Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: steven stamkos
All Steven Stamkos
by Paul on 03/05/13 at 11:51 AM ET
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from Katie Strang of ESPN,
One of the league's scoring leaders, Tampa Bay Lighting center Steven Stamkos has evolved since breaking into the league as a first-overall draft pick in 2008. Stamkos tells ESPNNewYork.com's Katie Strang about his maturation as a player, the advice he's received from teammate Martin St. Louis and which baseball team has his heart (sort of) in this week's installment of the New York Minute.
STRANG: What's your take on this team as we near the midpoint of the season?
STAMKOS: I think we got off to a great start. Obviously, we took advantage of the good schedule in our favor, a lot of home games, catching teams back-to-back, [we] got off to a 6-1 start. Since then, it's been a little bit of a different story. Went through some tough times there -- I think we lost five, six in a row. But I think we're really starting to find the identity of our team. I think we've been playing a lot better. [We're] not necessarily getting the results we want in terms of points, but the process is ongoing and at least we're seeing some signs of life and seeing signs of guys picking up on things we're going over as a team, whether it's on practice or video. We're getting there. We've played some pretty good teams lately. When we're in the game, we've got to find ways to beat them if we want to be a good team, but the process has started to take its course, I think.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Train With Steven Stamkos
by Paul on 08/29/12 at 11:03 AM ET
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from Dan Rosen of NHL.com,
It's not easy to put Gary Roberts out of commission. Steven Stamkos almost did it in with one powerful squeeze this summer.
Stamkos, the Tampa Bay Lightning center, was playfully roughhousing with Roberts, a man 24 years his elder but one many consider to be among the toughest to ever play in the NHL. Stamkos put a vicelike grip on Roberts' bicep, and Roberts' arm started to throb, threatening to at least temporarily ruin his plans for golf that day.
Instead of anger, all Roberts felt was pride. After all, Roberts and his training methods are ultimately responsible for Stamkos' surge in strength during the past four years.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Video- Missing Hockey On A Monday Night?
by Paul on 04/09/12 at 11:43 PM ET
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Well, you can take 15 minutes of your night and watch all 60 scored by Steven Stamkos this season.
Sportsnet had this video earlier, but it is only available to Canadian IPs, so thanks to ktornado for the upload.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Video- Stamkos Gets To 60
by Paul on 04/07/12 at 11:23 PM ET
Comments (2)
Nice gesture by the Winnipeg fans too.
added 9:28pm, The HNIC call of the goal is below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Video- EA Sports Recreates #50 For Stamkos
by Paul on 03/14/12 at 09:01 PM ET
Comments (1)
In case you want to compare the video to the real thing, watch the goal below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Video- 50 For Stamkos
by Paul on 03/14/12 at 12:22 AM ET
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A typical Stamkos goal nets him 50 for the season.
Stamkos notched goal 49 earlier in the night, which you can watch below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Stamkos Close To 50 Again
by Paul on 03/09/12 at 02:46 PM ET
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from John Kreiser of NHL.com,
He didn’t do it on Thursday. But sometime soon—perhaps as soon as Saturday night against Carolina—Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos is poised to join an exclusive club.
Stamkos is two goals away from becoming the NHL’s first 50-goal scorer this season. When he does, he’ll join an elite group of six players who’ve had multiple 50-goal seasons before their 23rd birthday (he turned 22 on Feb. 7). Wayne Gretzky did it four times; Mike Bossy, Mario Lemieux, Joe Nieuwendyk and Alex Ovechkin each had two seasons with at least 50 goals before turning 23—though Bossy, Nieuwendyk and Ovechkin had the disadvantage of not playing in the NHL until after their 20th birthdays.
continued and more NHL topics too…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Stamkos Scoring In Different Ways
by Paul on 11/22/11 at 02:49 PM ET
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from Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star,
What was once familiar is suddenly foreign. This season *Steven) Stamkos has scored precisely once on his vaunted one-timer. And the obvious question is: Why?
“Teams take that away,” Stamkos said Monday. “You have to go to different areas, go to the net. Screens, tips, deflections, rebounds — it’s just about evolving your game.”
It’s not that Stamkos isn’t finding the scoresheet. Coming into Tuesday night’s tilt with the Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning centre has 11 goals and 19 points in 19 games, which put him on pace for a 47-goal campaign and spoke highly of his expanded arsenal.
While Stamkos said he’d welcome more goals from the comfy confines of his beloved left faceoff dot — where he has, in previous seasons, been at his deadliest, especially in 5-on-4 situations — he’s not expecting anything to come easily.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Strong Up the Middle
by Ian Gooding on 09/07/11 at 10:30 AM ET
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In my last article on left wings, a few of you mentioned the positional dilemmas that we seem to face when drafting forwards. This is a great point, since not only do position eligibilities change from league to league (eg. Yahoo/ESPN/CBS), but also from year to year. As well, we also need to keep our eye on forwards with dual position eligibility.
