter Berce
by Jon Jordan on 10/26/10 at 02:37 PM ET
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Had a nice visit with Mick and Peter on “The War Room” this morning, where we discussed this season’s solid start for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Steven Stamkos’ continued success as well as his need for a new contract (like yesterday) and the Bolts’ goaltending to this point.
Have a listen after the jump…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Ellis, Guy+Boucher, Mike+Smith, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Yzerman,
The Bolts Beat, 10/26/10: Week in Review, Rypien, Kovalchuk, NHL Surprises/Underachievers & More
by Jon Jordan on 10/26/10 at 07:44 AM ET
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In the latest episode of the show, Jon, Mike and Mark review the Lightning’s 2-1-1 record in the week just past, discuss some minor injuries currently nagging the club as well as possible recalls, analyze the recent messes with Rick Rypien in Vancouver and Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey and offer up their early season surprise teams and underachievers. As usual, Mike gets all emotional with his Missed Call of the Week, while Jon’s What the Hell Was That? segment features a sincere apology to the fans on behalf of the show and a call for increased responsibility in the “fan blogger” community. Finally, Mark gets his wings, debuting his new end-show segment, “Missing the Mark” - (a temporary title, as he reaches out to the show’s audience for feedback and other ideas).
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ilya+Kovalchuk, Rick+Rypien, Simon+Gagne, Steven+Stamkos,
JJ’s Three Cheers: 10/25/10 (Catching Up on the Weekend Edition!)
by Jon Jordan on 10/25/10 at 10:22 AM ET
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We’ve got some catching up to do as I intentionally stayed off the radar this weekend. (For the first time since the arrival of our second son, we had no visitors! Bliss!) Quick cheers for Friday and Saturday night’s action and then onto toasts and a few highlights from yesterday’s games:
Friday’s Three Cheers:
***Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa: Hat trick, 1,000th career point in 4-2 Senators’ win in Buffalo.
**Rene Bourque, Calgary: Hat trick, assist in 6-2 Flames’ win in Columbus.
*Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay: Hat trick, assist in 5-2 Lightning win in Atlanta.
Saturday’s Three Cheers:
***John Tavares, NYIslanders: First career hat trick in 4-3 loss at Florida.
**Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis: 31 saves in 1-0, overtime blanking of visiting Pittsburgh.
*Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit: Two goals, four points in a 5-4 squeaker over Anaheim at the Joe.
And, finally, on to Sunday’s honors:
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Anders+Lindback, Daniel+Alfredsson, Henrik+Zetterberg, Jaroslav+Halak, John+Tavares, Miikka+Kiprusoff, Rene+Bourque, Steven+Stamkos,
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Lightning/Stars, 10/18/10
by Jon Jordan on 10/19/10 at 11:51 AM ET
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When you get waxed as the Tampa Bay Lightning did Saturday night in Sunrise, 6-0 to the Florida Panthers, all you can ask for is a rebound to the tune of two points in the following game. The Bolts got just that last night against Dallas, so complaints can be held to a minimum. Besides, as head coach Guy Boucher said during the preseason, this team won’t be at their best in the first 5, 10, 15 games of the season. And who would want them to be? Certainly, all would rather a club peak much, much (much, much, much) later, no?
Nevertheless, analyze we must.
Hence, the original: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Hall, Alex+Ovechkin, Brad+Richards, Brenden+Morrow, Dana+Tyrell, Dominic+Moore, Guy+Boucher, James+Neal, Jeff+Vinik, Michael+Vernace, Mike+Smith, Nate+Thompson, Sean+Bergenheim, Sidney+Crosby, Steven+Stamkos, Toby+Petersen, Victor+Hedman,
The Bolts Beat, 10/19/10: Lightning on the Road and a Look Ahead, Plus NHL Officiating Issues & More
by Jon Jordan on 10/19/10 at 11:15 AM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, the boys discuss the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first road swing of the season and preview the week ahead for the Bolts, Jon’s “What the Hell Was That?” segment brings up an interesting debate on replay, major penalties and the like, Mike defends referees (a sure sign of the apocalypse) and much more.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Hall, Andrei+Kostitsyn, Blake+Comeau, Brad+Richards, Brett+Clark, Dana+Tyrell, Dan+Ellis, Dominic+Moore, Guy+Boucher, headshots, instant+replay, Josh+Bailey, Kris+Letang, Martin+St.+Louis, Mattias+Ritola, Michael+Vernace, Mike+Smith, Nate+Thompson, Pavel+Kubina, Randy+Jones, Ryan+Malone, Sean+Bergenheim, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Yzerman, T.J.+Brodie, Victor+Hedman, Vincent+Lecavalier,
Once Hot, the Lightning/Panthers “Rivalry” Needs a Serious Spark
by Jon Jordan on 10/16/10 at 03:39 PM ET
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The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning share a home state, divisional alignment and the perks of leaving their home rinks to 80 degree-plus temperatures on the regular.
