Playoffs Slip… Slip… Slipping Away

March 10th, 2010

By AMANDA HARRIS
JoeBoltsFan.com analyst

Not sure how one recovers from the slide the Lightning finds itself on, last night’s 5-3 loss to the Canadiens really putting the nail in the ol’ coffin as far as any kind of playoff drive is concerned.

Led by an apathetic defense and a pair of hole-y goalies, the Bolts didn’t exactly bring their A-game, or their B- or C-game to the Bell Centre. And it’s a shame really because they are currently the do-or-die road trip of all do-or-die road trips with six points at stake and a chance to make up some ground in the push for the postseason.

To be certain, there was no marking of men, no clearing of the crease, and far too many pucks lost in transition. The Habs skated circles around the boys (literally), making the neutral zone u-turn an all too frequent occurrence. High time the Bolts man-up and box out the opposition, no?

Of course, getting off their heels and refraining from the dump-and-retreat style of play they’ve come to adopt of late would help the cause as well.

Statistically speaking, Steven Stamkos broke a franchise record when his unassisted power play wrister in the second (No. 17) blistered it’s way into the back of the net. The kid has now scored goals in six straight and tacked another one onto his point streak to make it a 17-game run. At this pace, a 50-goal season is not out of reach and could very well be the high point of an otherwise slipshod season.

Effort-wise, the line of Mark Parrish, Nate Thompson, and Stephane Veilleux looked to be busting its hump a bit more than the others. Could be purely subjective but all three ended up a plus-one on the night (the only Lightning players not at 0 or below) and got deep into the Habs zone to cycle the puck on occasion.

Marty St. Louis, who seemed to harbor no ill-effects from Saturday’s knock on the noggin, also deserves mention for a tally late in the third that saw him bear down and drive the net with speed to launch a backhand over the shoulder of Jaroslav Halak. Dude never quits and it’s pretty darn sad one cannot say the same for some of his teammates.

Yep, this one truly sucked the life out of my hopes for a playoff berth. And unless the Bolts can figure out how to eliminate the suck from their game once and for all, I’m afraid it’s become a matter of letting this season peter out so we can all get on with it and begin the process of restoring the hope for 2010-11.

Canadiens 5, Lightning 3

March 9th, 2010

Canadiens 5, Lightning 3

A little bit of defense would have been nice, huh?

Joe is trying not to be depressed by thinking about Steven Stamkos. What a jewel this guy is.

As always, video courtesy of NHL.tv and TampaBayLightning.com.

Getting To Know Jim Johnson

March 9th, 2010

By AMANDA HARRIS
JoeBoltsFan.com analyst

Since being named Bolts assistant coach Feb. 24, Jim Johnson has been an enigma of sorts.

His absence from the bench during games and relegation to the video room at Lightning practice sessions has even prompted many to wonder if head coach Rick Tocchet is making an effort NOT to integrate the former NHL defenseman into his coaching staff.

And though I can’t speak to the latter, I can (at your behest) shed a little light on who Johnson the coach is, via an interview I had the pleasure to conduct with him last month.

To begin, I must thank the Lightning for permitting me to share this with you, as my speaking with Johnson was initially prompted by a story I wrote for the team to highlight the fact both the Bolts and the Admirals were poised for the post-season for the first time in the history of their affiliation.

It should be noted the interview occurred in early February, when Johnson was Norfolk’s new head coach just 10 games into what would become an eventual 17-game impressive run (13-2-2).  Johnson had taken over the job Jan. 16, shortly after the AHL’s all-star break.

Entirely accommodating, thorough, and thoughtful, Johnson shared everything, from his take on the Admirals’ turnaround and the coaching philosophy he’s come to adopt to his bona fide passion for the game of hockey itself.

Of course, I have much to say about the current situation in which our Lightning finds itself and I’ll weight in later. For now, however, I invite you to get to know Coach Johnson.

Amanda Harris: You’ve had a phenomenal run in your first 10 games as head coach (undefeated in the first 9 with a 7-1-2 record) and in just over three short weeks you’ve taken a team with one of the worst records in the AHL from seventh place to third. What’s even more amazing is the fact you managed to swing this transformation with the team in the midst of a seven-game road trip. 
 
To what do you attribute this turnaround and the Admirals newfound success?

