Rebuilding Plan

[pete]

Here are the team's impending UFA's, most of which will be trade bait in the next couple of weeks:

D Dan Boyle, $3.33M cap number
LW Vaclav Prospal, $1.9M cap number
C Chris Gratton, $1.5M cap number (NTC)
G Johan Holmqvist, $1M cap number
LW Jan Hlavac, 700K cap number
C Tim Taylor, 650K cap number
C Andreas Karlsson, 500K cap number
C Craig MacDonald, 500K cap number
RW Andre Roy, 500K cap number
LW Mathieu Darche, 475K cap number
D Doug Janik, 475K cap number

Here are the other players on the team who I feel the Lightning should consider moving by the start of next season:

D Filip Kuba, $3M cap number, 1 year remaining
G Marc Denis, $2.87M cap number, 1 year remaining
D Brad Lukowich, $1.57M cap number, 2 years remaining
LW Michel Ouellet, $1.25M cap number, 1 year remaining
RW Jason Ward, 675K, 1 year remaining
LW Ryan Craig, 850K, RFA

Here are the prospects who will be UFA's or RFA's this summer who I feel the Lightning should cut loose to free 50 man roster room:

G Ryan Munce, RFA
D Jay Rosehill, RFA
RW Zbynek Hrdel, RFA
RW Marek Kvapil, RFA
D David Schneider, UFA
LW Karl Stewart, RFA
LW Brandon Elliot, RFA

[pete]

1.) Karri Ramo should start 75% of the games from here on out.
2.) Mike Lundin should be playing 20 minutes a night from here on out. He played a shade over 8 minutes tonight.

3.) Your first callups should be Matt Smaby and Blair Jones and they need to play 10-12 mins a night minimum.

4.) Cups of coffee need to go to Vladimir Mihalik, Jonathan Boutin, Justin Keller, and Radek Smolenak once the rosters expand. The team should also consider giving cups of coffee to Andy Rogers and Mike Egener.

[chad]

If a D is moved....

I was looking around at some previous dmen dealt at the deadline (situations vary):

Last year:

MTL sent Craig Rivet with a 5th to SJ for a FIRST and Josh Gorges.
(Boyle should fetch much more)

LA sent M. Norstrom with a prospect (Pushkarov), 3rd, and 4th to DAL for Modry, prospect (Fronssen), FIRST, 2nd, and 3rd.

FLA sent Joel Kwiatkowski to Pit for a 4th. (Lukowich should fetch more if dealt)

NAS sent D Mikko Lehtonen to BUF for a 4th.

Mara and Ward traded places (NYR/BOS)

VAN gets Brent Sopel for a conditional 2nd and 08 4th.

ATL got Zhitnik for former top prospect Braydon Coburn.

07 deadline deals



---

I was trying to think of some other All-Star caliber dmen being moved at the deadline and Rob Blake came to mind. He was sent with a Steven Reinprecht to the Avalanche for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, a 1st round selection (David Steckel) in 2001, a player to be named later (Jared Aulin, March 22, 2001) and future considerations.

Boyle is not Rob Blake and won't fetch that much, but a nice package for sure should be in return for a 60 point dmen. You don't find dmen that can create offense from the backline for cheap. Someone is going to pay a lot.

I think you start with a first coming back, and a prospect, then get greedy.

[PEIBolt]

Eklund has Gratton heading to Ottawa. Leave it to me to quote the great hockey blooger in my first post on this forum. Missed you guys!!

[CTLightning26]

I totally agree. Be greedy because every playoff team would druel over having Boyle in their lineup and the ones who need one more piece to really make a run for the cup (Calgary, San Jose, Minnesota, Montreal, New Jersey, the Rangers, etc.) have got to start with a No. 1 and a prospect or like a 1, 2 and 4.
You can add guys like Milley and Leach to that list. Perhaps an AHL team might want to add a veteran like them for a run for the Calder. Even if we get some cash for it or a No. 7. They are never gonna play in Tampa more than an emergency callup. Plus, you could sign them back for next year if you want.
The worry I have is Feaster may not want to make this like an absolute Fire Sale. But he has to get over it. It's good for the future. Of course, we're not going to be able to get rid of everyone anyways.

[CTLightning26]

Originally Posted by pete

Here are the team's impending UFA's, most of which will be trade bait in the next couple of weeks:


LW Michel Ouellet, $1.25M cap number, 1 year remaining

Certainly might think about taking a No. 2 or - even better - a top prospect for him, but I'm willing to keep this guy because you have him signed pretty cheap and he has potential to be a solid top-six forward. After this year where his numbers will be something like 14-21-35, I'd even try to extend him for a year or two at like 1.5.

[Coldrice]

No doubt this year's draft is a very important one for this team. How would you go about it though... half and half (FA and immediate impact player(s) from the draft), back to contender status via FA and supplement Norfolk otherwise Feaster won't be allowed to enter the state of Virginia, or go with what we got and take the long pause until those who mature crack the lineup here

[pete]

I think the recent moves by Loiselle coupled with the emergence of Henrich and Smolenak is already starting to heal some things in Norfolk.

[Randy]

I think as a long time ADs fan the healing has begun. Yes Henrich and Smolenak have picked up their games recently.

I saw where one poster suggested putting Leach on the market. Leach this year leads the team in +/-. But more importantly, he has become a mentor to the younger dmen, especially Rogers. And Rogers' game has improved because of it. So I am not quite sold on trading Leach. He should be brought back to Norfolk next year.

Loiselle really promoted the healing in obtaining Junior Lessard and Paul Szcezchura from Iowa. This was after an earlier season trade that brought over Mario Scalzo. Lessard has picked up in his scoring since he first arrived here and is showing on ice leadership. He plays not only on the PP but on the PK as well.

Szcezchura, what a steal! He had 5 points in 29 games with Iowa. But since coming to Norfolk he has had 6 goals and 6 assists in 8 games. And he is not a one trick pony but does the other things well. He was undrafted and is on an AHL SPC. He deserves strong consideration for a regular contract.

But what those acquisitions told the Norfolk fans that Loiselle was trying to improve the team. To do nothing with the team would have aggravated the Norfolk fans to no end. Also I think it is important to all of the prospects to try and foster a winning attitude in Norfolk.

So we are healing nicely now. Hopefully, we can get some good prospects for us along with some draft picks and some players to plug in at Tampa.

[CTLightning26]

Yeah, you're probably right about Leach. Just thinking we could maybe get a No. 6 or 7 pick for him, then sign him back.
But maybe he'd be better as a mentor and wouldn't bring us a pick.