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Good morning from the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. Sunday sure felt like a long, long day. After spending a third day in a third different time zone, then sitting on the tarmac in Denver for over an hour before take off followed by a nearly four-hour flight, it was a short…

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced this trade Sunday at 12:10 p.m.  Here is the team’s news release with the details:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired right wing Lauri Tukonen from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, it was announced by Executive Vice President & General…

The latest Steven Stamkos diary entry is posted, entitled A Thanksgiving Feast [6] where Steven talks about celebrating his first Thanksgiving in the U.S.

It’s probably not a surprise, but we were greeted in Denver last night with snow. Lots of snow. It’s still snowing. It’s not the kind that really sticks to the road, but it does accumulate on the grass and on top of cars. And it actually feels kind of strange because…

Happy Holidays to everyone, once again. Sitting high above the Xcel Energy Center, one of my favorite buildings in the league to visit. It’s hard to make a hockey arena unique, with the setup basically the same all around the league, but the Wild did it right. From the high school…

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody. Yes, I’m working, that’s how dedicated I really am to my job providing you guys the information you crave. Plus, I really like my job and I’d like to keep it, so here I am. That means no Thanksgiving for me, no dinner out of the house…

The Lightning certainly put in a much better effort against the Rangers on Wednesday. They outhit New York to a 26-11 margin, including seven (mostly crunching) hits from Evgeny Artyukhin. I think they played well defensively, for the most part, and didn’t have many of the those “OHHHHHH, FUUUUDDDDGGGEE’’ moments, with…

The old net presence factor favors New York through 40 minutes of play. Interim coach Rick Tocchet has talked in recent days about charting what he calls net presence. He’s not sure how he’s going to chart it or what the exact parameters are for defining it will be. But no…

All right, I’m copyrighting it right now, Stammer the Hammer. Definitely. It’s mine, you can’t have it, you can’t use the phrase unless you offer me some hefty, hefty royalties. I’m thinking like $100 just for thinking about it, $150 for speaking it and perhaps $250 to use it on your…

After taking a couple of well earned (and deserved!!!) days away from the rink, I’m back for another grind. I hope everybody enjoyed super-sub these days, Tony Fabrizio, stepping in and helping out. (Thanks Tony!!!!)

Took some time to spend at home with the kids, especially the three-year-old who…

Former Tampa Bay Lightning Associate Coach Mike Sullivan has returned to the team and will serve as associate coach to Interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced. 

In addition, Assistant Coach Cap Raeder will become goaltending coach and oversee the development of…

Before we get into this, just a note. I will not be on the road trip that goes through Minnesota, Colorado and Philly. Brant James will be with the team while I take Thanksgiving off. You are in good hands.

Anyway, did you see how much better the Lightning played when it got PO'd? The hitting, the fighting the intensity around the net gave Tampa Bay the chance not only to stay with the Rangers on Wednesday but to outplay them for a significant amount of time.

Sure, they lost, 3-2 in a shootout, But that goes into a whole other range of problems. Will Tampa Bay ever win another shootout? Both the shooters and Mike Smith have to be better. Can i prevent opponents from getting into these minutes-long, offensive-zone possessions? But those are subjects for another day. For now, it's enough to know the Lightning plays better when it plays angry.

This goes beyond the fights. That is easy. That's a byproduct of playing angry. I'm, talking about someone like Evgeny Artyukhin, who threw around his 6-foot-5, 254-pound body and got under New York's skin. Witness Colton Orr jumping Artyukhin after a clean hit on Blair Betts. Tampa Bay should have had a four-minute power play but because a bewildering call by the referees, it got only two as an innocent Artyukhin was called for roughing.

But you see what happens when you stir things up a bit.

The adrenaline gets pumping, the focus is intensified and players start doing things like getting in front of the net, setting screens, going for tip-ins, hitting  a little harder. Makes for an entertaining game. Makes for a better chance of victory.

We're not talking about fighting here, but playing gritty, going after pucks, hitting hard and getting to the net.

It is a difficult way to play. It takes will and conditioning. Perhaps it also takes a coach like Rick Tocchet, who was that kind of player in his day, to threaten his guys with a loss of playing time if they don't keep it up.

