Trade/Transfer

Eurohockey.net is reporting that defenseman Mario Scalzo has signed with Austrian club Salzburg for next season. If Scalzo indeed chooses to leave North America for Europe, it makes an already depleted Norfolk blueline for next season even thinner. Of course, it also probably helps prospect Dane Crowley's quest to get an NHL contract.

Eurohockey.net is reporting that veteran AHLer and Lightning farm hand Norm Milley has agreed to play for Wolfsburg in the German DEL league next season.

The website is also reporting that Lightning prospect Stanislav Lascek, who has spent much of this season with Mississippi of the ECHL, has agreed to play next season for Zvolen in Slovakia. Lascek, who was drafted as an overage player in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, finished second in the QMJHL in scoring in his final year of junior hockey but has been underwhelming in two seasons of professional hockey that have been spent largely in the ECHL.

Milley's departure leaves an opening for a veteran forward to be retained or signed for Norfolk of the AHL next season. Milley leaves the Lightning organization after three seasons which have included 182 games split between Springfield and Norfolk of the AHL and 14 games of NHL service with Tampa Bay during the 2005-2006 season. Milley has scored 63 goals and 154 points in his 182 games of AHL service with the franchise. He will be missed.

It is not completely clear what Lascek's status will be given that he still has a year left on his NHL Entry Level deal. Whether or not the Lightning retain Lascek's rights, it does appear his departure may give the Lightning some relief on the 50-man roster front where potentially difficult signing decisions need to be made for currently contracted prospects Mike Egener and Marek Kvapil and minor league contracted players Adam Henrich and Rob Klinkhammer.

The Norfolk Admirals are reporting that the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded minor league defenseman Jay Leach to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for RW minor leaguer Brandon Segal and a 2008 7th round pick.

The first move of the deadline for the Tampa Bay Lightning has finally occurred. TSN is reporting the Lightning have traded winger Vaclav Prospal to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a 2nd or 3rd round pick in 2009.

Picard, a 22 year old 6'2" 220 lbs blueliner, has 8 goals and 38 points in 53 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL this season to go along with 31 penalty minutes and a -8 rating. Picard was an AHL All-Star this season who also had 4 scoreless games worth of action with the Flyers this season. Last year the defenseman played 62 games with the big club racking up 3 goals and 22 points to go along with 17 penalty minutes and a -24 rating.

According to Hockey Forecaster, Picard, "Has poise and maturity with and without the puck. Can be a factor in all three zones and already displays consistency in his overall play." However, they go on to say he, "Needs to do a better job of keeping opposing forwards honest with more physical play. May not put up big offensive totals in the NHL."

As we wait to see what the roster outcomes are to be, I must digress. It is not good (but necessary) to lose anybody, except maybe Prospal, Gratton, Boyle or Richards, maybe even Vinny. But what if we had changed coaches back in November, and were still in the hunt? Maybe brought the team together, appointed a captain, and rolled four lines conistently?