The new ownership of the Tampa Bay Lightning are determined to turned their club around sooner rather than later.

The blueline, which to many was the one weak point that still needed to be addressed was quickly upgraded over the past few days with the addition of defenceman Andrej Meszaros.

The Lightning made their intentions clear this weak that they were planning to offer the then Ottawa Senators defenceman and offer sheet worth roughly $5 million a year over several seasons. With negotiations between the Senators and Meszaros clearly at an impasse, the Senators chose to deal him to Tampa Bay in exchange for defencemen Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard, and a first round pick in next years entry draft.

The Lighting announced yesterday that Andrej Meszaros had signed a six year pact with Tampa.

Tampa Bay is looking to pull a page from the Philadelphia Flyers handbook, a team that went from last in 2005-2006, all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The personnel they've acquired over the past few months from top to bottom has help changed the face of the club, and with any luck the culture as well.

Our friend Stache brought up a solid point. Will this club, with so many new faces, and a coach in Barry Melrose who hasn't seen NHL action from behind the bench in over a decade be able to develop the chemistry necessary to win? That's the big question. Heaven help the Eastern Conference, if the Tampa Bay Lightning does gel.

Now onto the important stuff!

Is it too early to pick Stanley Cup Finalists for the upcoming season? I've been thinking alot about a comment I made the day former Pittsburgh Penguin forward Marian Hossa signed with the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings the very same club that bested he and his teammates. This has kharma written all over it. Am I a superstitious man? The beard on my face in early April would suggest that I am, and that being confirmed, I do believe that Hossa signed with the wrong club. His intentions were clearly to join forces with a team that would give him the best shot at winning a Stanley Cup. I see a rematch of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings in the Spring of 2009, but I think the outcome will be different this time.

Playoff Beard Prediction: Penguins in 7.

P.S. Sidney Crosby will be able to grow a playoff beard this year.

Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh

Posted by captbosh at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Colorado Avalanche forward Joe Sakic ended weeks of speculation by re-upping with his old club for one more year (and ended what has been a very quiet few weeks in the NHL... aside from the Sundin Watch).

The 39 year old Sakic signed a one year deal with the Avs worh $6 million.

Last season Sakic played just 44 games because of a hernia that required surgery, but he still posted a respectable 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) during the regular season and another 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) during the playoffs.

Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh

Posted by captbosh at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

August 1st is here. Will it bring an end to the 'What will happen to Mats Sundin?' saga?

Here's what's on the table thus far. Retirement, obviously something that has been beckoning Sundin for the past few years, and may truly be testing him this summer. Offers from the Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, and certainly one from the Toronto Maple Leafs should he decide to head back to his old team. This week Sundin's agent JP Barry also declared that there were three other clubs that are also very interested in acquiring the big free agent center.

August 1st however is a deadline that the media has speculated will be the day Sundin makes his decision, but not necessarily a date that he chose. His agent also stated that Sundin would make a decision by August, meaing sometime this month. So we may have to wait another 30 days. Start your rumors.

Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh

Posted by captbosh at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)