Their tenure as National Hockey League member franchises is nearly identical as well, with Tampa entering the league for the 1992-93 season and Florida one year later.
But you won’t find much evidence of a rivalry when speaking to current players from these clubs and, from members of the organizations of years gone by, what once sounded like legitimate hostilities have either fizzled into forced assertions or a longing for the good ol’ days.
It can’t hold a candle to the long-standing, emotionally charged levels of Calgary/Edmonton, Boston/Montreal or Colorado/Detroit.
It’s not likely to ever split households, a la Islanders/Rangers or Canadiens/Maple Leafs.
And, though both teams have had their share of supreme talents over the years, the odds of a superstar-driven rivalry, as in Ovechkin-Crosby/Capitals-Penguins, between the Lightning and Panthers are poor.
But there has to be something there still, right?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, Brian+Bradley, Enrico+CIccone, Erik+Gudbranson, Guy+Boucher, Jacob+Markstrom, Jay+Feaster, Martin+St.+Louis, Mike+Smith, Paul+Laus, Phil+Esposito, Quebec+Nordiques, Randy+Moller, Sidney+Crosby, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Yzerman, Tony+Esposito, Vincent+Lecavalier,
JJ’s Three Cheers: 10/15/10, Plus a Look Around the Southeast this Weekend
by Jon Jordan on 10/15/10 at 09:19 AM ET
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Today’s three cheers, bestowed upon those who excelled for their clubs in action yesterday:
***Cheers to Nashville’s Steve Sullivan, who had a pair of the three first period goals for his club, en route to a 4-3 Predators win. Sullivan had a chance to complete the rare single stanza hat trick in the waning seconds of the first but was denied on a breakaway by Jaroslav Halak in the St. Louis net.
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Bobby+Ryan, Corey+Perry, Dan+Ellis, Dominic+Moore, Eric+Staal, Mike+Fisher, Mikko+Koivu, Ondrej+Pavelec, Pavel+Kubina, Radek+Dvorak, Ryan+Getzlaf, Sergei+Samsonov, Shawn+Matthias, Simon+Gagne, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Sullivan, Tomas+Vokoun,
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Lightning at Canadiens, 10/13/10
by Jon Jordan on 10/14/10 at 10:39 AM ET
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Death, taxes and JJ’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly…
The alternative to the standard game recap became a staple of my Tampa Bay Lightning coverage last season and it was only a matter of time before it made its season debut here.
Sure, the title of the regular feature has now been copied by a second-rate Bolts blog as of this morning but the content can’t hold a candle to the original and, hell, you’re here with me and they’re, well… They’re sleeping, I’m sure, on Pacific Time and what not… (Lightning coverage from California? Now that’s insight!)
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, Andrei+Kostitsyn, Brett+Clark, Carey+Price, Dan+Ellis, Dustin+Boyd, Guy+Boucher, Jaroslav+Halak, Martin+St.+Louis, Matt+Smaby, Maxim+Lapierre, Michael+Vernace, Mike+Green, Mike+Lundin, Mike+Smith, Nicklas+Backstrom, Nino+Niederreiter, Randy+Jones, Ryan+Malone, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Teddy+Purcell, Tomas+Plekanec, Victor+Hedman, Vincent+Lecavalier,
The Bolts Beat, 10/12/10: Lightning Home Opener, Road Trip Ahead, Devils Dilemmas, Wisniewski & More
by Jon Jordan on 10/12/10 at 09:45 AM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, Jon, Mike and Mark recap the Lightning’s successful home opener and preview their road trip ahead. The boys also discuss the current (disasterous) state of the New Jersey Devils and the James Wisniewski/Sean Avery incident (how about that? “Sean Avery” and “incident” in the same sentence? Shocker…) Finally, JJ blows his top (again) in the latest installment of “What the Hell Was THAT?”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dominic+Moore, Ilya+Kovalchuk, James+Wisniewski, Mario+Lemieux, Nate+Thompson, Sean+Avery, Sean+Bergenheim, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, T.J.+Brodie, Vincent+Lecavalier, Wayne+Gretzky,
Another Stevie Y?
