Tavares Takes Backhanded Jab At Bolts
June 4th, 2009Reading the quotes of NHL prospects Victor Hedman and John Tavares should impact Bolts management
By AMANDA HARRIS
With the number of appearances John Tavares, Victor Hedman, and Matt Duchene have made in the last few weeks, you’d think they’d just won Dancing with the Stars and were touring the States with their mirrorball trophies.
Yesterday saw the group touch down in Tampa for some additional face time with Lightning brass.
And while there’s no doubt any of the three possess the physical skills necessary to crack the NHL, it’s the character of each that speaks volumes as to their capacity to make it in the show.
Both Tavares and Hedman were all to happy to shed some light on how they intend to handle the pressure of transitioning to the NHL, reported the St. Pete Times.
“I’m just going to be happy to be part of an organization, be part of a future and hopefully build a winning tradition and be part of a team,” Tavares said. “(The Lightning) obviously is in a rebuilding mode. The team’s got some pretty good offensive depth and developing some defensemen and has a pretty good goaltender, too. So things are going to be turning around here pretty soon.”
“That’s a big challenge, and I’m really looking forward to that,” Hedman said. “It’s up to me to show them I’m good enough to play in the NHL. I see it as a challenge, and I have big expectations on myself, too. I hope not to disappoint the fans of the team I go to.”
Now, I may not have the managerial or scouting know-how of Brian Lawton, but the decision about who to draft on June 26 seems pretty cut and dried given these insightful responses.
Hedman all the way. No question.
He’s precisely what this team needs: an accountable, self-motivated defenseman with the size, skill, and strength to anchor the blue line. Just knowing the young Swede is cognizant of his own expectations as well as those held by fans of the franchise to which he is signed is enough to instill a healthy dose of confidence in me. Talk about character, huh?
Almost find it off-putting that Tavares deems the Bolts aren’t too far off, what with their “pretty good” offensive depth and goaltender. Wonder how our MVP line feels about an 18-year old calling them all but mediocre.
Let the Islanders take the household name, the draft analyst favorite, the only guy who has a prayer of filling the Nassau Mausoleum next season.
If Tampa Bay is truly looking for those “intangible traits” that separate the men from the boys, Hedman skates circles around the competition.
It’s time for the Bolts to go ‘big’, or go home.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
the kid compliments TB as maybe not being so far off and you slam him for it? and why’d you feel it necessary to knock the Isles and “Nassau Mausoleum”? we had more than 13 K nightly this year as a dismal team in an antiquated building…many of us Isles fans also stepped up and defended TB (along with the NYI) when Burke was going around saying one of them should just give up their pick to TO so he could draft Tavares for Leafs…something tells me you must be a displaced Rags fan
June 4th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I didn’t take Tavares’ comments as negative. Some people use the term “pretty good” to mean average, and some people use it in a positive way. I think Tavares said pretty good because it’s almost baffling how a team with so much talent on paper is in the running for a lottery pick. He did say he thought they could turn it around pretty soon. Again I wouldn’t read too much into his comments, Tavares is kind of a laid back guy, and sometimes comes off as cocky.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
rb:
Not sure I’d call this one an outright slam on Tavares. Nor would I necessarily classify his remark as a compliment.
Just calling it like I see it and, in this case, I felt Tavares was slighting my Bolts.
Of course, everything is open to interpretation and the context in which a quote appears can more than skew one’s opinion. When you consider the fact Tavares has had to clarify his comments to the media on more than one occasion however, I seriously doubt I’m the only one who found his so-called compliment to be of the backhanded variety.
And from one fan of a cellar dweller to another, I would’ve hoped you hadn’t taken such offense to the Naussau Mausoleum “knock”. Rest assured I have no personal vendetta against your Islanders.
Lord knows the Lightning have made every highlight reel (for the wrong reasons) and been the butt of every joke in the book the last few seasons. Yet we endure the commentary and chuckle when mention of “the cowboys” or our 22-man defensive corps makes headlines.
Sounds like all you need to hang with us bottom feeders is a thicker skin.