Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: tampa+bay+lightning
Brad Richards Conference Call Transcript
by Alanah McGinley on 02/29/08 at 03:35 PM ET
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It’s been a busy week for Brad Richards. On Tuesday he was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Dallas Stars along with Johan Holmqvist for Mike Smith, Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen and a fourth-round pick in 2009. Last night he played in his first game for the Stars and made it a memorable one by becoming the first player in NHL history to record five assists in his first game with a team as Dallas defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 7 to 4.
Today, Richards participated in an NHL teleconference and below is the transcript of that Q&A with various members of the media.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Dallas Stars | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: brad+richards, dallas+stars, media, tampa+bay+lightning, transcript,
A Goal Worth Another Look
by Alanah McGinley on 01/07/08 at 03:35 PM ET
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From Erik Erlendsson at The Tampa Tribune,
Hockey Web site Kukla’s Korner had a video link to a highlight of the goal with the description of “a great between-the-legs move” by Lecavalier.
Whatever anybody else wants to call the play, Lecavalier just calls it a bit of instinct combined with plenty of luck.
“I don’t really think about it ... I just kind of do it,” Lecavalier said of the play. “I knew I wanted to fake goaltender Ray Emery out, but for me, the worse thing is that after it happened, if I had missed it I would have been pretty mad at myself and I would have thought that I should have just shot the puck.
more... about Lecavalier’s season, and go here to see the video.
*thanks to The Tampa Tribune for the KK mention!
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning, Vinny+Lecavalier,
Tampa Sale Back on Track?
by Alanah McGinley on 12/11/07 at 06:57 PM ET
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From Bob McKenzie at TSN,
There is still much work to be done, but it looks as though the sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning is on its way to being resurrected.
Sources say NHL commissioner Gary Bettman yesterday mediated a resolution of the dispute, and lawsuit, between proposed partners Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules, who hand intended to work together to purchase the Lightning franchise from the Detroit-based Palace Sports and Entertainment.
The net result is apparently that Sherrin and Koules have reached a settlement on their issues, the lawsuit has been avoided, and Hollywood producer Koules, of Saw (I,II,III and IV) fame, now has the green light to resume negotiations with the Lightning’s existing ownership. Koules is a former minor league hockey player.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: gary+bettman, tampa+bay+lightning,
Vinny or Sid?
by Alanah McGinley on 12/10/07 at 04:47 PM ET
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From Pierre LeBrun at Sportsnet.ca,
Crosby will definitely be “The Man” in the NHL for the next 15 years and deservedly so. But are people overlooking what Lecavalier is doing for the Tampa Bay Lightning right now?
“He is the best player in the league; I don’t think there’s any question about that,” Lightning GM Jay Feaster said on the phone to Sportsnet.ca from Tampa on Monday. “I thought he was the best player in the league last year. I think he’s the most complete two-way player in the game today.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: sidney+crosby, tampa+bay+lightning, Vinny+Lecavalier,
Could Tampa Bay Move One Of The Big Three
by Paul on 12/01/07 at 01:08 PM ET
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Spector has an analysis on the talk that the Bolts may move Lecavalier, St. Louis or Richards.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: hockey+rumors, tampa+bay+lightning, trades,
Bolts May Wait For An Offer To Fall Into Their Lap
by Paul on 11/28/07 at 07:14 AM ET
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from the St. Petersburg Times,
Wilson said he still is trying to make sense of the tumult surrounding the now-dead $200-million proposal that included the St. Pete Times Forum lease and 5 1/2 acres of nearby land in Tampa.
He also tried to allay “understandable” fan nervousness about the team’s future.
Wilson said he still has “some degree of optimism” Absolute Hockey Enterprises’ main players can resolve their differences and resurrect the purchase.
If they do not, he said, the team will not be shopped—“we’re not hiring a broker to see who might have interest in the Tampa Bay Lightning”—but offers that “fall out of the sky” will be considered.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning, tom+wilson,
Lawsuit Filed Between Prospective Tampa Bay Buyers
by Paul on 11/26/07 at 07:13 PM ET
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via WTSP,
Florida Real Estate developer Jeff Sherrin, TV show executive producer Oren Koules, and and long-time hockey executive Doug MacClean are three of the principals in Absolute Hockey Enterprises, the group which was trying to purchase the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Lightning confirm a lawsuit was filed between two of the partners in the ownership group.