by Paul on 09/29/10 at 09:06 PM ET
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from Kevin Allen of Mucking and Grinding,
Steven Stamkos has the potential to do for the Tampa Bay Lightning what Steve Yzerman did for the Detroit Red Wings.
“It was surreal,” Stamkos said of meeting Yzerman. “He was my favorite player growing up and now he is my boss.”
Yzerman wore No. 19, and Stamkos wears No. 91. Both were budding NHL stars before their 20th birthday.
Stamkos was tied for the league goal-scoring title last season with 51. He has 74 goals over his first two seasons, and Yzerman had 69. Yzerman had 176 points in his first two seasons, and Stamkos has 141.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Steven+Stamkos,
The Bolts Beat, 09/27/10: The Gang Talks Preseason Games, Cuts, Suspensions, Fantasy Hockey & More
by Jon Jordan on 09/28/10 at 08:21 AM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, JJ and co-host Mike Corcoran cover the Lightning’s recent preseason road trip, roster moves made thereafter, NHL discipline issues (including the recent Nick Boynton/Blair Jones incident), predictions for how Tampa Bay’s final roster may end up, fantasy hockey strategy and Jon (of course) continues his New York Jets elation, much to the dismay of Mike and fellow contributor, Tampa Bay Lightning.com’s Mark Pukalo.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Hall, Alexander+Ovechkin, Blair+Jones, Cedrick+Desjardins, Chris+Durno, Dana+Tyrell, Dennis+Wideman, Derek+Boogaard, Eric+Perrin, fantasy+hockey, James+Wright, Johan+Harju, John+Tavares, Marek+Malik, Mark+Streit, Nick+Boynton, Niklas+Persson, Rick+DiPietro, roster+cuts, Sidney+Crosby, Simon+Gagne, Steven+Stamkos, suspensions, Tomas+Vokoun, training+camp, Vincent+Lecavalier, Wade+Redden, Zenon+Konopka,
Stamkos Taking Nothing For Granted
by Paul on 09/18/10 at 04:38 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside of ESPN,
In an offseason that has brought significant change to the troubled franchise, one wonders how Stamkos will follow up his breakout season.
But when you talk to Stamkos, you get the sense that this season isn’t so much about riding the wave, but making sure he proves he didn’t just stumble into the NHL hardware department.
“You definitely have to go out and prove that wasn’t a fluke. At least I think I’ve got to do that,” Stamkos told ESPN.com. “I’m pretty fortunate to have players like Vinny [Lecavalier] and Marty [St. Louis] who have been in situations like that before and have still found a way to be consistent, especially Marty. He gets on my case all the time to keep working hard.
“And that’s something I definitely take to heart and I’m proud of and work hard every night. And just because you had a good season last year, you don’t want to take anything for granted.”