One thing is sure, the Lightning played with an edge against the Rangers. Isn't that what all players are looking for?

Given that the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL uses so few players from the Lightning organization, the consequences here are not dire for Tampa Bay other than the inconvenience of what may happen. But it is worth noting that ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna said Monday morning that Augusta's owners have not secured financing to keep the team running in the long term. Lightning GM Brian Lawton had said Sunday he believed a deal was in place.

There are still talks with at least one investor to get financing, but McKenna said the situation is pretty dire.

"Whether the ownership group can carry on remains to be seen," he said.

If the worst case unfolds and the team disbands, players under contract to the Lynx would be declared free agents, McKenna said. Those players under contract to the Lightning such as goaltender Riku Helenius, defenseman Kevin Quick and center Chris Lawrence would simply be re-assigned.

McKenna said this week likely is crucial to what ultimately will happen with the 10-year-old franchise; perhaps it gets the financing, perhaps it is sold or simply goes out of business. McKenna said it is too early in the process to consider whether the league would step in and run the team.

"They've talked to various groups but haven't had any luck to date," McKenna said of the Lynx. "But I understand they are talking to at least one interested party."

As strange as it sounds this time of year it was a sunny morning and not too cold in Philadelphia today as the Lightning hopped on the bus to the Wachovia Center for an 11 a.m. practice. There was an interesting new line combo...

Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos scored in third period to make it a one-goal game, but the Avalanche prevailed in a 4-3 loss, Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Vincent Lecavalier extended his points streak to seven games. Game photos [21] |

Despite having the edge in shots, the Tampa Bay Lightning were outscored by the Minnesota Wild 4-2 Friday afternoon. Ryan Malone scored his third goal in as many games and Mike Smith made 29 saves in the game. Photos [23] | 

Every family has their holiday traditions, right? Thanksgiving marks the start of the season; and no matter who we are or how far we’ve roamed, thoughts naturally turn toward home and family and the special things each of us look forward...

Photographer Scott Audette's Photo Blog of the Lightning's new third jersey that premiered on Sunday. Go behind the scenes of the video shoot for Lightning Vision and into the locker room as the players put on the jersey for the first time.

Was the promotion of goalie Riku Helenius to AHL Norfolk tied to the financial trouble being felt by the ECHL Augusta Lynx?

Norfolk GM Mike Butters said Sunday, "His call-up had zero to do with what is going on in Augusta."

Butters said Helenius, one of Tampa Bay's top prospects, was called up for evaluation and to work with organizational goaltenders coach Cap Raeder.

Still, the situation with Tampa Bay's ECHL affiliate seems difficult. At a news conference on Saturday, GM Dan Troutman confirmed the team is having financial trouble but a report Saturday on the WJBF-TV web site was more dire, quoting owner Robert Burch as saying new investors to close a $300,000 budget gap to keep the team in Augusta had to be found within days.

There has been talk the league could step in and run the team in case of emergency. But no one from the team or league could be immediately reached. Lightning GM Brian Lawton said Sunday the Lynx did get the cash infusion needed, though that could not be confirmed.

"So now they are moving forward," he said. "But there's all sorts of emergency plans in place, and things like that from the league, so it's something we're monitoring very closely. We don't have a tremendous amount of players there, but we certainly want them to do well. Recently, we recalled Helenius. It wasn't because of that. But, really, we're down to very few players, so it won't have a major impact."

Lawton said the Lynx has indicated it has the money needed.

"That's what they tell us. We're not privy to their books, but there was a lot of speculation out there about it and the league has also reassured us there are plans and things, so it's something we're monitoring."   

Lightning prospects on the Lynx roster include center Chris Lawrence and defenseman Kevin Quick.

"Interestingly, when things like this happen, it's amazing how many people contract you," Lawton said. "We've had numerous inquiries from other teams and other leagues. We're talking about a nominal number of players here, but everyone likes to have an affiliation with an NHL franchise. It just helps the business."

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning unveiled an alternate, third jersey in Sunday’s home game. The sweater highlights the team’s nickname: Bolts. We know what you thought of the team’s 7-3 loss to the Devils. But what do you think of the new…