Prospect News

Prospect Camp Roster Finalized [1]

07/02/2009 - 2:53pm

The Tampa Bay Lightning have released their final roster for their Young Guns Prospect Camp scheduled for July 8-15 at the St. Pete Times Forum. The camp includes a prospect scrimmage on July 11 at 7pm that is open and free to the public and will include autograph sessions by the prospects and newly signed Lightning defensemen Mattias Ohlund and Matt Walker.

The camp roster includes the following Bolt prospects and non-organizational invitees:

Goaltenders: Dustin Tokarski, Riku Helenius, Jaroslav Janus, Bryan Mountain, and Michael Zador

Defensemen: Mark Barberio, Erik Gustafsson, Victor Hedman, Scott Jackson, Vladimir Mihalik, Kevin Quick, Ty Wishart, and Luke Witkowski

Forwards: Carter Ashton, Kyle DeCoste, Mitch Fadden, Tommy Grant, Alex Hutchings, Alex Killorn, Chris Lawrence, Matt Marshall, Matt Read, Juraj Simek, Dana Tyrell, and James Wright

Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune is reporting [2] that six players originally scheduled to attend the camp have been omitted from the final roster and includes forwards Johan Harju, Justin Courtnall, Denis Kazionov, Dmitri Kazionov, Paul Szczechura, and Steve Downie.
'67's Select Matias Sointu in OHL Import Draft [3]

07/01/2009 - 5:19pm

The Ottawa '67's of the OHL selected Bolt prospect forward Matias Sointu with the 48th pick in Tuesday's OHL Import Draft. The smallish forward was selected by the Lightning in the 7th round of the 2008 Entry Draft. The Finnish-born Sointu failed to secure a regular roster spot in the SM-Liiga last season after suffering a season-ending injury after just 7 games into the FNL Jr.A season. Sointu potted 3 goals in 6 games for the undermanned Finnish U18 WJC team in early 2008, and has scored 22 goals and 20 assists in 48 games for the Ilves Jr.A squad.

It is speculated that Sointu is considering coming to North America after losing almost a whole year of development last season similar to Riku Helenius after losing a season a few years ago to a shoulder injury.

Sointu is currently not on the 2009 Young Guns prospect camp roster scheduled for mid-July in Tampa.
Keller, McKenna Not Qualified [4]

06/29/2009 - 1:33pm

According to Damian Cristodero of the St. Pete Times [5], the Tampa Bay Lightning have chosen not to qualify restricted free agents forward Justin Keller and goaltender Mike McKenna.

Players receiving qualifying offers were defensemen Lukas Krajicek, Matt Smaby, Matt Lashoff and Mike Lundin; forwards Martins Karsums, Blair Jones, Radek Smolenak and Lauri Tukonen; and goaltender Karri Ramo. Both Smolenak and Ramo have signed contracts to play in the KHL next season.
Wessbecker Earns Distinguished Scholar Honors [6]

06/09/2009 - 11:21pm

WGGB-TV out of Springfield, MA is reporting [7] that Lightning University of Massachusettes-Amherst prospect defenseman John Wessbecker has been named to the HEAST All-Academic Team for the fourth consecutive year, earning him the Distinguish Scholar Award. Wessbecker, 22, completed his senior season at UMass-Amherst with 1 goal and 4 assists in 35 games as a stay-at-home blueliner. The Lighting have until August 15 to sign Wessbecker to an entry-level contract or he becomes a free agent.
Marshall Named to HEAST All-Academic Team [8]

06/09/2009 - 10:16am

According to a story [9] in the Burlington Free Press, Lightning University of Vermont prospect Matt Marshall has been named to the Hockey East All-Academic Team along with four other Catamounts for his freshman season of 2008-09. Congratulations to Matt on receiving this honor.
Smolenak Speaks About Jump to Europe [10]

06/08/2009 - 9:30am

Lightning forward prospect Radek Smolenak discusses his decision to jump to the KHL next season instead of resigning with the Lightning organization in a story on the Czech hockey site hoke.cz [11]

Loosely translated, Smolenak admitted his decision to accept an offer from the Nizhnekamsk Neftekhimik of the KHL "...was not easy decision. If I felt the chance that I will be in the first team and spend the entire season in the NHL, I would definitely stay. But more than to stay on the farm, I prefer to give priority to Russia. I had offers from other leagues, but the Continental League attracted me a lot..."