After the team’s first day of on-ice workouts Saturday, St. Louis joked that it’s not necessarily his tutelage that’s helped Stamkos, but the kid’s lightning speed (there it is again) and rocket shot.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Steven+Stamkos,
The Bolts Beat, 09/13/10
by Jon Jordan on 09/13/10 at 09:21 PM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, JJ and co-host Mike Corcoran discuss Dan Ellis’ recent Twitter troubles and the many (over?)reactions thereof, look ahead to training camp opening this weekend, Tampabaylightning.com contributor, Mark Pukalo, stops by again to discuss some intriguing position battles ahead for the Lightning and the boys have a little extra time to discuss the NFL’s opening weekend.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Hall, Brett+Clark, Dan+Ellis, Johan+Harju, Martin+St.+Louis, Mattias+Ohlund, Mike+Lundin, Mike+Smith, Nate+Thompson, NHL+training+camp, Niklas+Persson, Paul+Szczechura, Pavel+Kubina, Randy+Jones, Ryan+Malone, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Yzerman, Teddy+Purcell, Victor+Hedman, Vincent+Lecavalier,
The Bolts Beat, 09/03/10: With Special Guests Steve Downie and Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski
by Jon Jordan on 09/03/10 at 08:47 PM ET
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In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat (and the show’s debut here at Kukla’s Korner), JJ and co-host Mike Corcoran visit with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steve Downie to discuss last season’s individual success, off-season training with Gary Roberts, rivalries and much more. Puck Daddy editor Greg Wyshynski drops in as well and touches on Ilya Kovalchuk, the recent Mt. Blogmore series, the newly rekindled bloggers/main stream media access debate and gives his opinion on how the Lightning might fare in 2010-11. Finally, Tampabaylightning.com contributor Mark Pukalo steps into the studio to add his two cents while helping to answer questions from The Bolts Beat mailbag.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Carter+Ashton, Dana+Tyrell, Ilya+Kovalchuk, James+Wright, Jaromir+Jagr, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Teddy+Purcell, Zenon+Konopka,
Yzerman’s Moves Have Lightning Poised for Marked Improvement
by Jon Jordan on 08/26/10 at 09:51 PM ET
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In these early days of the Steve Yzerman era here in Tampa, the consensus opinion on his re-molding of the Lightning roster has been overwhelmingly positive.
He promised a methodical approach and got to work in just that fashion almost immediately, adding here, subtracting there and strengthening the overall product all the while.
Few onlookers, if any, have been unimpressed.
But what has been done under Yzerman to this point, until on-ice results can be considered, that is, has to be labeled with the age-old, “on paper” caveat.
Essentially, Yzerman has shed some dead wood, plugged a few holes, added much-needed depth in key areas and maybe, just maybe, found the spark to reignite his club’s captain’s once-dynamic career. And before we forget, he’s given the hottest young coaching commodity in the hockey world the task of leading these fortified troops to success.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brett+Clark, Dan+Ellis, Dominic+Moore, Johan+Harju, Martin+St.+Louis, Mattias+Ohlund, Matt+Lashoff, Matt+Smaby, Mike+Lundin, Mike+Smith, Nate+Thompson, Niklas+Persson, Pavel+Kubina, Randy+Jones, Ryan+Malone, Sean+Bergenheim, Simon+Gagne, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Yzerman, Teddy+Purcell, Victor+Hedman, Vincent+Lecavalier,
Southeast Division Statistical Previews by Position: Forwards
by Jon Jordan on 08/08/10 at 10:12 PM ET
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As the new season approaches, I’ll be making an effort to preview the Southeast Division in a slow and steady, comprehensive manner. To kick things off, I thought I’d take a look back at last year’s individual player statistics, updated to reflect this summer’s off-season transactions. (In other words, for example, we’ll group Dustin Byfuglien’s 2009-10 statistics with Chicago alongside his new Atlanta Thrashers teammates and their performances from last year.)
In short, we’ll look at last year’s stats with this year’s rosters, both by division as a whole and by individual teams, broken down by position… Because a look to the recent past can often be a good indicator of what’s to come. (Often… Not always. See: Cheechoo, Jonathan.) And, besides, I don’t know that you’ll find a list like this in too many places (at least I hope you won’t… Cause that would mean I spent too much time on all of this!)
To get things started, we’ll start tonight with the forwards.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Alexander+Semin, Andrew+Ladd, Andrew+Ladd, Ben+Eager, Brandon+Sutter, Brooks+Laich, Bryan+Little, Chad+LaRose, Chris+Higgins, Chris+Thorburn, Cory+Stillman, David+Booth, David+Steckel, Dominic+Moore, Dustin+Byfuglien, Eric+Fehr, Eric+Staal, Erik+Cole, Evander+Kane, Jason+Chimera, Jim+Slater, Jussi+Jokinen, Marc+Pouliot, Martin+St.+Louis, Marty+Reasoner, Matt+Bradley, Michael+Frolik, Mike+Knuble, Nate+Thompson, Nicklas+Backstrom, Niclas+Bergfors, Nikolai+Antropov, Patrick+Dwyer, Radek+Dvorak, Rich+Peverley, Rostislav+Olesz, Ryan+Malone, Sergei+Samsonov, Simon+Gagne, Stephen+Weiss, Steve+Bernier, Steve+Downie, Steven+Stamkos, Steve+Reinprecht, Teddy+Purcell, Tomas+Fleischmann, Tom+Kostopolous, Tuomo+Ruutu, Vincent+Lecavalier, Zach+Boychuk,
Stamkos May Have A Concussion
by Paul on 05/13/10 at 08:59 AM ET
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from the CP at TSN,
Steven Stamkos will miss Canada’s next game at the IIHF World Hockey Championship with a possible concussion.
