Talks Re-Opened with Norrena and Other News

Bolt Prospects has learned the Tampa Bay Lightning has indeed re-opened talks with Finnish Olympic goaltender Fredrik Norrena. In fact, the two sides have been in talks since before the 2006 World Championships. Norrena and the Lightning agreed to a contract last summer, but Norrena backed out of the agreement causing Tampa to temporarily shut the door on the chances of signing the Linkoping goaltender in 2006. That door, according to GM Jay Feaster, has not been shut completely, and in fact has now been re-opened.

Norrena, a 6'0", 190 pound 7th round pick of the Lightning in 2002, is coming off a 5-0, 37-save shutout vs. Sidney Crosby and Canada at the World Championships in the Bronze Medal game.

Bolt Prospects has also been told the Lightning cannot confirm or comment on reports from at least two Swedish newspapers stating the Bolts are in negotitations with World Championship Gold Medal winning goaltender Johan Holmqvist.

In addition, negotiations continue with three young prospects:

Justin Keller, the 51-goal scorer from the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, is close to completing a deal with Tampa Bay.

Blair Jones, the WHL's 6th leading scorer and playoff hero for the Moose Jaw Warriors, has been offered a contract but the two sides remain significantly far apart.

Karri Ramo, who played for Finland in this past year's World Junior Championships and was a member of the SM-Liiga winning HPK, has also been in talks with Tampa but is also asking for more than the Lightning are planning to offer at this point. Ramo was dubbed a "future stud" by Lightning goaltending coach Jeff Reese in the 2006 The Hockey News Future Watch report.