Filed in: Fantasy Hockey and Gaming, thegoods13, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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nicklas+backstrom,
ryan+getzlaf,
ryan+kesler,
sidney+crosby,
steven+stamkos,
the+goods
Stamkos Is Just One Of The Boys Back Home
by Paul on 09/03/11 at 07:38 AM ET
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from Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star,
The third baseman had been smoking a cigarette, the third base coach sipping a can of Keystone Light, when the crack of a bat sent a ball hurtling somewhere overhead and into the late-night dark.
Out of the left-field shadows popped Steven Stamkos, the NHL all-star, tracking the drive against the inky summer sky.
He broke quickly, sprinted hard, leaped high, and opened his glove to catch the slicing liner.
“He’s pretty good, huh?” said someone in the darkness.
Yes, said a fellow witness, he’s pretty darn good.
This was the scene at Centennial Park in Markham this week, when Stamkos, the video-game cover boy for the Tampa Bay Lightning, made one of his occasional appearances as an outfielder for the Green Beys, a team in the Markham Four-Pitch Hardball League.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Stamkos Speaks
by Paul on 09/01/11 at 08:31 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes at the St. Petersburg Times,
On re-igniting his scoring touch: It’s there, but going through that I’ve learned what to do when you’re in those situations, and even in the summer I was watching some of those games when you’re struggling a little bit and you learn from it. That’s all you can do, so now you know how to deal with those things. … It’s a lot about confidence and I feel confident with the work I did over the summer, and skill-set wise we had a great run last year and I just want to build on that and help this team get to a championship.
On players being accountable for head shots: At the end of the day I’m not saying every one of those hits that resulted in a concussions was avoidable. It’s going to happen. It’s a contact sport its so fast you’re going to get them. But in order to minimize them I think as a player you have to be aware of the situation on the ice. We’re trying with the head shot rule. I don’t know what other rules you can put in to prevent it. Guys have to be responsible. ... You look at some of the head shots, guys are blatantly putting their elbows up. A guy’s back is turned and you hit him into the boards. That comes down to common sense. We all know how to deliver a clean body check. You have to be accountable for your actions on the ice. With some of the suspensions getting a little steeper, guys are going to realize that if they do that, they’re not going to get away with it.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
NHL 12 Mini-Update: EA Sports Season Ticket and Stamkos vs Roenick at X’11
by Doug Miller on 08/21/11 at 03:17 AM ET
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Just some of a few quick things today, as EA’s newest NHL 12 blog, which was supposed to be released “soon” has yet to surface. So instead I bring you some old news I should have reported a long time ago, and some a recent tidbit of video from yesterday.
Filed in: Fantasy Hockey and Gaming, Doug Miller, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: ea+sports+nhl+12,
ea+sports+season+ticket,
jeremy+roenick,
steven+stamkos
Another Case For Number One
by Ian Gooding on 08/18/11 at 11:40 AM ET
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Is Sidney Crosby still the number one pick in fantasy leagues?
Mere hours after my posting suggesting that Crosby should be the first overall pick, Josh Rimer’s tweet about Crosby’s unlikeliness to be in the Penguins’ lineup to start the season was making the rounds.
Filed in: Fantasy Hockey and Gaming, thegoods13, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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sidney+crosby,
steven+stamkos,
tim+thomas
Big Money Won’t Change Stamkos
by Paul on 07/22/11 at 01:55 PM ET
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from Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star,
Steve Stamkos believes the money won’t change him.
Stamkos is the newest NHL’s multi-millionaire, having signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and is well aware that sudden wealth can change a person and can change an athlete.
“I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by so many great people that won’t let me get that way,” Stamkos said on Thursday. “It’s part of who I am, it’s how I’ve grown up, the morals that I’ve lived by. I think the first person you look at is your parents and how they raised me.”
Then he paused, thinking of one way the money might change him.
“I might have to buy a few more team dinners,” he said.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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We Have A Stamkos Deal
by Paul on 07/19/11 at 05:27 PM ET
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via Tampa Bay Lightning tweet,
Steven Stamkos has agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the #TBLightning.
added 3:33pm,
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed to terms with restricted free agent Steven Stamkos on a five-year contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.
“Steven is extremely important to this franchise and is part of the foundation of our hockey team,” Yzerman said. “We are very pleased to have him signed and look forward to seeing him in a Lightning uniform for years to come.”
“I am excited we were able to reach an agreement today,” Stamkos said. “This was obviously very important to me and I appreciate Mr. Vinik and Steve Yzerman for all their work in the transformation of the franchise as we move forward. There is no place I’d rather be than as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.”
added 3:36pm, via Craig Custance tweet,
Stamkos deal has cap hit of $7.5 million annually.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Not One Offer Sheet For Stamkos
by Paul on 07/11/11 at 05:41 PM ET
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from Ken Campbell of The Hockey News,
Why has nobody even come close to making that bold move for a player who has the potential to be the most dangerous goal-scorer in the NHL for the next decade? Some will have you believe there is a massive conspiracy of collusion at work here, that GMs around the league have a ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ agreement they won’t raid each other’s rosters by poaching their best young players.