Jim Johnson: The first thing that we needed to do was create a team identity and that begins with the team. The best team in sport today is a team that feels like a family. Organizations need to go above and beyond to make the players feel appreciated and an integral part of the team and I believe that this starts with the respect of each other in the room. We also needed to be accountable to each other and pay attention to the details of our system play.

This team had given great effort with a quality core group of leaders in the room and as the head coach I needed to meet with each individual player before we started with evaluations on what I witnessed the first part of the year. I think honesty is the backbone for the winning culture in any level of sport. The only way you make progress is by having the courage to make an honest assessment of a given situation. This approach allows for an opportunity to find solutions to problems or challenges that present themselves. 

I am a guy who is not afraid to make a candid assessment of a given situation. I hope my personality will compliment this organization in such a way that it allows us to get the most out of the players. I hope I can challenge all with new ideas and together we can help the Norfolk Admirals get to the post-season to give these players the experience of playing in [that kind of] situation.

Finally, we as a staff looked at what we needed to do to create more offensive production and we came up with a detailed plan we laid out to the players:

1. Better puck placement in the offensive zone where we have a better than 50% chance of regaining control of the puck back
2. Better puck support with skating speed
3. More shots to the net and on the net
4. Back pressure on the puck with great back checking commitment so that we could start to generate more chance off our transition game with more energy
6. Rush double drives to the net

We also needed to change our fore checking philosophies and terminology and see who the players were that were willing to get in the eyes of the goaltenders.

Harris: How does your background as a former NHL defenseman, development coach, and fixture in U.S. and amateur hockey factor into your coaching style?

Johnson: I have enjoyed every step of the way from coaching with the Phoenix Coyotes to coaching in international competition with the U.S.A. Junior Team and the elite players across the country. I have learned every day developing players and I believe that I am a better coach today because of these experiences. I look forward to coaching because I know that I will be challenged every day to be a better coach.

I had the opportunity to play for some of the best coaches in the game and I learned from each of them. I love the opportunity to get up in the morning and make a contribution to something special. When you have a great organization and a great team with a real chance to win, that’s what I look forward to every day. 

I am also looking forward to working on a daily basis with good people that have the same passion, enthusiasm, and goals that I do. To me, speed is the most intimidating factor in hockey. Individual speed, team speed, transition speed, intellectual speed, they all add up to how fast the game is played. Good puck movement is good team speed. If you can do things fast it forces opposing teams to be on their toes or heels depending on how they respond!

Harris: You’re very good at taking a long-range goal and working towards it through a series of smaller successes, much like the three-game blocks and best-of series you seem to favor. Aside from giving you the ability to effectively evaluate each player in a pressure situation, what other benefits does this tactic present?
 
Johnson: It’s a great way of not focusing on how many points out of the playoffs we may or may not be or the amount of games remaining in the season. It makes the upcoming games the most important and allows the players to focus and set their sites on smaller segments with achievable goals. It also gives the players time for self-assessments regarding their growth and development in playing in these different situations!

Harris: With roughly 28 games remaining, the Admirals sit third in the East, just seven points out of second place in what is arguably one of toughest divisions in the AHL. How do you plan to lead your team to the post-season? 
 
Johnson: We need to focus on our team identity and concentrate on doing what we do best and get better each and every day. We have to win the majority of the playoff series that are in place.

A strategic plan that inspires people to become better men is what leads to the type of competitive greatness that the winning teams achieve consistently. Ultimately it is this inspiration, imbedding in each member of an organization, that leads to the constant and never-ending improvement that will lead to consistent playoff performance and success as a team and individually.

Harris: The Lightning has made it no secret that it wants to restore organizational depth to the franchise, strengthen its prospect base, and grow younger. Your thoughts on how cultivating a competitive and winning culture in Norfolk can assist the Lightning in achieving such goals.
 
Johnson: You manage this through the draft and development of these players in an environment that balances development and winning for the success of the players. We are starting to see the quality of individuals in the organization to the degree where we can strengthen the base of players. Our young players have great work habits and the type of character that it takes to be successful. 

I think you have to have a great nucleus to be a legitimate contender. Having said that, it is difficult to win and a lot of work and preparation has to take place in order for any team to be successful. Potential is a word that is used in sports often, but does not mean a whole lot unless the necessary commitment and sacrifices are made to turn that “potential” into something special. This is what Norfolk can do to help these young men achieve their goals of playing in the NHL.

In order to be successful, players must believe the team has a plan to be successful and that plan should be communicated to the players so they will embrace it.

