Features

The Tampa Bay Lightning have won the draft lottery for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and secured the #1 pick in the draft.

Dave Andreychuk, who sat in as the Lightning's representative for the draft drawing, has the magic mojo.

Steven Stamkos is a Bolt.

Can you say, "skill?"

Welcome to Tampa Bay, young man.

This is a bit late (for a variety of pseudo-reasons), but at last the lengthy evaluation process is complete.

Today, Bolt Prospects is releasing its Mid-Term Rankings for the 2007-2008 season. Defenseman Mike Lundin has joined the graduated prospect list; therefore, he is no longer on the prospect rankings list. Mario Scalzo, acquired earlier in the season from the Dallas Stars organization, makes his debut on the rankings list.

Norfolk Admirals (AHL) General Manager Claude Loiselle announced today that Norfolk has signed defenseman Kevin Quick to a 25-game Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO).

Quick, a 6-foot-0, 175-pound defenseman, had two goals and two assists in 21 games with the University of Michigan Wolverines this season prior to joining the Admirals. The 19-year-old was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round (78th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft out of The Salisbury School in Connecticut.

Quick was dismissed by Michigan last week for violating team rules. The Buffalo News has released a report on the incident.

A comprehensive overview of Quick's present situation, with quotes from Loiselle and Quick, was published out of Norfolk can can be found here. For more details of the signing, see the St. Petersburg Times.

Lightning General Manager Jay Feaster released the following statement on the Kevin Quick situation:

Quick, a freshman defenseman with the University of Michigan and a Lightning draftee, was dismissed from the Wolverines yesterday after "violating team rules and trust."

Prior to Kevin choosing to return to Salisbury Prep after his draft year, the Lightning put the full-court press on him, encouraging him to go the Major Junior route with his development (Both Kevin and his younger brother, Kyle, have their rights held by the Ontario Hockey League's Sarnia Sting). Kevin eventually returned to Salisbury for a year before choosing to play collegiately at Michigan.

Green Bay of the USHL drafted Kevin in 2006, but released him after Quick decided to return to Prep school.

With Quick's developmental path again at a crossroads, Feaster told BoltProspects, "We will be doing the same kind of lobbying in this case and, yes, we are interested in signing him."

Kyle Okposo, who is 19 like Quick, recently left the University of Minnesota on his own terms to join the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Quick could be signed and end up in the AHL with Norfolk, or he could go to Major Junior and play with the likely top 2008 NHL draft choice Steven Stamkos in Sarnia.

Culled from the message board...

Rivals.com is reporting the University of Michigan has dismissed freshman defenseman Kevin Quick from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

MLive.com/Ann Arbor News reports:

Quick, a 3rd round pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, is considered one of the Lightning's brightest young prospects.

Hat tip to message board member Matt.