Roster set

[jaydeedub]

DC posted it early this morning: (http://blogs.tampabay.com/lightning/2008/10/lightning-roste.html)

So here is the roster, the above players excluded:

Goaltenders -- Mike Smith, Olaf Kolzig, Karri Ramo. Forwards -- Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis, Vinny Prospal, Steven Stamkos, Ryan Malone, Radim Vrbata, Chris Gratton, Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, Jussi Jokinen, David Koci, Adam Hall, Evgeny Artyukhin, Ryan Craig, Defensemen -- Andrej Meszaros, Matt Carle, Shane O'Brien, Janne Niskala, Vladimir Mihalik, Mike Lundin, Jamie Heward.


Ward was put on the IR list.

[chad]

I thought they had to get down to 22 or 23.

When players are healthy, it will be interesting to see who goes where. Also, it will be interesting to see who's serving popcorn. That'll be an expensive popcorn server or 3.

[CTLightning26]

Will be interesting what two forwards will be scratched.
Maybe Koci scratched in Game 1 and used in Game two if Melrose feels the Rangers were taking liberties? Or, does he start him in Game 1 to provide a message.
But who is the other?
Possible Roberts plays in only one of the two?
Hall?
Gratton?
Craig?

:noidea:

[gwf82]

I thought they had to get down to 22 or 23.

When players are healthy, it will be interesting to see who goes where. Also, it will be interesting to see who's serving popcorn. That'll be an expensive popcorn server or 3.

Cant they be at like 25 or something for the overseas games? Or is it that theyre just allowed the extra goaltender for the trip? I cant remember now myself

[CTLightning26]

I believe the difference is that they are able to carry 24 with a 3rd goalie
It wouldn't be fair for them to fly another goalie over with games on back to back nights if someone got injured in the first game.

[pete]

That defense is not good. Pray for Mike Smith.

[CTLightning26]

It is a bit scary, but at some point you have to put these young guys out there and let them progress under pressure.
OB is the key. If he plays better in this system, smooths out his edges, that should give you a good top four when Ranger is healthy. After that, you're just hoping for two among Niskala, lundin, smaby and mihalik to emerge and give you a solid 10 minutes.
Yes, Carle and Mez have to play up to their potential, but i expect that to happen. I'm not sure about the others including Ranger's health

[timothy]

I thought they had to get down to 22 or 23.

When players are healthy, it will be interesting to see who goes where. Also, it will be interesting to see who's serving popcorn. That'll be an expensive popcorn server or 3.

While playing the the two games in Europe, the NHL is allowing the teams to carry an extra player (24) in the form of a third goaltender in case of injury to one goalie because it takes about 24-36 hours to fly a player from the US to Europe.

Once the team returns from Europe, they will be required to trim the extra goalie off the team and get to the normal 23 man roster limit.

If you think you've got an expensive popcorn server, think about between Ouellet and Hutchinson, you've got $2.3M tied up in two AHL players.

[the_narrow_way]

Ryan Malone, Chris Gratton, David Koci, Adam Hall, Evgeny Artyukhin, Shane O'Brien
Looks like a rather tough starting roster. I hope they figure out how to stir up and start trouble without always getting the extra penalties. Perhaps Roberts has some insight into that, and as to how he survives the XO Sniper...

[jaydeedub]

That defense is not good. Pray for Mike Smith.

That's what I thought too right off the bat. The top two guys on there aren't even the stay at home types. Missing Ranger on the roster makes a big difference. I'm a bit nervous of an ass beating.

[timothy]

That's what I thought too right off the bat. The top two guys on there aren't even the stay at home types. Missing Ranger on the roster makes a big difference. I'm a bit nervous of an ass beating.

DC said today that the only thing he is sure of regarding the defensive pairings is that Meszaros and Mihalik were on the top pair. Apparently Melrose was mixing up all the lines and pairings in an effort to disguise his game plan to the Ranger scouts watching practice.

[jaydeedub]

Yeah I just finished reading that in DC's live chat. (http://blogs.tampabay.com/lightning/2008/10/lightning-live.html) I just loved this smack down he gives this one guy:

Q: DC - any word on why with Vrbata struggling the way he is there is not even a hint of his being "on the bubble" yet guys like Oullete and Ward who are playing well are? Vrbata is clearly in the dog house yet there isn't even a hint of moving him. Are the days of truely having to earn your spot (as opposed to having it handed to you) gone? -- Geografer

DAMIAN: Perhaps because they signed him for three years and paid him $9-million. Seriously, you're not comparing Jason Ward to Vrbata, are you? You know Jason Ward's track record, good for a game, gone for a dozen. Vrbata scored 27 goals last season. Ward, if used correctly, can be an asset. Vrbata is with a new team, trying to find his way. You don't make judgments on a player like that, especially a 20-goal scorer in six preseason games. And, really, Michel Ouellet had no chance here from the start unless he pulled a Jussi Jokinen. He didn't.

[timothy]

I'm not taking Mihalik's pairing with Mez as anything other than just putting the kid starting his first NHL game paired with a steady vet of 250 games.

It will be interesting to see how O'Brien, Lundin, Niskala, and Carle shake out in the depth chart.

Heward is now the #7 power-play specialist instead of Hutchinson. He's a righty, so I wonder if he'll get 2nd PP time on the point?

[missK]

DAMIAN: Perhaps because they signed him for three years and paid him $9-million.

Perhaps because "they" are the new ownership and they wanted Vrbata and not the others because those guys were signed by Feaster???

[CTLightning26]

Christ, they're upset with Vrbata cause he's not acing preseason games. Give me a break. We have some dumb fans in tampa. We got to find a way to increase the hockey intelligence of more fans.

[aapbolt]

Don't forget Roberts at 2m, another expensive popcorn server.

[timothy]

Perhaps because "they" are the new ownership and they wanted Vrbata and not the others because those guys were signed by Feaster???

As I recall, Vrbata is filling one of the two holes that were left unfilled for several seasons by the Davidson/Feaster since the departure of Freddy Modin.

No one was "jettisoned" to make room for Vrbata.

[Sean]

And I'll take Vrbata at 3 a season over Ward and Ouellet at anything a season every single day of the week.

The defense is young, but oozing with talent. It's a bit scary, and I'd love to see a shutdown stay at home vet brought in, but I don't think it's going to be nearly as bad as people act.

It'll be interesting to see who they prove wrong.

[Kowalski]

From what I've seen of Niskala in the preseason, he could be the surprise of this defense. He's far better defensively than previously mentioned. We're going to have an excellent skating defense. I think they may struggle with position to begin with, but with their size, I think they'll be relatively formidable. The key will be whether OK and LB will give them time to all grow together as a unit. They could be nasty in a couple years.

[chad]

Yeah I just finished reading that in DC's live chat. (http://blogs.tampabay.com/lightning/2008/10/lightning-live.html) I just loved this smack down he gives this one guy:

Thank you, DC.

An idiotic question like that deserves that answer.

:doh:

[chad]

From what I've seen of Niskala in the preseason, he could be the surprise of this defense. He's far better defensively than previously mentioned. We're going to have an excellent skating defense.

I agree. I think he'd have a better chance of success if he was complimented with a solid stay-at-homer. As is, he may find himself trying to be the defensive compliment to his partner.