1. Acquire the right assets
2. Manage those assets well
3. Develop those assets with a strategic framework that maximizes the possibility of a team being successful

Harris: Favorite thing about your new head coaching gig in Norfolk thus far?

Johnson: I have really enjoyed getting the players to buy into the team identity and concepts. I also believe that in a successful game plan a team has purpose. There must be calculated risk to the decisions that are made within the framework of the game plan. …The biggest key to a winning approach is the “buy-in” factor. If the players “buy-in” to the approach or the game plan, the chances of success are greatly increased. That is one of the biggest challenges of a coaching staff.

New Bolts Owner Jeff Vinik Speaks

March 8th, 2010

The St. Petersburg Times brought its video camera along to catch a few soundbytes from new Bolts owner Jeff Vinik.

He looks, and sounds, like an owner. Joe just hopes the goods follow the looks and sounds.

Espo Seems To Like This Vinik Guy

March 7th, 2010

If Joe recalls correctly, didn’t Fart Williams claim he was going to erect a statue of Bolts father Phil Esposito in the plaza outside the Ice Palace?

Now, Joe may be under the influence of too many adult beverages when he goes to Bolts games — beer and hockey is a marriage made in heaven — but Joe has never seen such a statue.

At any rate, when Espo talks, Joe listens. And Espo was talking recently with eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune. Seems Espo, the current Bolts radio analyst  is rather fond — thus far — of this Jeffrey Vinik guy, Red Sox minority owner and the new leader of the Lightning.

“One thing I like is he’s a single owner - no partners, no arguments,” Esposito said after Vinik purchased the club, paying cash. “It’s his way, and that’s the way it’s going to be. I like that.

“Quite frankly, that’s the way it was under Palace Sports and Bill Davidson, and the franchise was well-run.”

With Oren Koules and Len Barrie rarely agreeing on the team’s direction, Tampa Bay struggled in the standings and in the arena. With Vinik looking on, Saturday night’s game was a sellout.

“This is a great hockey market, and Jeff Vinik is determined to bring it back as a great hockey market,” Esposito said.

Yes, it’s still early. The honeymoon for Vinik has yet to start. Seems Bolts fans may finally be realizing the Bolts are on the cusp of a playoff run, and sold the house out last night.

Or, as Joe is more inclined to believe, maybe the economy is picking up?

Solid, Fun Win Masks Hidden Concerns

March 7th, 2010

By AMANDA HARRIS
JoeBoltsFan.com analyst

There is no denying the fact Antero Niittymaki has Atlanta’s number (17-0-0, lifetime). And it’s a good thing he shared those Thrasher digits with the rest of the Lighting last night as Tampa Bay’s 6-2 victory was a definitive combination of offense from the big guns, killer shorthanded play, and a fair bit of luck.

Oh, and that new guy we picked up too… Purcell or something? You know, the dude from LA who we got in exchange for Jeff Halpern in that craptastic deadline deal Brian Lawton brokered. I mean, at least we got a high third round pick along with him ‘cause he totally isn’t panning out, right?

Can’t be the only one completely wowed by how on the money our GM has been with this Teddy guy. Sure, I realize he’s only two games into his Lightning career but man does the guy ever have hands. That penalty shot he roofed in the second, with a wicked backhand no less, was a thing of beauty and his initiation of the play that resulted in Vinny Lecavalier’s third period tally was some quality heads up action.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and Purcell has proven his bootyliciousness by single-handedly elevating the play of Captain Vinny to give the Bolts a much-needed secondary scoring line.

Not to say I don’t entirely appreciate the continued excellence of Steven Stamkos (2G, 1A), Marty St. Louis (1G, 2A), and Steve Downie (1A), the trio combining for three Lightning goals and seven points on the night. With a pair of markers to call his own (no.’s 39 and 40), Stammer now sits third in the NHL and boasts the league’s longest active point streak (16 games). And just to toot his horn a wee bit more, the 16 pucks he’s potted with the man advantage sees him tied with Dany Heatley for top spot honors.

Of course, I’d still like to see the boys curb those infractions but with the penalty killing units looking positively fab these last few games, I’m not going to hold those repeated walks of shame over their heads.

Find myself once again wondering if Jim Johnson could have anything at all to do with the marked improvement we’re seeing in both the kill and the Bolts’ ability to move the puck up and out of their zone. Didn’t see him down on the bench last night and still have no word on whether or not he’s actually gotten on the ice for a practice yet (geez Tocchet, what gives?) but am liking what I’m seeing nonetheless and suspect the positive changes are more than a coincidence.