The star forward suffered the injury during Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Switzerland when he got elbowed in the jaw during a collision with defenceman Timo Helbling. Stamkos sat out the entire third period of the game and will be kept on the sidelines for precautionary reasons when Canada plays again Friday.
“I think it’s just a protocol that you follow when someone has the symptoms that he had,” said Canadian GM Mark Messier. “It’s not a blunt blow to the head, that kind of concussion. It’s a different kind when you get hit in the jaw. There’s still a protocol to follow and we’re going to do that because it’s the right thing to do.”
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Tags: Steven+Stamkos, Team+Canada,
Steven Stamkos Reaches 50 Goals
by Paul on 04/10/10 at 08:43 PM ET
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49 and 50 tonight, 3rd youngest player in NHL history to reach 50.
Good for Stamkos.
added 10:34pm, Watch Stamkos as he gets his 50th goal.
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Stamkos & Pronger Talk
by Paul on 04/04/10 at 08:23 AM ET
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from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,
• The deal, according to Sather, was struck. The Rangers would be getting Stamkos, who has scored 46 goals thus far this season, tied for second in the NHL with Alex Ovechkin and just one behind Sidney Crosby in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy….
“How close did we come?” Sather asked rhetorically, repeating the question we posed to him as the Rangers practiced in Tampa on Thursday. “We shook hands on it, that’s how close….
• There is something foul in Philadelphia far beyond the goaltending fiasco that has become the focal point of the NHL’s most disappointing team.
We’re not there on a day-to-day basis, so we can’t claim first-hand knowledge, but when two league GMs were asked what they perceived to be the problem, neither hesitated.
“Pronger,” each said, referring to Chris Pronger, the defenseman who has a reputation for splitting locker rooms as well as heads….
read more on both of the above topics
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Tags: Chris+Pronger, Steven+Stamkos,
Stamkos With A Booming Shot & Goal
by Paul on 02/05/10 at 08:52 AM ET
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This goal brings back memories of Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy and others streaking down the wing and just firing.
We don’t see as many of these type of goals as we did in the past, but they sure are nice when they happen.
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Stamkos Maturing Right Before Our Eyes
by Paul on 10/23/09 at 03:48 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
So it was interesting indeed this week to see how Stamkos would react when coach Rick Tocchet decided to break up the pair, moving the cure-all St. Louis to the struggling top line with Vincent Lecavalier and putting gritty Steve Downie with Stamkos and Ryan Malone on the second unit. The result? The new second line produced three goals while Stamkos put up a pair, including an empty-netter, in a 5-2 win over the Sharks on Thursday night.
“Obviously playing with Marty has been great, we’ve had a lot of success together,” said Stamkos. “But the coaching staff decided we needed to change things up to get the team going. I actually played with Downie last year and we had some success.
“You know, as much as it’s nice to play with Marty, you do have to show you can play without a guy of his talent and still create chances. It was nice to play well last night, win the game, and prove as a team that we can play with two solid offensive lines.”
He’s only 19, folks, but Stamkos has maturity beyond his years. Again, St.. Louis has had something to do with that, as does a solid upbringing, thanks to his parents; so does going through his first rough patch of his hockey career last season.
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Stamkos Follows The Gary Roberts Workout Route
by Paul on 08/27/09 at 10:10 AM ET
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from Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com,
“I changed up my offseason workout plan and decided to work closely with Gary Roberts for 7-8 weeks throughout the summer,” Stamkos told NHL.com. “Everyone knows he’s a pretty fanatical guy off the ice and his workouts are tough, but I wanted to stay in shape and learn from him. I definitely see a difference in my body and muscle composition. I didn’t want to bulk up too much because that’ll slow you down, but I do feel stronger and that’s one area I really wanted to improve.”