That is a very serious charge and I’m certainly not about to make it here, largely because I don’t believe it to be true. These are the same GMs who will take elements of a CBA that is supposed to help small market teams and find loopholes in it to gain a competitive advantage. I believe that if one of those GMs truly thought signing Stamkos to an offer sheet would make his team a Stanley Cup contender in the long run, he would have done it by now.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Every Team Has Interest In Stamkos But No Trade Talk
by Paul on 07/10/11 at 11:56 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
“I talk to general managers on a daily basis and get asked a lot, ‘How are you making out?’ But that’s about all,” Yzerman said.
Has anyone come up with a proposal? “Absolutely not. I’m not interested in discussing a possible trade. I’m committed to re-signing Steven.”
Has anyone said they would be interested if negotiations broke down? “They don’t have to say that,” he said, laughing. “Every team is interested in Steven Stamkos.”
Bottom line? “I’m confident,” Yzerman said, “we will reach an agreement.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steve+yzerman,
steven+stamkos
Lightning Continue To Make Progress On Stamkos Contract
by Paul on 07/06/11 at 11:18 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
This is how desperate we are for news concerning contract negotiations between the Tampa Bay Lightning and All-Star center Steven Stamkos that we are down to dissecting every word uttered on the subject.
Such was the case Wednesday night, when Tampa Bay general manager Steve Yzerman went beyond his usual theme that he is “optimistic” a deal will get done. Yzerman did use that word again, but he added some substance that should give Lightning fans a reason to come in off the ledge.
“Yes,” Yzerman said when asked if he and Stamkos’ agent Don Meehan, to whom he spoke on Wednesday, were actually making progress. “We’re working towards getting a deal done. We’re going to get there. I’ll be patient and, again, optimistic that we’ll reach an agreement. I don’t want to give you a timeframe on anything, but I believe we’ll get there.”
a little more...
Filed in: | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Report- Lightning/Stamkos Contract Getting Closer
by Paul on 07/05/11 at 10:32 AM ET
Comments (2)
via Nick Kypreos tweet,
No #NHL offer sheet for Stamkos. Its believed #Lightning have closed in and formal announcement could be looming. Last offer was @ 37M x 5
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Flyers Have Money To Spend
by Paul on 06/28/11 at 11:36 AM ET
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from Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News,
As it stands now, with negotiations in the works for Ville Leino and restricted free agents Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek, the Flyers have approximately $8.3 million in salary-cap space, with Michael Leighton stashed in the AHL.
That’s enough to do some serious damage on the free-agent market. Or, if you’re reading the tea leaves along with me, maybe even the restricted free-agent market.
Two different team sources reiterated last night that the Flyers would be very interested in Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos if he remains on the market on Friday morning.
Reports indicated that the Lightning and Stamkos’ agents have had ongoing discussions, though that doesn’t say much, knowing that the sides have been talking for more than a month.
When you add to the equation that the Lightning - which was reported to have lost $20 million to $25 million last season - might have financial limitations, and the reports.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Stamkos Says New Deal Not That Far Off
by Paul on 06/22/11 at 11:25 AM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times,
Here is why Lightning center Steve Stamkos said he is not worried about his contract situation:
“I think it’s close,” he said of a new deal. “I don’t think it’s far off. As close as we are, it’s not something I’m really worried about.”
They are the most declarative statements yet during a months-long negotiation that has produced angst among Tampa Bay fans worried about losing a franchise player, and a news blackout as both sides have kept negotiations out of the media.
“The less said the better,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “The more you comment, the more likely one of us can say something that can be misconstrued.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
A Few Teams Could Make It Hard For Yzerman To Sign Stamkos
by Paul on 06/19/11 at 10:17 AM ET
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from Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe,
Free agency begins July 1, and Tampa Bay superstar Steven Stamkos, a restricted free agent, remains unsigned.
If anyone wants to bid on the 21-year-old high-scoring wunderkind, it’s probably a moot point because the Lightning retain the right to match any offer (similar to the Phil Kessel situation a couple of years ago).But, boy, could someone drive up the price on owner Jeffrey Vinik if general manager Steve Yzerman doesn’t get a deal done in the next two weeks.