Also feel compelled to mention the fact Nate Thompson and Mark Parrish have elevated the quality of Tampa Bay’s third line while Andrej Meszaros continues to sink deeper and deeper into oblivion, queuing up in the low slot and watching the spectacle of the game unfold around him.

Hate to be a stick-in-the-mud here but must urge that you not let the final score fool ya. We’re still skating on thin ice. Very very very thin ice.

Lightning 6, Thrashers 2

March 7th, 2010

Lightning 6, Thrashers 2

Strong win by the Bolts to snap that nasty losing streak. Good to see the new guy Teddy Purcell get involved with a tally. Of course, Steven Stamkos is a budding superstar.

Bolts needed this win!

As always, video courtesy of NHL.tv and TampaBayLightning.com.

Stability, Thy Name is Vinik (Hopefully)

March 6th, 2010

Longtime St. Petersburg Times columnist Gary Shelton applauds new Bolts owner Jeff Vinik. He sees Vinik as a form of stability.

Joe sure hopes Shelton is correct!

Hope Preventing Panic After Fifth Straight Loss

March 5th, 2010

By AMANDA HARRIS
JoeBoltsFan.com analyst

Well… well… well.

The Bolts lost big number five-in-a-row to the Capitals on Thursday night and all but cemented their status as a team on the outside of the playoff bubble yet again. Big shocker, right?

Not to say the game wasn’t otherwise full of surprises.

For starters, the score (5-4) was close, almost deceptively so with the Lightning crawling back into it not once, not twice, but three times. Definite offensive improvement out there, led by… wait for it… Vinny Lecavalier.

Yep, the captain was on fire last night, lookin’ uber-tanned and mighty fine as he skated the puck up the middle and beyond Washington’s blueline. Best game in a long time for V4 as he racked up a power play tally in the second and made it a two-goal night in the third with a confidence boosting wrister he managed to sink after collecting the puck in the neutral zone and carrying it right up Semyon Varlamov’s driveway.

And though all of the usual suspects chipped in as well, Marty St. Louis with three assists and Steven Stamkos and Steve Downie with one goal each, I find myself wondering if Teddy Purcell may have more than a little to do with the offensive upgrade we witnessed last night? He factored nicely on one of Vinny’s goals and consistently set up along the boards quite near the blueline to provide the defense an outlet as it collected the puck in our end. Perhaps in the newbie Brian Lawton has found a catalyst to resuscitate Tampa Bay’s ailing transition game.

And maybe, just maybe, the GM is onto something with this Jim Johnson guy too. Seriously wondering if Rick Tocchet may have actually thrown his new assistant a bone and permitted him to toss his two cents into the mix on Thursday.

Case in point, the rather awesome showing by our penalty kill and the fact both our d-men positioned in deep and our forwards at the half wall actually had the foresight to pass the saucer to the slot (where we often had an open man, gasp) to facilitate the breakout. Radical idea, I know, and one we really haven’t seen all season. Coincidence or could Johnson have something to do with it?

Very curious to see what the boys will throw at the Thrashers on Saturday. Hopefully it won’t be the bevy of turnovers and soft goaltending (how ugly was the five-hole goal on Smitty?) we saw in DC.

Capitals 5, Lightning 4

March 5th, 2010

Capitals 5, Lightning 4

Another bad third period. Another bad loss to a good team. Joe is beginning to get depressed.

Did someone down at Channelside not tip off the Bolts that Scott Walker joined the Caps?

As always, video courtesy of NHL.tv and TampaBayLightning.com.

Mullet Melrose Critical Of Bolts

March 4th, 2010

Former Bolts coach and abject failure Mullet Barry Melrose took a chance to take a swipe at the Bolts in this BSPN.com video. In short, Mullet wasn’t happy with the Bolts uloading Jeff Halpern. Fast forward to about the 3:40 mark.

Trade Deadline Updates

March 3rd, 2010

The NHL trading deadline is fast approaching. Joe will give updates when he hears them.

* NHL insider Bob McKenzie, via Twitter, claims Jeff Halpern has been traded to Los Angeles (1:38 p.m.)

* McKenzie now claims the Bolts received a third round pick and right wing Teddy Purcell from the Kings. (1:42 p.m.)