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Lightning Looking to Deal #1 Pick

Submitted by pete on June 20, 2006 - 09:34
SPTimes.com [url=http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/17/Lightning/Habit_of_draft_shakeu.shtml]finally managed to fix the link to Saturday's article by Tom Jones regarding Saturday's NHL Draft in Vancouver.[/url] Jones points to the good chance the Lightning could deal their pick and a forward like Fredrik Modin or Ruslan Fedotenko to try to acquire a goaltender the caliber of the Ducks' J.S. Giguere or the Sharks' Evgeny Nabokov. In the article Jay Feaster also echoes the position of Bolt Prospects that the Lightning have built up significant positional depth and are now in a position to focus on taking the best player available. In particular, the organization points to its depth in terms of prospects on defense and between the pipes.
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Congratulations Carolina

You have no idea how hard it is for me to compliment a division rival but the Hurricanes, but they are due a lot of respect for what they've accomplished in winning the Stanley Cup tonight. In many ways their season and their run to the Cup was very similar to the Lightning's two years ago. So, congratulations Carolina and in particular Cory Stillman, whom I respect as a hockey player more than 99% of the players in this league. And condolences to Edmonton, who for the past ten or so years has been a gritty heart and soul franchise that has been nothing but a credit to this league. All that said, next season the Lightning need to take their trophy back.

Polushin Transfers to Chekhov

Submitted by pete on June 18, 2006 - 10:47
Eurohockey.net is reporting [url=alexander-polushin]Alexander Polushin[/url] [url=http://www.eurohockey.net/transfers/transfers.html?nationality=&country=&lastname=&days=31]has transferred from Severstal Cherepovets to Vityaz Podolsk Chekhov.[/url] The move is the second transfer for Polushin in less than a year. With the NHL agreeing with the Russian Federation on a new IIHF transfer agreement the team will have until June 1st 2007 to decide whether or not to sign the former 2001 2nd round pick. At this juncture, such a signing seems unlikely.
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TSN Mocks the Lottery Picks

Submitted by pete on June 16, 2006 - 23:08
TSN.ca has [url=http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=7065&hubname=]posted a mock draft of the top-14 picks in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft on June 24th in Vancouver.[/url] The only real surprise in the bunch was Artem Ansimov at 14 to the Canucks. It will be interesting to see how the Russians are selected in this draft. On the one hand, the new IIHF agreement makes it easier to get a Russian to North America. On the other, only having a two year window to sign a prospect seems to be terribly risky given how hard it can be to sign Russians who are paid handsomely in the Superleague. In this scenario the Lightning would choose from, amongst others, Mike Forney, Niklas Berglund and Riku Helenius.

2006 Entry Draft Preview: The Forwards Pt. 4

Submitted by pete on June 16, 2006 - 18:18
Tonight brings the final installment of our 2006 Entry Draft Preview for the June 24th draft in Vancouver. To date we've chronicled 14 players who might be of interest to the Lightning on draft day and tonight we will add two more potential prospects from the Czech Republic to bring the total to 16 players.

Please Don't Take the Cross Eyed Defenseman Jay

Submitted by pete on June 16, 2006 - 15:59
[img]http://www.tsn.ca/images/stories/20060616/draft_williams_49129.jpg[/img] [i]D Nigel Williams of the USNTDP from the NHL Combine.[/i] TSN [url=http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=7322&hubname=]has put up profiles for 30 prospects for the June 24th draft in Vancouver.[/url]

2,850-->3,000+

Wow. I just looked at our referrers page and noticed we've had 2,850 non-staff hits in the last 72 hours. I am truly humbled and appreciative. About a month or two ago I was shooting off my mouth to one of the site's detractors we'd have over 3,000 hits on draft week. We've already blown through that and will probably have over 6,000 this week. We're still a long way from where I believe the site can go, but I'm thankful to all our readers for spreading the good word about us. I'm really excited to see how it all evolves and matures over the next year or two. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Bring on the draft. [b]Update: 6/16 3:24 PM[/b] Just in the last couple of hours we leap frogged the 3,000 non-staff hit mark for, to the best of my knowledge, the first time in the site's history. So, again, thank you all for your support.

2006 Entry Draft Preview: The Forwards Pt. 3

Submitted by pete on June 15, 2006 - 21:05
In the first two parts of the forwards section of the 2006 Entry Draft preview we covered six potentially available centers of interest for the Lightning: Bryan Little, James Sheppard, Cory Emmerton, Ondrej Fiala, Ben Maxwell and Patrik Berglund. Bolt Prospects ranks center, and particularly playmaking center, one of the Lightning's primary organizational needs along with offensive defenseman. Goal scoring wingers are still a secondary need though, even after a very successful 2005 Entry Draft and today we'll begin to offer the profiles of a few wingers who might also be of interest when the Lightning pick at 15th overall in the first round on June 24th in Vancouver.

Atherton Participating in Offseason Charities for Springfield

Submitted by pete on June 15, 2006 - 13:14
Make of it what you like, but defenseman PJ Atherton [url=http://www.falconsahl.com/detpages/pressbox3014.shtml]is appearing in a charity softball game for the Falcons today in Springfield.[/url] This could be an indication that he will be around next season with the Falcons. The Lightning hold Atherton's rights for one full year after his graduation date meaning that technically they could wait until the very end of the 2006-2007 season before making a contract decision on the defenseman. It should be noted goaltender JM Pelletier appeared in several Falcons charity events last summer but still bolted for Rochester of the AHL, so you cannot read too much into this development.
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Lightning in Talks with Shane Willis

Submitted by chad on June 15, 2006 - 08:02
Tom Jones of the [i]St. Pete Times[/i] is reporting the Lightning are in contract negotiations with former Springfield Falcons captain Shane Willis. Willis spent last season in Switzerland with HC Davos where he had 5 goals and 15 assists in 32 games before moving to Sweden. There, Willis played with recently signed (Tampa) goaltender Fredrik Norrena and Linkopings HC, getting one assist in six regular season games, then exploding for 6 goals and 11 points in 13 playoff games. He captained Springfield in 2004-2005 and scored 18 goals and 34 points in 58 games. Willis is known for his fine rookie season in Carolina where he registered 20 goals and 44 points to earn him an all-rookie team selection. His career was knocked off course when he suffered a concussion in a playoff game after a hit from the Devil's Scott Stevens. Willis was traded to the Lightning on March 5, 2002, in Tampa GM Jay Feaster's first trade, coming to the Bolts with Chris Dingman for goaltender Kevin Weekes. In 33 games with Tampa, Willis has 4 goals and 9 assists, though is regarded as just needing an extended opportunity to make his mark. With rumors of Tampa dealing a scoring line player for a goaltender, that opportunity could be in front of him.
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