With the salary cap expected to be close to $63 million, a bidder could spike Stamkos’s pay as high as $12 million-plus per year (20 percent of the max is the limit). And for a kid who is only 21, a 10- or 12-year deal would not be out of the question.
read on plus other hockey notes…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Video- Shield Saves Stamkos From Serious Injury
by Paul on 05/28/11 at 12:11 AM ET
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And as most of us assumed, he did return.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Game 6: Transcripts with St. Louis, Stamkos and Coach Boucher
by Alanah McGinley on 05/26/11 at 02:20 AM ET
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Q. Guy, I know you like to talk about a team game and that everybody contributes, but in a game where Sean Bergenheim wasn’t there, you got such contributions from Marty, Vinny and Stamkos, I was just curious what kind of responsibility they put on themselves in this game and how they came through it.
COACH GUY BOUCHER: I was expecting a big game from those guys, but I disagreed that they didn’t have big games in the last games. Looking at the scoreboard, there’s more to the game than just scoring goals and having points. They had very good games before. It just wasn’t going in for some of them, and for some other guys it was going in.
So for me, they just get the result of their previous games’ hard work. So I don’t think it’s an on and off switch. It’s something that you build every game, and they got what they deserved.
Q. You said after last game, if only you could solve the enigma that is Tim Thomas. After tonight, would you say you’ve solved that or most of it?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: guy+boucher,
martin+st+louis,
steven+stamkos
Stamkos Now Understands Playoff Hockey
by Paul on 04/15/11 at 01:29 AM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times,
As teachable moments go, the one Steven Stamkos endured Wednesday was difficult.
He was crushed into the boards early by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik, had one shot on goal and four shots total, and had his streak of futility reach five goals in 29 games.
Then again, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal was Stamkos’ first NHL playoff game, so bumps were expected. The education? That, the Lightning center said, came in a situation you cannot fully appreciate until you’re immersed in it.
“You learn how much different the game is in the playoffs than the regular season,” Stamkos, 21, said Thursday. “You may be competing hard, but it’s not hard enough in playoff hockey. That’s something I learned and will address.”
How strange to be where we are with Stamkos.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Trophy Talk: Southeast-Style
by Jon Jordan on 02/10/11 at 04:40 PM ET
Comments (4)
We’ve said it several times this season – that the Southleast is no more. With 308 combined points in the standings, Tampa Bay, Washington, Carolina, Atlanta and Florida comprise the Eastern Conference’s top division by that standard. Only the Pacific Division (321 points) has had more success as a group this season in the entire league. There’s even a fighting chance that four Southeast Division clubs could make the playoffs.
Suffice it to say, anyone still knocking the hockey played down here in this corner of the continent can be officially discredited. Clearly, anyone in that category hasn’t been paying attention this season.
Beyond team accolades, when the book is closed on the 2010-11 season, the Southeast Division has a legitimate chance for representation in almost every major year-end individual award. Some have sturdier ground to stand on than others in that respect but several individuals from Southeast clubs look to at least be in the conversation for some hardware in Vegas in late June.
Since premature awards speculation has started to heat up at a few other media outlets – always fun to keep tabs on ESPN’s Trophy Tracker but no Tampa Bay love in the Adams race, really? – here’s a list of potential trophy candidates from the Southeast Division, in no particular order.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: craig+ramsay,
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henrik+sedin,
jeff+skinner,
john+carlson,
logan+couture,
martin+st.+louis,
nhl+awards,
ryan+kesler,
steven+stamkos,
tobias+enstrom
Stafford Reinventing His Future
by @DaveDavisHockey on 02/09/11 at 03:17 PM ET
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If new Sabres owner Terry Pegula didn’t have Drew Stafford on his short list of players not to be traded before the sale closing, you have to wonder how quickly he might have gotten on the phone with departing minority owner Larry Quinn last night.
Stafford had his third hat trick of the season, and the Sabres came out of nowhere in the third period to blitz the Tampa Bay Lightning for 5 goals in a 7-4 Buffalo win.
In his past 22 games, Stafford has racked up 17 goals. Wonderkid Steven Stamkos has “only” 14 during that period.
After a down year in 2009-10, frustrated Sabres fans couldn’t have wished the University of North Dakota product out of town fast enough. What ignited the turnaround?
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kyle+okposo+offseason+workout,
sabres+no+trade+short+list,
steven+stamkos,
terry+pegula
Goalies Thomas, Ward Square Off in Fastest Skater + Quotes from the Red Carpet
by Jon Jordan on 01/29/11 at 10:31 PM ET
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I thought I was totally joking when I asked a couple of All-Star goalies how they would feel about a goaltender’s fastest skater competition. But last night’s first overall pick in the NHL’s inaugural All-Star Fantasy Draft, Carolina’s Cam Ward, let the cat out of the bag that tonight, my little joke would indeed become a reality as part of this year’s SuperSkills.
“Rumor is that I’m going to be doing that tonight,” Ward said. “I hope my legs don’t turn to jelly and I don’t bite it into the corner or anything like that.”
His opponent?
“I think I’m going up against Tim Thomas.”
