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  • Heward To Return As Norfolk Player/Coach? [1]
    06/01/2009 - 12:38pm

    According to a Regina, SASK based sports blog, rodpederson.com [2], the Tampa Bay Lightning are considering hiring Regina's Jamie Heward as a player/assistant coach, presumably with their AHL affiliate in Norfolk.

    Not sure how reliable this news is, as technically the Toronto Maple Leafs retain Heward's rights until July 1. However, it is possible the Leafs could have given the Lightning permission to speak with Heward, but that seems doubtful considering the public sparring that has gone on between the GMs of the two clubs over Tampa's #2 overall pick in the upcoming NHL entry draft later this month.

    Heward was an anchor for the Norfolk blueline early last season before injuries in Tampa led to his recall and eventual season-ending head injury from a controversial check by Capitals megastar Alexander Ovechkin. Controversy continued around Heward when the Lighting traded him along with injured goalie Olaf Kolzig, prospect bust Andy Rogers, and a 2009 draft pick to the Leafs at the trade deadline. Though approved by the league, the trade was heralded by pundits and fans as a rather obvious deal by Leafs GM Brian Burke to "purchase" a draft pick from the Lightning.

  • Smolenak Jumps to KHL [3]
    05/26/2009 - 3:13pm

    According to a story [4] released today on the team's official website, the Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik of the KHL have signed Lightning left wing prospect Radek Smolenak to a contract for next season. Smolenak's three-year entry level contract with the Lightning expired at the end of this season, although Tampa could retain his NHL rights as restricted free agent by tendering a qualifying offer.

    Smolenak seemed poised to push for a roster position next season with the Lightning next season after having a breakout season with Tampa's AHL minor league affiliate the Norfolk Admirals. Smolenak posted career highs in nearly every statistical category by posting 24 goals and 25 assists in 71 AHL games while amassing 165 penalty minutes. Smolenak recorded 1 assist in 6 games with the Lightning during a brief mid-season recall.

    There is no word regarding the length of the contract Smolenak signed with the Petrochemists or whether the contract contains an "NHL out", and there is no word yet whether Tampa intends to retain his rights by tendering a qualifying offer to the tough left winger. Hat tip to the members of the BoltProspects message board for the heads-up on this story.

  • Helenius, Quick to Taste Playoff Action [5]
    04/07/2009 - 2:36pm

    The Elmira Jackals of the ECHL have announced their playoff roster [6], and it includes two top Lightning prospects [7]: goaltender Riku Helenius and defenseman Kevin Quick. Both players are slated to join Elmira at the conclusion of their AHL regular seasons with Norfolk. Helenius and Quick are eligible for the ECHL playoffs by virtue of having played in Augusta and Mississippi of the ECHL earlier this season.

  • Bolts Reassign Josef Melichar to Admirals [8]
    03/16/2009 - 4:20pm

    The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned defenseman Josef Melichar to the Norfolk Admirals, Lightning Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. There is no word on a possible replacement recall from Norfolk like Matt Lashoff, so it is anticipated that Marek Malik is ready to return to the Lighting lineup.

    Melichar, a 6-foot-2, 222-pound native of Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic, has played in 30 games with the Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes this season, recording eight assists. He made his Tampa Bay debut February 12 and has averaged 17:15 in ice time while recording four assists in 15 games with the Lightning.

    Melichar has appeared in one game with Norfolk this season, making his Admirals debut on February 8 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has also appeared in 25 games with Albany of the AHL, recording a goal and five points.

    Update:
    Erik Erlendsson of the Trib says [9] that Lashoff is expected to be called up tomorrow.

  • Admirals Announce Clear Day Roster [10]
    03/12/2009 - 4:31pm

    Norfolk Admirals General Manager Mike Butters today announced the players on the team’s Clear Day Roster.

    Each American Hockey League team submits a Clear Day roster to the league consisting of a maximum of 22 players. According to AHL by-laws, only those players listed on a team’s Clear Day roster are eligible to compete in the remainder of the 2008-09 AHL regular season and in the 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs, unless emergency conditions arise as a result of recall, injury or suspension.

    The one notable prospect missing from the Admirals Clear Day Roster is forward Paul Szczechura, which implies he will be spending the remainder of the 2008-09 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Also, six (6) players listed on the Admirals Clear Roster are currently on the Tampa Bay Lightning roster include 4 defensemen and 2 goaltenders.

    The 22 players listed by the Admirals are...

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Links:
[1] http://boltprospects.com/content/heward-be-norfolk-playercoach
[2] http://rodpedersen.blogspot.com/2009/06/monday-morning-goalie.html
[3] http://boltprospects.com/content/smolenak-jumps-khl
[4] http://www.hcneftekhimik.ru/news/4266/
[5] http://boltprospects.com/content/helenius-quick-taste-playoff-action
[6] http://www.jackalshockey.com/CenterIceArticle.asp?ARTICLE49506=63816
[7] http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=18457
[8] http://boltprospects.com/content/bolts-reassign-josef-melichar-admirals
[9] http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/lightning-send-melichar-down-whos-coming-up/
[10] http://boltprospects.com/content/admirals-announce-clear-day-roster
[11] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=1
[12] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=2
[13] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=3
[14] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=4
[15] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=5
[16] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=6
[17] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=7
[18] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=8
[19] http://boltprospects.com/affiliates/recent?page=35