Stamkos certainly isn’t the only player in the League learning from the best—Dallas Stars forward James Neal also trained with Roberts at his gym in Toronto. Stamkos’ program includes four days at Roberts’ facility for muscle training and two days of cardio—also prescribed by Roberts—on his own.
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Message Sent To Stamkos
by Paul on 03/31/09 at 03:56 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
After a nice, long run as a line mate to Marty St. Louis, rookie Steven Stamkos likely will start tonight’s game with the Bruins on a line with Vinny Prospal and Brandon Bochensky. This isn’t just coach Rick Tocchet switching up lines looking for some jump, though after Sunday’s snoozer against the Senators, Tampa Bay could use it.
No, this is Tocchet sending a message to Stamkos to make sure he continues to compete at a high level. He has not done it the past few games, Tocchet said. The punishment is losing St. Louis as a line mate.
“When you play with Marty, that’s a privilege,” Tocchet said. “The message is, ‘If you’re going to play with Marty, you have to compete like he does.’ “
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Stamkos Gaining Confidence & Getting Advice
by Paul on 03/22/09 at 11:46 AM ET
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from Steven Stamkos at the Tampa Tribune,
I can just tell, myself, coming to the rink everyday now, I feel more confident, whether it’s in practice or in a game. You have that quiet self-confidence or the swagger that all good players need to be successful and you realize that I have that ability to go out there and be a guy who can make in impact on this game. To have some other players from other teams come and say that to me helps with that part of the game.
Curtis Joseph came over and talked to me after Tuesday’s game against Toronto, which I thought was pretty cool because I idolized him growing up in Toronto….
The last time we played New Jersey, Brendan Shanahan stopped me after the game in the hall and kind of said some of the same things about watching me progress as a player. It’s pretty special that players who are potentially hall of famers, including Gary Roberts, for them to take time to stop and talk to a young guy like me and say those nice things is special.
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Stamkos Continues To Improve
by Paul on 03/16/09 at 06:14 PM ET
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from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,
Stamkos, who has nine points (4-5) in his last nine games, played a season-high 22:15 on Saturday in a 4-3 shootout win over the Florida Panthers. He’s seeing the ice well, feeling more comfortable in his decisions and with the puck.
This is the Canadian junior star we’ve waited for. To his credit, he didn’t self-destruct in the fall when many a teenager might have. Picked to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in many September predictions, he game out of the gates with only four points (2-2) in 17 games amidst the controversy of his low playing minutes under former coach Barry Melrose. But, through it all, he persevered.
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Maurice Has High Praise For Stamkos
by Paul on 03/07/09 at 02:32 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice, one of the game’s best people, had an interesting take on the development of Lightning rookie Steven Stamkos. Maurice said Stamkos “is going to be a great, great player,” but not just because of his skill. In part, because of how he handled the pressure on the front end of his career.
Asked if the Lightning would have been better served not hyping expectations so much for the No. 1 draft pick, Maurice disagreed.
“I think that’s part of it,” Maurice said of the maturation process, “and maybe an important part of what he has to go through. You might be able to look back and say there was more pressure than was needed, but at the end of the day, this man is a high -pressure man. All of them go through it.”
Maurice said even now, Canes star Eric Staal, at 24, is still learning to deal with expectations, and even though the numbers have been there, Sidney Crosby is even struggling with pressure because it is constant.
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Who Knew- Comaring Lecavalier & Stamkos Rookie Seasons
by Paul on 02/24/09 at 05:26 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
Under Tocchet, the Lightning worked with Stamkos, put him on a weight program, put him in a classroom video situation with assistant Wes Walz. It has helped big-time as Stamkos is playing his best hockey of the season. The there is this: Stamkos, with 10 goals, needs three to tie Vinny Lecavalier’s rookie output in 1998-99, and with 25 points, needs three to tie Lecavalier as well.
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Tags: Steven+Stamkos, Vinny+Lecavalier,
Stamkos Learning While Watching
by Paul on 01/21/09 at 03:46 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
Lightning coach Rick Tocchet got into a good discussion today about rookie Steven Stamkos and the program he is undertaking to improve his game. Tocchet said he doesn’t want Stamkos just watching the games when he is scratched. He wants him noticing tendencies and the plays and strategy. He wants him writing stuff down in a notebook so that the next day when he has a 15- to 20-minute “classroom session” with assistant Wes Walz, he has a basis of knowledge.