Boston and Carolina fans have since endured some heart palpitations, I’m sure.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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nhl+all-star+game,
p.k.+subban,
steven+stamkos,
superskills,
tim+thomas
Fantasy Draft a Reminder That All-Star Weekend’s All About Fun
by Jon Jordan on 01/29/11 at 02:33 PM ET
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The intent of altering the format for the NHL All-Star Game was to generate more interest in a mid-season exhibition that most would agree had become a bit blasé. With the rosters of Team Lidstrom and Team Staal now filled via last night’s Fantasy Draft and the SuperSkills competition on tap for tonight, whether or not the game itself will have any added spice remains to be seen but, so far as that added interest goes, the vibe here in Raleigh and the pageantry surrounding the selection process itself both suggest the achievement of just that.
The All-Star Game and its surrounding events should be about fun – for the fans, first and foremost, but also for the players involved and the captains and alternates for both sides as well as the draftees played things up effectively and had a good time throughout the process, which was evident in the broadcast.
“It looked good on TV, right?” Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis asked after the event and his question was met with immediate assent. That was the point, of course, and St. Louis and his All-Star contingents got it, doing the event well by playing things up to the best of their ability.
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Tags: all-star+fantasy+draft,
eric+staal,
martin+st.+louis,
nhl+all-star+weekend,
steven+stamkos,
superskills
Update from Raleigh: All Eyes on the Draft
by Jon Jordan on 01/28/11 at 07:25 PM ET
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Funny… In chatting with several casual hockey fan friends and family of mine about being in Raleigh here for ASG weekend, a mention of “The Draft” as part of the festivities has led to a pause in each case and a question along the lines of, “Wait, what? They’re having the draft at the All-Star game now?”
Of course, they don’t know any better - that it’s juuust a “fantasy” draft for an exhibition game.
We do, but if we didn’t, judging from walking around Fan Fest at the Raleigh Convention Center today, where the draft will be held, this silly little pick ‘em event is being taken pretty seriously.
Granted, Nicklas Lidstrom and Eric Staal aren’t exactly holed up in “war rooms” or anything but the league and its broadcast partners are certainly planning on putting on a first-class show. The set for the draft is aces (and enormous!) and the commentators and analysts from TSN and Versus were intently rehearsing each and every “pick”, with Darren Dreger playing Staal and Matthew Barnaby assuming the role of Lidstrom.
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nicklas+lidstrom,
steven+stamkos
Bolts at the Break: Couldn’t Ask for Much More
by Jon Jordan on 01/26/11 at 01:08 PM ET
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With the pre-All-Star break portion of their schedule now officially complete after last night’s 2-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning sit comfortably atop the Southeast Division, second overall in the Eastern Conference and can rest, save for All-Stars Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos, with five days before a meeting with the East-leading Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
51 games in the books, 31 to play – before the second season, that is, which is now nothing short of extremely likely for Tampa Bay. (Playoff hockey, folks! And – gasp – something to get excited about!)
Actually, there’s been plenty of excitement surrounding the Lightning all season already.
There are, of course, the 31 wins – second only to Philadelphia (33) and matched only by Pittsburgh in all the National Hockey League.
There’s the 16-4-2 home record and the fact that all but one of the Lightning’s hockey games in February will be played at the St. Pete Times Forum, with ten tilts remaining on the lengthy 12-game homestand.
There are individual performances to consider, namely St. Louis and Stamkos, near the top of the league in goals, assists and points all season long and the latter now in position for “Rocket” Richard and Art Ross honors with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby on the shelf.
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steve+yzerman,
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victor+hedman,
vincent+lecavalier
The Bolts Beat, 1/24/11: State of the Lightning After 50, All-Star Thoughts, Nabokov, NYI and More
by Jon Jordan on 01/25/11 at 03:58 PM ET
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***Sorry for the delay, folks. A few technical issues in getting the show uploaded this week. Thanks. - JJ***
In the latest episode of The Bolts Beat, Jon, Mark and Mike compare the current state of the Tampa Bay Lightning versus where we all thought they might be at the 50-game mark, share our thoughts on the upcoming All-Star game and some possible ways to improve the event, weigh in on the drama surrounding Evgeni Nabokov, the Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders, admit some nerves about the upcoming uniform/logo changes for Tampa Bay and much more…
JJ
jj@kuklaskorner.com
JJ on Twitter
The Bolts Beat podcast archive
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Tags: all-star+game,
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Stamkos Has Been Playing Hurt
by Paul on 01/14/11 at 06:06 PM ET
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from Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes,
“We never said it but he was injured,” Boucher said.
Well, that sparked all kinds of other questions.
What is the injury?
“Some parts of the body injury,” Boucher said. “It’s a lot better but it was really annoying for a while.”
Did the injury coincide with his scoring drought?
“Almost.”