The current owners are still hopeful they will be able to sell the hockey team to Absolute Hockey Enterprises or members of that group.
added 8:57pm, via Sports Network,
The sale of the Tampa Bay Lightning to Absolute Hockey Enterprises came to a screeching halt Monday due to a legal disagreement between Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules, the principal partners in the deal.
Sherrin, who owns a vast amount of real estate, and the Venture Capital Group, is suing Koules in excess of $75,000. In court documents filed Monday in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, Sherrin sued Koules for using highly confidential information for trying to broker his own deal to acquire the team, circumventing the partnership plan.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning,
All About NHL Ice
by Alanah McGinley on 11/26/07 at 01:46 PM ET
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From Carter Gaddis at The Tampa Tribune,
It’s alive. The ice, that is. Not in the biological, breathing-in-and-out sense that defines much of the life on this planet.
But to Tim Friedenberger, it often seems as if the massive sheet of frozen water at the St. Pete Times Forum has a mind of its own. And if it can think…
“It is alive,” said Friedenberger, the Forum’s vice president of facility operations. “It’s a living thing. I’d say every facility, the ice has a personality.”
Like any living thing, a sheet of ice has its good days and bad. A unique facet of the NHL is how vulnerable the aesthetics of the game itself can be to the vagaries of the playing surface.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: arenas, ice, tampa+bay+lightning,
Tortorella 10K Lighter
by Paul on 11/21/07 at 05:23 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
Tortorella was fined $10,000 by the league today for blasting league on-ice officials after some questionable calls hurt his team Monday night. The coach reached a boiling point after his team blew a 3-1 lead and a phantom holding penalty on Brad Richards in overtime led to Atlanta’s game-winning goal.
“The frustrating part for me is these organizations pay the players millions upon millions of dollars,” Tortorella said. “They’re the ones who need to decide outcomes of games....
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: John+Tortorella, tampa+bay+lightning,
Questioning The Gray Area Penalties
by Paul on 11/21/07 at 07:49 AM ET
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from the St. Petersburg Times,
So a day after Paul Devorski’s questionable holding call on Brad Richards led to the Thrashers’ winning overtime goal, players simply, and calmly, said they want the standard for penalties applied more consistently.
The league’s director of officiating, Stephen Walkom, said numerous “check and balances” help maintain the standard.
But Lukowich, after a workout at the Ice Sports Forum, insisted, “There should be less of a gray area. When the ref and rules are enforced the right and proper way, the players just go out and play. That’s what we do.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: officiating, penalties, tampa+bay+lightning,
The Home Team In Prague
by Paul on 11/18/07 at 08:33 AM ET
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from the Blueshirts Blog at Newsday,
The papers haven’t been signed yet, but the Rangers are all but signed, sealed and delivered to Prague to open next season with a two-game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
And that pair of games will only comprise half of the NHL’s season-opening plan for 2008-09. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators are expected to open their season with two games in Stockholm.
continued (permalink is not working for the blog, so off you go to the homepage)…
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: new+york+rangers, ottawa+senators, prague, tampa+bay+lightning,
Defense Creating Offense in Tampa
by Alanah McGinley on 11/17/07 at 12:57 PM ET
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From the Tampa Tribune,
It took Lightning defensemen 36 games last season to reach double figures in goals scored. It took them half as long, 18 games, to reach 10 goals collectively this season.
And that’s with 20-goal scorer Dan Boyle (left wrist surgery) out for all but four games.
What’s happened, with Boyle out of the picture, is that Coach John Tortorella’s blue liners have begun to become more conscious of trying to help scoring opportunities when they’re available.
“If you’re asking your forwards to play on the other side of the puck defensively,” Tortorella said Friday, “we ask our defensemen to play on the other side of the puck, offensively. We feel like we have the people. It’s just a matter of willingness to get up the ice and make it happen.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: john+tortorella, tampa+bay+lightning,
Rumored Trade Not Going To Happen
by Paul on 11/09/07 at 11:07 AM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
...It seems you have to believe the part about him not knowing about such a trade because it just doesn’t seem to make sense for the Lightning which was supposed to give up Richards, its second-line center and one of its alternate captains for Ryder and Kostsitsyn who between them have just 11 points, and Halak has 16 NHL games to his name.
