Lightning GM Brian Lawton announced today that goaltending prospect Karri Ramo has been reassigned from Tampa Bay to the Norfolk Admirals (AHL). The Admirals resume play Wednesday night against the Springfield Falcons at home. Ramo was recalled after Saturday's Norfolk game and played in relief of starter Olaf Kolzig in Sunday night's game against the New Jersey Devils.

Today, Bolt Prospects is releasing its Preliminary Prospect Rankings for the 2008-2009 season. Eight prospects make their debut in the Top 25 since the end of the 2007-2008 season. Half of the debutantes enter the list via the 2008 NHL Entry Draft including the #1 overall pick. The other half enter the list via various trades and acquisitions made by the new Lightning ownership.

Just a reminder of the rules: a prospect is any player under the age of 24 on opening night of the Lightning’s NHL season that has not played 41 or more games in an NHL season or more than 82 games in their NHL career. For goaltenders, the games thresholds are slightly different. Netminders will be considered prospects if they have not achieved 30 or more decisions in an NHL season or 41 decisions in their NHL careers. In addition, all college players will be considered prospects, regardless of their age, until they graduate. Players over the age of 24 on opening night that have not graduated are considered overage prospects.

With all the legal disclaimers out of the way, lets begin:

1. C Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay (NHL)

Despite a slow start to his rookie campaign, Stamkos remains the clear consensus choice as the Lightning's top prospect. It's only a matter of time before Stamkos, with his world class speed and shot, becomes one of the game's elite forwards. We just hope the Lightning can finally figure out the right linemates and role to put Stamkos in a position to succeed.

Kevin Quick opened the scoring Sunday for the Lynx giving Augusta a 1-0 lead over the visiting Dayton Bombers with a power-play marker 8:19 into the 1st period on a feed from fellow Bolt prospect Chris Lawrence. Forward Patrick Bordeleau used his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame to screen Dayton goaltender Tyler Plante, and Quick's shot squeezed through for the early lead. Coming off a franchise worst 12-0 loss the previous night to Florida, the Lynx rebounded with a 17-5 shot differential in the 1st period against the Bombers, but Dayton would battle back, tallying even strength and power play goals in the 2nd period and handing the Lynx a 2-1 defeat. This was Augusta's sixth straight loss, and their third in three nights.

Dayton 2 @ Augusta 1
G Riku Helenius: did not play
D Kevin Quick: 1-0-1; E; 0 PIM; 1 SOG
F Chris Lawrence: 0-1-1; -1; 4 PIM (cross-checking; interference); 1 SOG

Augusta falls to 5-8-1-1, and play next on Thanksgiving night at 7:05pm EST against the Gwinnett Gladiators at the Gwinnett Center Arena in the north Atlanta suburb, before a home-and-home series with the Charlotte Checkers next Saturday and Sunday.

Lightning Russian Prospects Statistics Through 11/23
Anton But, CSKA, 27 GP, 6-10-16, 22 PIM, +2
Alexei Glukhov, Mytischi, 15 GP, 5-7-12, 12 PIM, +8
Dimitri Kazionov, Kazan, 26 GP, 5-7-12, 8 PIM, +4
Ilya Solarev, Astana, 26 GP, 5-5-10, 10 PIM, +4
Albert Vishnyakov, Novokuznetsk, 28 GP, 3-7-10, 10 PIM, Even
Vitali Smolianinov, Astana, 14 GP, 1-2-3, 10 PIM, -3
Denis Kazionov, Khabarovsk, 6 GP, 0-0-0, 6 PIM, -3

Vasily Koshechkin, Togliatti, 4-7-1, 2.35 GAA, 2 SO, .899 sv%

All games from the Karjala break through 11/23 after the jump...