Stamkos, second in the league with 31 goals, describe whatever his injury is or was as “nothing major, nothing that’s going to keep me from playing a game. Honestly, it’s the bumps and bruises I go through every year.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Lightning/Capitals, 1/12/11
by Jon Jordan on 01/13/11 at 01:38 PM ET
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Yesterday, the aim here was to reaffirm the realistic goal of a Southeast Division championship for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Keeping pace with the three-time defending champion Washington Capitals through 43 games was enough, at face value, to establish that. But, in shutting out the Caps for a second consecutive meeting and, really, dominating last night’s game throughout, the Lightning have taken things a step further.
The road to the Southeast Division championship goes through Tampa.
Clearly, nothing’s been settled yet. 38 games remaining games for each club – with two more against each other – dictates as much. But the tides have turned in the Lightning’s favor since the acquisition of Dwayne Roloson, who has now blanked Washington twice in a week for his new club.
The difference between being outscored 12-3 in two losses to the Capitals earlier in the year and not allowing a single goal in two since goes far beyond a goaltending upgrade.
“We were trying to play their game,” Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher said of the first two meetings with Washington this year, “And, to be honest with you, at their game, they’re better than us.”
“We focused a lot less on the other team (in the two wins) and a lot more on ourselves.”
In doing so, the Bolts have flipped the script on their division rivals and sit alone atop the Southeast standings.
And while Washington has struggled to find consistency during a shift in identity from the offensive dynamo they’ve been in recent years, Tampa Bay has continually improved all season long.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Southeast Crown a Realistic Goal for Tampa Bay - Beyond That?
by Jon Jordan on 01/12/11 at 12:37 PM ET
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The question was posed recently in the St. Pete Times and Paul recently brought it to the attention of the KK faithful as well, soliciting some interesting responses but, with first place in the Southeast Division on the line again tonight, with the Washington Capitals (and their identical 55-point total) in town for the first time this season, it deserves some revisiting:
Could the Tampa Bay Lightning truly be a contender for the Stanley Cup this season?
Well, yeah… I suppose anything is possible.
But since the original question was actually, “Is it premature to call the Tampa Bay Lightning a Stanley Cup contender?” then, well…
Yeah. It is.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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The Bolts Beat, 1/10/11: Tampa’s Up & Down Week, M-A Bergeron, Slightly Whacky All-Star Picks & More
by Jon Jordan on 01/11/11 at 12:58 AM ET
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In tonight’s episode of The Bolts Beat, the gang reviews a roller coaster week for the Tampa Bay Lightning and analyzes what the addition of defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron might eventually mean for the club.
And, in a nod to the NHL’s unique way of fielding two all-star teams this year, Jon, Mark and Mike create some rules as well in selecting their very own squads.
All that, plus the usual shenanigans after the jump…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Pounded in Pittsburgh, Bolts Will “Bypass” This One
by Jon Jordan on 01/06/11 at 01:07 PM ET
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Following Dwayne Roloson’s stellar 34-save shutout debut in Tuesday night’s win in Washington, yours truly joined a host of other media types in pondering aloud just how far stable goaltending might propel the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After all, you can’t ask for a much better start with a new team than the one Roloson enjoyed against the Capitals.
That win elevated the Lightning into sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division and into a tie for the top point total in the Eastern Conference with Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
Enter the Penguins…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, NHL Media, NHL Video, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: dan+ellis,
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Video- Bad Night For The Bolts
by Paul on 01/05/11 at 11:45 PM ET
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At the time of this post, the Lightning trailed the Penguins 7-0.
Steven Stamkos had a chance to put a dent in the lead when the Penguins were up by five, but ...
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
The Bolts Beat, 1/3/11: Roloson in the Mix, Odd Goalie Out, the Last Word on Spin-o-Rama Gate & More
by Jon Jordan on 01/03/11 at 11:12 PM ET
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In the first installment of The Bolts Beat for 2011, Jon, Mike and Mark give their thoughts on Tampa Bay’s addition of goaltender Dwayne Roloson and why the deal was made now. Later, things get a little spicy when the conversation turns to what it likely means for Dan Ellis and/or Mike Smith.
Also, the guys give their thoughts on the stellar NHL debut of yet another goalie, Cedrick Desjardins, and discuss how he might fit into the Lightning’s future plans.
And, finally - no, really, for the last time - the gang reluctantly entertains the controversy that should never have been over Steven Stamkos’ penalty shot goal against Montreal.
All that, plus more (including a special announcement!) after the jump…
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Stamkos vs. Omark: The Controversy That Isn’t (With a Cameo from Denis Savard)
by Jon Jordan on 12/31/10 at 03:13 PM ET
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A few weeks ago, Edmonton’s Linus Omark’s spin move from center ice to begin the eventual shootout winner over Tampa Bay irked the Lightning. Players called it disrespectful, embarrassing and so on and so forth. I opined that it was no big deal and that the Bolts were overreacting. A day later, many of them realized just that, including the victimized goaltender, Dan Ellis, in particular.
