Norfolk Admirals

According to a Regina, SASK based sports blog, rodpederson.com, 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.

According to a story 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.

You get the sense Norfolk and the Lightning farm system has finally turned the corner.

NOR-4
WBS-3

Craig Kowalski allowed 3 goals on 35 shots for the victory, including stopping 21 of 22 in a Katey-bar-the-door final frame.

First Period
WBS Henrich, (3) (Wallace, Jeffrey), 7:53
WBS Bissonnette, (9) (Daoust, Vitale), 8:30
NOR Sgroi, (2) (Buck, Simek), 10:47
NOR Smolenak, (24) , 15:59

Second Period
NOR Buck, (1) (Swanson, Simek), 6:13
NOR Jones, (20) (Lundin, Segal), 10:56

Third Period
WBS Vitale, (2) (Bissonnette, Lovejoy), 16:52

ATO Brandon Buck was the game's first star, with Kowalski and Blair Jones being named second and third stars respectively.

Jones capped a season in which he was an iron man playing all 80 games with his 20th goal. It's the first 20 goal campaign of his career. Mike Lundin got his 29th point, finishing just shy of the 30 point plateau.

Norfolk was the nastiest spoiler in the east in the final couple of weeks of the season. They knocked Binghamton out of the playoffs last night and they denied Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the division title in tonight's game. That's with a lot of ATO's playing on the team's lower lines and lower pairing. Impressive. Like I said last night, Darren Rumble is becoming a hell of a coach. We may see him in Tampa Bay some day. The Ads jump from 29 wins and 65 points a season ago to 33 wins and 75 points this season. Post mortem in the following days.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Unbelievably awesome.

NOR-6
BNG-1

Craig Kowalski allowed 1 goal on 30 shots for the victory.

First Period
NOR Keller, (17) , 5:51
NOR Segal, (24) (Jones), 7:47 (PP)
NOR Segal, (25) , 12:25

Second Period
NOR Segal, (26) , 3:22 (SH)
NOR Graddock, (1) (Zingoni), 5:23
NOR Keller, (18) (Lundin), 9:50
BNG Smith, (7) (Hennessy, Bois), 11:07 (SH)

Third Period
NO SCORING

Brandon Segal, Justin Keller, and Kowalski were named the game's three stars.

On paper, the Admirals had no business even being competitive in this game. Norfolk had nothing to play for other than pride and the possibility to climb out of the division basement. At the other end of the rink, Binghamton came into this game tied with Philadelphia for the final playoff spot in the division and desperate for points. Norfolk's bottom lines and bottom pairings were riddled with ATO's due to call-ups and injuries. This should have been a cake walk for Binghamton, but just like their last game out against the Penguins, the core of this Admirals team absolutely refuses to lay down.

In my mind, over the past two years Darren Rumble has developed into a hell of a coach. He got several of these young players like Radek Smolenak to start believing in themselves down the stretch of last season, and this season he's instilled a sense of pride in a minor league system that hasn't had any since they were the Atlanta Knights of the IHL.

I think the team tonight also took the guess work out of who you keep and who you let go. All of the top-six forwards and top-four d-men from this game need to be retained, which means Geoff Kinrade needs a contract. With the further development of this clubs young players and the introduction of some new talent like Dana Tyrell, next season is one where the Admirals should legitimately be a playoff team.

Box score from TheAHL.com.

Still no quit in the Admirals.

NOR-4
WBS-3

Riku Helenius allowed 3 goals on 37 shots in the victory.

First Period
NOR Segal, (23) (Zingoni), 11:47
NOR Zingoni, (7) (Kinrade, Keller), 18:07 (PP)

Second Period
WBS Satan, (3) (Taffe, Goligoski), 1:18 (PP)
NOR Simek, (9) (Keller, Boyle), 9:16 (PP)

Third Period
WBS Pesonen, (30) (Johnson, Goligoski), 7:22 (PP)
WBS Taffe, (25) (Goligoski, Pesonen), 13:00 (PP)

Overtime
NOR Smolenak, (23) (Keller), 3:52

Radek Smolenak and Pete Zingoni were named the game's first and third stars.

Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune speculates on his blog that scratches Ty Wishart and Kevin Quick have been called to Tampa for tomorrow night's game against the Washington Capitals. In their absence, the Admirals dressed eight tryout players for the contest and still managed to pull out their 31st win of the season to stay even with Albany at 71 points.

Box score from TheAHL.com.