“He doesn’t just go up there and sit there and look at the ice girls or anything,” Tocchet said. “He’s watching the game.”
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Weight Room Waiting For Stamkos
by Paul on 01/09/09 at 06:22 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
So, this is what the Lightning has in store for Steven Stamkos, according to coach Rick Tocchet.
The team wants the 6-foot-1, 184-pound rookie forward, last summer’s No. 1 overall draft pick, to strengthen both his upper body and lower body. To do so, Stamkos will hit the weight room more, have one-on-one on-ice training sessions with assistant coach Wes Walz, especially on days when Tampa Bay has several clustered off days. But Stamkos also may sit out games to make that schedule work, and the first of those games is tonight against the Ducks for which Stamkos is a healthy scratch.
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Stamkos Understanding What Is Needed To Play In The NHL
by Paul on 12/31/08 at 12:08 PM ET
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from Mark Masters of the National Post,
He is the first to tell you that most of the criticism he has faced is fairly accurate. Through 35 games this season he has just four goals and 10 assists and is minus-10.
“It has probably not been the best start I had envisioned for myself and the team,” he said. “It’s definitely been an adjustment coming from the juniors and I have learned a lot so far. The NHL is the best league in the world and these guys are the best players around and it’s going to take some time to make that jump, but I’m starting to feel as comfortable as I can be right now.”
He even understands Melrose’s position that he is not ready for the NHL. He will not turn 19 until February and still has the body of a teenager.
“I’m going against men now and you know they’ve got 10 years of physical maturity over you and you kind of realize that when your battling in the corners. And that’s something I’m going to have to work on in order to be more successful.”
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It May Have Helped Stamkos To Play In WJC
by Paul on 12/15/08 at 02:02 PM ET
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from Craig Simpson of Hockey and Blogs at CBC,
First of all, I want to start this with saying I don’t want to join the debate that has been brewing between fired head coach Barry Melrose and the Tampa Bay Lightning organization about whether or not first-overall pick Steve Stamkos belongs in the NHL or not….
I have to wonder why the team didn’t push to give Steve Stamkos an opportunity to play for his country again at the world junior tournament. With the Lightning struggling and sitting in last place, how can it hurt?
Stamkos would only benefit from having another great international experience and a chance at building his confidence and leadership abilities. Returning for another world junior championship would put him in a starring role and give him a chance to be a veteran on the team.
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Talking Stamkos
by Paul on 12/10/08 at 09:23 PM ET
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from TSN,
Each week, the NHL on TSN panel voices their opinions on the hot topics of the day in the Wednesday Night Hockey Quiz.
Question No. 3: Former Lightning head coach Barry Melrose says Steven Stamkos is not ready to play in the National Hockey League this season. Do you agree?
Bob Clarke: What’s the matter with Melrose saying something that dumb? This is a great young player who needed good coaching that he obviously didn’t get. But he’s going to be a great player in this league.
Bob McKenzie: I will say absolutely. He can play in this league and we saw an example of it on Wednesday night against Buffalo when he assisted on a goal by Martin St. Louis….
John Tortorella: Yes - there was no structure and coaching going on for those first 16 games…
more questions and answers…
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Stamkos Not Bothered By Melrose Comments
by Paul on 12/10/08 at 03:19 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
In a nutshell, Melrose said he believes Stamkos is not ready for the NHL.
“That’s his opinion,” Stamkos said. “My job is to help this team win and do everything possible. You can’t let stuff like that bother you. It’s his opinion, he said what he said. If anything, this team can use it as motivation.”
“We talked,” Tocchet said. “He’s a great kid. It’s a process, and he’s going to be a great player for this franchise. I think sometimes he puts too much pressure on himself. ... He told me he laughed about it, which was nice to hear.”
“You just don’t pay attention to it,” Stamkos said. “You keep working hard. This team is working hard. ... That’s the only thing we’re focused on, not comments from anyone.”
more on the Lightning…
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What Is This!
by Paul on 11/27/08 at 09:38 AM ET
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Tags: Nikolai+Zherdev, Steven+Stamkos,
All Steven Stamkos
by Paul on 11/08/08 at 07:31 AM ET
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from Bill Eichenberger of the Sporting News Today,
Question: What has it been like playing for Barry Melrose?