“Bottom line, the kid scored,” Ellis told ESPN 1040’s Mike Corcoran. “In the end, if we want to go spin every time and put the puck in the net, then so be it.”
Last night, Steven Stamkos was awarded a penalty shot against Montreal and converted to lengthen the Lightning’s lead in an eventual 4-1 win with a more traditional spin-o-rama from in tight.
And, sadly, it didn’t take long for several mouths to start yapping about Stamkos’ attempt being just like Omark’s, when nothing could be further from the truth. Snarks aimed at Ellis, specifically, were commonplace and one has to wonder, at this point: What is it that people outside of Tampa (and maybe Detroit?) seem to hate so much about the Bolts? Success breeds contempt, I suppose - or maybe it’s a Florida/Southern hockey thing… But it seems like any time anything even remotely spicy pops up around this team, so many are - pardon the pun - lightning-quick to pile on.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Media, NHL Video, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: dan+ellis,
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Desjardins Leads Lightning Past Canadiens in NHL Debut
by Jon Jordan on 12/31/10 at 01:57 AM ET
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A little pre-game surprise added to the excitement and anticipation for tonight’s game between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning as goaltender Cedrick Desjardins was announced late as the Lightning’s starter, making his NHL debut against the organization with which he spent parts of four seasons before coming to Tampa Bay in an off-season trade.
Lightning head coach Guy Boucher insisted, however, that his decision on a goaltender for tonight’s game had nothing to do with a Desjardins vs. Montreal scenario. Rather, it was quite the opposite.
“That was the right time because our streak was over,” Boucher said of a Lightning run of six wins in seven games and points in eight straight prior to Tuesday’s loss to Boston. “I almost didn’t start him because it was the Canadiens.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Video- The Stamkos Spin Penalty Shot
by Paul on 12/31/10 at 12:47 AM ET
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Stamkos with the spin to score on Carey Price tonight.
added 10:17pm, a more complete video can be watched below…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: steven+stamkos
Past the Quarter Poll: Southeast Division Team Ratings from JJ
by Jon Jordan on 12/08/10 at 03:54 PM ET
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We’re past the quarter pole, so maybe this is a bit late but it still seems like a good time to me to hand out some assessments to all five Southeast Division clubs. Besides, what’s this quarter pole anyway? Divide the NHL season in equal fours and the resting #StamkosMath calculator tells me that we’d have to stop things at the ten-minute mark of each team’s 21st game of the year to truly be one quarter of the way through. And that just seems troubling.
We’ll go with JJ Ratings rather than the standard report cards because one, everyone else seems to do the report card thing and two, handing out school-type grades gives me terrible nightmares. (Trust me.) Instead, each club’s JJ Rating will reflect their performance on a scale of one to ten (and, since I’ve become a big fan of complicating things, we’ll allow for partial points as well).
Here we are, anywhere from 26-29 games into the 2010-11 slate for the Southeast squads – as good a time as any (maybe just because I say so) to see where we are versus where we thought we’d be, as well as where we might be headed.
We’ll tackle this alphabetically (Ooh… Suspense!)
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steven+stamkos,
tomas+vokoun
The Bolts Beat, 11/29/10: Lightning Week in Review, #StamkosMath Jinx? and… Lord of the Flies???
by Jon Jordan on 11/29/10 at 11:41 PM ET
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In this week’s episode, the gang looks back at four games for the Lightning last week and previews three upcoming matchups and questions whether or not the recent Stamkos 50-in-50 talk was a bit premature.
Also, Mike wards off a horrendous head cold, Mark welcomes back the Whale and Jon keeps one foot firmly planted in (his) reality.
Finally, against all odds, The Bolts Beat crew prevails over deadly, swarming, killer flies. (No, really.)
Have a listen…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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simon+gagne,
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Washed Up in Washington: 6-0 Beating Shows Bolts Have a Long Way to Go
by Jon Jordan on 11/27/10 at 02:23 PM ET
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Past the so-called “quarter pole”, 23 games into the 2010-11 season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are undoubtedly in pretty good shape. At 13-8-2 for 28 points, they rank second in the Southeast Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference and appear, at this early stage of the season, to have the makings of a team that can qualify for postseason play and, potentially, make some waves.
But, after last night’s 6-0 pasting at the hands of the division stalwart Washington Capitals, they also, undoubtedly, still have a long way to go before they can stake a legitimate claim to being an upper echelon team like their foes of a night ago.
Really, the Bolts are right where we’d thought they’d be from the start – second in the division and good enough, as they were in their first meeting with the Caps two weeks ago (a 6-3 loss), to hang with the class of the division for a time and give them somewhat of a push. But, last night, they weren’t even close, proving that, though they do have a formidable 1-2 punch in Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis to rival Alexes Ovechkin and Semin for the offensive Washington dynamo, they don’t have the firepower through and through – from up front and on the back end – to keep up with the Joneses (or the Backstroms, the Greens and so on and so forth).