I’m sure the potential new owners of the franchise would love to have to fill that kind of hole in the roster.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: montreal+canadiens, tampa+bay+lightning,
Players Aren’t Prepared To Be Hit
by Paul on 11/07/07 at 06:48 PM ET
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from On Frozen Pond,
Torts even used Denis Potvin as an example in his pregame press conference, saying the league has gone soft. He says in Denis’ day, players expected to be hit and how a player took a hit was a big part of how the game was played. Now, he says, players don’t expect to be hit.
more and you can see today’s pre-game press conference below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: denis+potvin, John+Tortorella, tampa+bay+lightning,
Boyle Facing Surgery
by Paul on 11/06/07 at 02:31 PM ET
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from the Tampa Bay Lightning,
Tampa Bay Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Jay Feaster Issued a Statement Today Regarding Dan Boyle:
“The MRI on Dan Boyle’s surgically-repaired left wrist showed that two of the three tendons severed on September 22 have not properly healed and that additional surgery will be required. We have placed Dan on the NHL’s Injured Reserve List retroactive to his last game, November 3, 2007. Dan will be consulting with a number of hand and wrist specialists recommended to him by the Lightning medical staff, after which he will be scheduled for additional surgery on his wrist. Dan will be out of the Lightning line-up indefinitely
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Boyle, tampa+bay+lightning,
Tortorella Safe
by Paul on 11/05/07 at 02:52 PM ET
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from Bob McKenzie of TSN,
One day Feaster will have to fire Tortorella – eventually, every GM does it – but that day doesn’t look as though it will happen any time soon.
What’s more likely to happen is the Lightning looking for goaltending help. Johan Holmqvist’s play was problematic on Saturday night and the Lightning were out-goaled by Rick DiPietro on Long Island last week. Prior to that, in games against New Jersey and the New York Rangers, the Lightning looked lethargic and uninspired, which helped fuel some of that Tortorella talk.
added 3:11pm, from Lightning Strikes on a trade for a goalie,
Never say never, but as it stands now, such a trade is very, very remote for several reasons. The Lightning already is about $2-million over its self-imposed $44-million salary cap, so any trade, unless ownership had a 180-degree change of heart regarding how much it is willing to pay, would have to include payroll going out. Who do you get rid of?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: John+Tortorella, tampa+bay+lightning,
Boyle To Undergo MRI Tomorrow
by Paul on 11/04/07 at 04:56 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,
Dan Boyle did not practice Sunday and will have an MRI Monday to make sure the three surgically repaired tendons in his left wrist are healing properly. Coach John Tortorella said Boyle will not play Monday at Florida, and said the team has some concerns about the strength in the hand.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Dan+Boyle, injuries, tampa+bay+lightning,
Tampa Sale Appears to be Ahead of Schedule
by Alanah McGinley on 11/01/07 at 01:21 AM ET
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From Eduardo A. Encina at the St. Petersburg Times,
After meeting with him Wednesday in New York, Lightning team president Ron Campbell said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told him the sale of the team appears ahead of schedule.
Campbell attended Wednesday’s game in New Jersey to take in the Devils’ new $375-million arena, the Prudential Center.
Earlier in the day, Campbell met with Bettman at the league offices and received an update on the sale of the team, the St. Pete Times Forum lease and 51/2 acres of adjoining land from Palace Sports & Entertainment to Absolute Hockey Enterprises. Campbell said he still anticipates the deal would be completed by the Dec. 31 deadline.
continued... (*plus other odds & ends on the Lightning)
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: gary+bettman, tampa+bay+lightning,
Dan Boyle is Back
by Alanah McGinley on 10/29/07 at 01:10 PM ET
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From Damian Cristodero at Lighting Strikes,
It appears that defenseman Dan Boyle, who missed the season’s first nine games after three tendons in his left wrist were sliced by a falling skate, will return to the lineup for tonight’s game against the Rangers.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: dan+boyle, tampa+bay+lightning,
A Look At Mike Sullivan
by Paul on 10/18/07 at 09:36 AM ET
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from the St. Petersburg Times,
Tortorella said he wants Sullivan, 39, to take even more responsibility, lead team meetings and be a presence in the locker room, when necessary, to keep the message fresh.