Stamkos: He’s a very positive coach. If you do something wrong he will tell you in a way that you realize you made a mistake…. Everyone enjoys him in the room.
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Oh Those Practical Jokers
by Paul on 10/29/08 at 08:27 AM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
So, the Lightning players, who have really taken to Stamkos (“He’s always smiling,” captain Vinny Lecavalier said), decided to let him skate onto the ice first during warmups. What Stamkos didn’t know is that his teammates were going to hold up in the runway to the ice and have him skate out by himself. It worked as it took Stamkos about a half a lap of the Lightning zone to realize he was out there alone.
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Handle With Care
by Paul on 10/28/08 at 07:56 AM ET
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from Damien Cox of the Toronto Star,
Early-season struggles put immediate pressure on ex-ESPN analyst Barry Melrose to put some wins together after being the hand-picked, surprise coaching choice of owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie, and, not surprisingly, Melrose chose to lean on veteran players early, leaving Stamkos with as little as 6:05 of ice time.
Stamkos, along with the rest of the team, hasn’t produced much offence, and through seven games the 18-year-old has yet to record his first NHL point.
Sending him back to the Sarnia Sting of the OHL is out of the question after all the pre-season fanfare. Giving him more and more playing time is now the plan.
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More PP Time For Stamkos
by Paul on 10/25/08 at 02:29 PM ET
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from Eric Erlendsson of Bolts Report,
Now, as the Lightning get set to take on the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, Stamkos appears set to begin getting the 12-15 minutes of ice time Melrose has said he would like to give the rookie. During practice on Friday at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon, Stamkos was working on the top power play unit with Vinny Lecavalier, Vinny Prospal, Marty St. Louis and Paul Ranger.
Through the first six games, Stamkos has seen an average of 1:08 of ice time per game on the power play, with most of that coming on the second power play unit.
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Where Is Stamkos
by Paul on 10/14/08 at 05:58 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
Seems Steven Stamkos, the No. 1 overall pick, is averaging just 9:47 of ice time. That was 41st among rookies heading into Tuesday’s games. Saturday against the Hurricanes, he played just 6:05….
“It’s got to be a conscious effort on my part,” Melrose said about finding Stamkos some ice time. “You want to get him in the lineup. You want to put him in situations where he will succeed. We have to get him more than six minutes.”
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Stamkos Should Be In Traverse City
by Paul on 09/14/08 at 06:41 PM ET
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from Bruce MacLeod of Red Wings Corner,
I’m not sure that I like the arguments why Steve Stamkos isn’t playing at the prospects tournament for Tampa Bay. I’ve heard things ranging from it’s the Lightning trying to protect Stamkos from a tournament where prospects try to prove themselves, including fighting. I’ve also heard that the Lightning didn’t want Stamkos to miss any of their main camp which begins a day after this tournament ends.
First off, don’t worry about Stamkos protecting himself.
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Embarrassing Moments in the Spotlight
by Alanah McGinley on 08/18/08 at 10:57 AM ET
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From Adam Schwartz at NHL.com,
Some of the best players in the NHL have suffered an embarrassing miscue. For instance, when Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall shot the puck into his own net in last season’s Stanley Cup Final. Yep, he’d like to have that one back.
Like Kronwall, Steven Stamkos, picked No. 1 at the 2008 Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, has a story of televised misfortune.
read on for tales from Stamkos and other NHLers
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Tags: shoot-outs, steven+stamkos,
Evening Line
by Paul on 08/13/08 at 06:01 PM ET
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“He’s cut,” Melrose said. “He’d be a male model if he wasn’t a hockey player. But he’s slim. He’s 18 years old. He’s not a man yet. Vinny (Lecavalier) looked like a beanpole with shoulder pads on, too. Matter of fact, Stamkos is thicker than Vinny when Vinny came in.”
Still, Melrose continued, “He’s got to realize that’s his biggest weakness right now is his size. He’s going to be playing against men now, and that’s his biggest adjustment, playing against guys who are as fast as he is and bigger than he is. That’s what he’s got to work on. We’ve got people talking to him every week, got him on nutritional programs, and we have strength and conditioning coaches talking to him every week, so he’s going to get bigger fast and heavier fast, but he’s sill a boy right now, so it’s going to take time.”
-Barry Melrose on Steven Stamkos. Read more at Lightning Strikes…
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