Filed in: NHL Teams, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Hammer Time
by Jon Jordan on 11/24/10 at 12:09 PM ET
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I only have a few minutes this morning, with a houseful already in town for Thanksgiving and the pressing need of locating some genie-style parachute pants in time for tonight’s game, what with M.C. Hammer in town for a postgame concert and all. (Rumor has it, if things go well for the Lightning, their very own “Hammer”, one Steven Stamkos, could join the genius behind “U Can’t Touch This”, “2 Legit 2 Quit” and “Here Comes the Hammer” on stage. Hope he’s been practicing that trademark Hammer shuffle…)
Anyway, I simply wanted to point out that, prior to their recent three-game road sweep of the Islanders, Philadelphia and Buffalo, I had noted that the Lightning were actually two points behind their record through 17 games last season and that they’d need to win two of three just to match that club’s pace at the indicative “quarter pole” of the twenty-game mark. Of course, they managed a perfect road trip and added a win over Boston on Monday night to run their win streak to four and to pull them within four points of division-leading Washington.
So forget that last year stuff, as all seems well, presently, in Lightningland…
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A Two Player Race For The Art Ross Trophy
by Paul on 11/23/10 at 11:42 PM ET
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from the CP at CBC,
It’s setting up as a memorable NHL scoring duel and not just because of the names at the top.
Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby have separated themselves from their peers a quarter of the way into the NHL season, racking up points at a rate not seen around the league in 15 years.
They both sat at 35 points through Monday’s games - putting them on pace to top 130. That hasn’t happened since Mario Lemieux captured the Art Ross Trophy with 161 points in 1995-96.
While some might expect the pace to slow as the season wears on, it’s possible the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and Tampa Bay Lightning forward could spur one another on. Recall that they tied for the league lead in goals last season, with Crosby scoring twice in his final game to briefly move ahead before Stamkos matched him with one into an empty net later in the day.
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steven+stamkos
A Different Pair
by Paul on 11/23/10 at 08:17 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside of ESPN,
If you ask anyone to describe Steven Stamkos and Steve Downie, the one word that most often surfaces from those around the Tampa Bay Lightning is inseparable.
They live in the same residential community in the Tampa area. They room together on the road. They traveled to Germany together to play for Canada at the world championships this past spring. They worked out religiously with former teammate Gary Roberts during the offseason. They play golf and work out during the season together. Compete, laugh, compete some more.
But ... inseparable?
One player, Stamkos, was the first overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft; the other, Downie, once received a 20-game suspension, the fourth-longest in NHL history, for a hit in 2007. Now, along with Martin St. Louis, they are part of one of the most dangerous forward lines in the league.
Maybe incongruous? Perhaps, but the friendship is real nonetheless.
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#3 In the League
by Paul on 11/21/10 at 01:53 PM ET
Comments (8)
from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,
Is Steve Stamkos the new face of the NHL?
No, but he’s in the same group picture that features Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.
Stamkos is the third-best forward in the game today, behind Crosby and Ovechkin, with apologies to reigning MVP Henrik Sedin, as well as Pavel Datsyuk and Evgeni Malkin.
“Stamkos No. 3? Yeah, I’d say he’s making a case for it,” said Phoenix Coyotes forward Ray Whitney. “He’s that good. He’s got that shot. You can watch him all you want, but he doesn’t need any time. And he’s playing with a pretty good little guy (Martin St. Louis).”
continued plus a variety of hockey notes…
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Is Stamkos the New Face of the NHL?
by Jon Jordan on 11/19/10 at 03:37 PM ET
Comments (12)
That’s the question that The Globe and Mail asks Roy MacGregor, Sean Gordon and Eric Duhatschek today, with varied responses.
More specifically:
Today we turn our attention to Tampa Bay, where Lightning forward Steven Stamkos has 19 goals in 19 games and leads the NHL scoring with 34 points. His strong start comes on the heels of a 51-goal breakout season that saw him share the Rocket Richard Trophy with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
We asked our writers: Is it time to put Stamkos up with Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as the best players in the NHL?
My opinion, though unsolicited for this particular informal poll, is an unwavering
YES
. Having seen Stamkos transform, first-hand, in his two and less-than-a-fourth seasons in the NHL from a kid with shaken confidence to the game’s most dynamic goal-scorer who seems to improve on a daily basis that we’re seeing now is more than enough to convince me of as much.
And, believe it or not, Stamkos indeed does have - wait for it - some Gretzky in him, on and off the ice, as Duhatschek so wisely observes.
I’m sold. Seems at least one-and-a-half of the three writers polled here are too.
Let the debate begin…
JJ
Filed in: NHL Teams, Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL Talk, NHL Media, | KK Hockey | Permalink
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