“I’m tired of hearing myself talk, really,” Tortorella said. “The evolution of this team right now is to hear a different voice and a man with different ideas who is willing to challenge to get his ideas across. Sully has the strength to handle that.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mike+Sullivan, tampa+bay+lightning,
Lecavalier Delivers
by Paul on 10/16/07 at 04:13 PM ET
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from Bolts Report,
Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier and his philanthropic corporate partners have committed $3 million over the next eight years toward the construction of the new All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg. The money will be earmarked for a 26,500-sq. ft. pediatric cancer facility which will bear Lecavalier’s name.
thanks to a KK reader for the pointer…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning, Vinny+Lecavalier,
Tim Taylor’s Road Back
by Alanah McGinley on 10/16/07 at 03:14 PM ET
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From Erik Erlendsson at TBO,
In the weeks leading up to his surgery, the 13-year NHL veteran, who hopes to be back on the ice and in uniform in February, was told by the surgeon he’d be ready to get back on the golf course within a month of the procedure. That’s something Taylor quickly found out might have been a stretch of the truth as far as he was concerned.
In his first discussion, Taylor talks about why he didn’t feel like walking to the bathroom, let alone picking up a golf club, that his entire right leg was sore after the surgery, and what it was like trying to do normal things around the house.
more... *the Tampa Bay Lightning captain shares details of his rehab.
*photo gallery also available
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: injuries, tampa+bay+lightning, tim+taylor,
Prospal Off to Lightning Fast Start
by Alanah McGinley on 10/07/07 at 03:41 PM ET
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From Carter Gaddis at The Tampa Tribune,
Foremost in Vinny Prospal’s mind coming into his 11th NHL season was to get off to a good start. After a drop in production to 55 points last year from 80 in 2005-06, it was imperative that he not allow the downward spiral to begin again.
“I just didn’t want to go through what I went through last year,” Prospal said after scoring two goals in Tampa Bay’s 5-2 victory Saturday against Atlanta. “Everybody struggles, but it’s always easier when you get to that point in the season when you have something to look back to. And last year, from the beginning, I really didn’t have anything to look back to.”
Prospal — who has entered the final year of his contract with the Lightning — didn’t score his third goal last season until the team’s 18th game on Nov. 15. Through two games, he has three goals.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning, vinny+prospal,
Tampa Sale Progressing
by Alanah McGinley on 10/05/07 at 01:41 AM ET
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From Eduardo A. Encina at the St. Petersburg Times,
For Doug MacLean and Oren Koules, opening night was just one reason to celebrate.
Their group, which is attempting to purchase the Lightning, is pleased with the progress of the application process. And one of the investment partners, Mark Burg, believes in the acquisition so much that he has doubled his stake, Koules said Thursday.
Koules said he hopes the sale to Absolute Hockey Enterprises - MacLean, the ex-Blue Jackets president, Coral Springs real estate developer Jeff Sherrin, Hollywood producers Koules and Burg and Tampa attorney Steve Burton - by Palace Sports & Entertainment will be finalized by the time the NHL board of governors meets in late November at Pebble Beach, Calif.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: tampa+bay+lightning,
Next NHL Stop- Prague
by Paul on 09/30/07 at 12:31 PM ET
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from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,
The NHL is planning to start its 2008-09 season with a short series, likely two games, in Prague, Czech Republic. The series likely would involve the Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Penguins had no comment, but multiple league sources said they were being considered for participation in the league’s next oversees series. Those sources said that many details still must be worked out before an official announcement, but that the Penguins and Lightning were the league’s preferred participants for a regular-season series in Prague.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: pittsburgh+penguins, prague, tampa+bay+lightning,
Line Of The Day
by Paul on 09/20/07 at 05:53 PM ET
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from Lightning Strikes,… John Tortorella on training camp soreness & injuries…
“...I’m not going to wait because of a name or because of someone projected. I’m not too interested in projections. I’m interested in getting people on the ice and getting their work done. I’m not coming down on any body here, I just want define it. Everybody is sore. Everybody is nicked up once you start camp. That’s what we go by here....”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: injuries, John+Tortorella, tampa+bay+lightning,