Smolenak declined to comment on the Lightning's embarrassing finish to the 2008-09 indicating that he only played a few games with Tampa and that was a question better suited for the executives and owners. Smolenak did suggest, "The fact is that the change was really a lot, maybe it could even wait a little." He did, however, address the question that many followers of Bolt prospects are wondering -- will he consider returning to North America? To that question, Radek indicated that he will play a season in the KHL to satisfy his curiosity and give the league a try, but that he certainly would like to return overseas.
Deadline for Jung, Ward Looms [12]

06/01/2009 - 7:30am

In just a few short hours, the two year run of goaltender Torrie Jung and defenseman Michael Ward as Tampa Bay Lightning prospects could end. As 2007 draftees out of Canadian juniors, both players are facing a June 1 deadline to be signed to entry level contracts by the Lightning or be returned to the 2009 NHL entry draft later this month in Montreal. The Lighting have already signed fellow 2007 draftees Dana Tyrell and Mitch Fadden, along with 2008 draftee Dustin Tokarski to three-year rookie contracts. Jung, who had a spectacular comeback season for the Edmonton Oil Kings, has seemingly played well enough to earn a contract, but faces considerable depth in the Lightning system behind Mike Smith, Karri Ramo, Riku Helenius, and the highly touted Tokarski. Ward, while showing a more pedestrian development and is considered somewhat of a longshot to earn a contract, would seemingly benefit from a general lack of blueline depth in the Lightning system.

Defenseman John Wessbecker, a 2007 NCAA draftee out of the University of Massachusettes-Amherst, faces an August 15 deadline as a graduating senior to sign an entry level contract or be released as an unrestricted free agent.
Smolenak Jumps to KHL [13]

05/26/2009 - 3:13pm

According to a story [14] 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.
Bolt Prospects 2008-2009 Final Rankings [15]

06/03/2009 - 7:32pm

With the elimination of Rimouski in the Memorial Cup tournament, the 2008-2009 season has finally come to a close for all of the prospects of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. While the Lightning's record in 2008-2009 at the NHL was disappointing with the team finishing second to last in the league, the play of the team's youth was a bright spot. The team graduated three prospects this season: star center Steven Stamkos, physical defenseman Matt Smaby, and athletic netminder Karri Ramo. In addition, several other prospects made their NHL debuts this season, and most did not look out of place at hockey's top level. As a result, even with the graduation of three prospects, our Final Rankings for 2008-2009 reflect a solid roster of talent among the team's top prospects, which will only be added to in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft where the Lightning will hold three picks in the top sixty of the draft including the second overall pick.

As is customary, for those who have never read our rankings reports before, Bolt Prospects' rules are fairly simple. For skaters, a player is considered a prospect if they are less than 24 years of age on opening night of the Lightning's season and if they have not played 41 or more NHL games in a single season or 82 or more career NHL games. The same age standard applies to goaltenders, but their thresholds for graduation from prospect status are different: 30 or more NHL decisions in a single season, or 41 or more career NHL decisions. NCAA players are still considered prospects at the age of 24 or older for as long as they remain in school. Bolt Prospects will issue a Supplementary Rankings Update in late June after the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Without further ado, here are Bolt Prospects' 2008-2009 Final Rankings:
Lawton Praises Tokarski, Harju [16]

05/15/2009 - 5:39pm

In an article for the Lightning's website [17], GM Brian Lawton praised late round picks Dustin Tokarski and Johan Harju. In particular, the article states there is a "strong opportunity" Harju will be signed for the 2010-2011 season. The money quote from Lawton regarding Harju:

“I wasn’t here or part of it, but he fits the late-round mold,” Lawton said. “Maybe he is a little older, for whatever reason hasn’t been drafted, but you can see he is coming. I commend the staff for a pick like that. We need to have more of them.”

BoltProspects respectfully poses the following question to Brian Lawton: while you're at it, why not acquire the rights to Harju's talented lifelong teammate Linus Omark from Edmonton? Just a thought.