Who Takes Keefe?

Any Bets/Guesses?

Might be a bit of a reach, but my guess is Pittsburgh.

Keefe will be picked up by the man/GM that drafted him Rick Dudley, Keefe will grow into a star with the Cat's and make this weak decesion by the TB brass look bad !! Great job feaster Keefe to Cats for nothing and you will pay for it down the road !!

Any Bets/Guesses?

Might be a bit of a reach, but my guess is Pittsburgh.
Does he still have that idiot agent, , whose name I believe is David Frost.
If so, maybe no one.

Keefe will be taken in the first round but not by someone in the division.
Nickle says Pittsburgh takes him. If not, Columbus.

Keefe will be picked up by the man/GM that drafted him Rick Dudley, Keefe will grow into a star with the Cat's and make this weak decesion by the TB brass look bad !! Great job feaster Keefe to Cats for nothing and you will pay for it down the road !!
Unless he pulls the same thing he did last year and has another team pick him and trade him, he won't get first crack. You people and your Dudley worship are a little tiresome, if you're going to post here, show a little respect.

Yes, Frost is still Keefe's agent. Did some grumbling last year, but other than that hasn't been a big problem in a while.

Unless he pulls the same thing he did last year and has another team pick him and trade him, he won't get first crack. You people and your Dudley worship are a little tiresome, if you're going to post here, show a little respect.

Yes, Frost is still Keefe's agent. Did some grumbling last year, but other than that hasn't been a big problem in a while.
I don't give a RATS bUTT WHO Keefe's agent is , we need to pick this kid up , it will be great for the team in the end !!

Keefe to the Pens.

The stupidity of protecting Darren Rumble and exposing Sheldon Keefe is truly monumental. Just when you think Cheeto Jay is turning his rep around, he does something like this.

-Pete Choquette

I'll amend my answer having looked at all the young prospects on the list... Keefe to Buffalo.

-Pete Choquette

I think it's kind of yellow that instead of making the decision who wins a roster spot among Willis, Keefe, Cibak and Afanasenkov, TB decides to make the league decide for them... then TB will take the left overs.

I think it's kind of yellow that instead of making the decision who wins a roster spot among Willis, Keefe, Cibak and Afanasenkov, TB decides to make the league decide for them... then TB will take the left overs.
Speculation in both papers this morning was that this is a sign we're keeping Alexeev and Svitov up (ugh) and none of the guys we exposed has a chance of making the team. I sincerely hope that's just speculation on the part of our local reporters. :(

22 yr old former OHL scoring champion making close to nothing with heart and speed. There will deffinatly be atleast one GM out there with an interest.

I think it's terrible speculation, Sotnos.

If Svitov and Alexeev were waiver eligible, then we would truly know "who has made it" right now.

The fact that they are not on the list is just because they're not eligible to pass through waivers to go down. Not because they've outplayed anyone. Alexeev was given multiple opps on the first line and did nothing. Willis did something, yet for some dumb reason they think he did nothing to win a job.

I think they're stuck with the "Willis can only play on a scoring line" thing and therefore that depletes his value. Take a step back, TB, look at the big picture and give him a shot to start the year with the big club. Give him a vote of confindence by protecting him (same could be done for Keefe). Instead, they're giving that vote to a minor league dman.

TB could very easily take the leftovers from the WD, insert them into the lineup, and send down the Russian duo and additional leftover(s).

I think it's terrible speculation, Sotnos.

If Svitov and Alexeev were waiver eligible, then we would truly know "who has made it" right now.
Exactly, I don't see what led them to that conclusion. They seemed to be saying that we wouldn't have exposed Keefe and Willis (or even Cibak) if we were going to use them, therefore Svitov and Alexeev must be in. Wouldn't bother me at all to see BOTH of our young Russians go down. They were both at least decent in the scrimmages last year (not so good in the e-games), but this year I really saw nothing out of either of them that puts them in my mind above Willis.

The idea that Svitov and Alexeev are a lock wasn't confirmed by Feaster or anyone else that I've seen.

Willis did something, yet for some dumb reason they think he did nothing to win a job.

I think they're stuck with the "Willis can only play on a scoring line" thing and therefore that depletes his value. Take a step back, TB, look at the big picture and give him a shot to start the year with the big club. Give him a vote of confindence by protecting him (same could be done for Keefe). Instead, they're giving that vote to a minor league dman.
In one of the papers today, Feaster said that with his low contract, they honestly felt that Rumble would be attractive to someone. I don't see it. I'm very disappointed that Willis is being treated in this way, when he has, from what I've seen, done everything that has been asked of him. I LOVE Clymer, good role player and nice guy, but if I see him on Vinny's line again I won't be too pleased! If we lose Willis, I guess I have to pull for Somervuori to be called up, he's my 2nd choice up there for the moment. :)

I think the "meritocracy" is a crock of bullspit. Forgive me for saying, but Emperor Cheeto has no clothes.

Last year Shane Willis leads the scrimmages in goal scoring. They cut him, and say it's because he didn't show enough in the ex-games. This year he turns around the equation and puts up a point a game in the ex-games and they cut him anyways.

Meanwhile we have Nikita Alexeev, who failed in scrimmages as a scoring liner. Failed in the ex-games as a checking liner with his late game turnover against the Panthers. Basically this young man has not proved he could play a role at either end of the ice... had a bad camp/preseason all around and he is rewarded with a position on the team? Pardon my francais, but WTF?

For that matter, lets compare what Sheldon Keefe proved versus Nikita Alexeev. Alexeev goes in at the end of the game in a shut down situation, coughs up the puck, and the Panthers tie the game. Sheldon Keefe goes in at the end of a game prior to that, exact same situation, and notches an empty netter. Who do you trust more after that performance to play on a checking line?

Its not even close in the case of Alexeev. He SHOULD NOT be on this team come opening night. Either Willis or Keefe, and in my opinion probably both, should be.

Svitov still had a handful of games to prove himself worthy of the 4th line job. I don't believe that matter was settled between he, Cibak, and Keefe. No one had really pulled away with the job. Sadly though, like Chad said, the Lightning hedged on Coach Tortorella's stance that "The players will decide." Well the players won't decide the 4th line center job, the waiver draft will. And that's not a "meritocracy".

For an organization whose front office has spent an awful lot of time talking the talk about "meritocracy" and "accountability", they sure have done a poor job of walking the walk this week.

-Pete Choquette

Well, Willis is getting yet another chance of a lifetime by serving popcorn for the 2nd game in a row.

Un-freakin'-believable.

And it's not just playing or not playing.

The E-game I saw EVERY shift Willis did something to get himself noticed. He either made a nice pass, got the puck out of the zone through hard work, wrung one off the post, didn't think about passing when he had a shot and blistered several on net, set up a goal by getting the puck on net despite breaking his stick, or making a hit.

HOWEVER... and I've been thinking about this since that game assuming Torts would rectify the situation later... he does not get ice time in the games he's in. I don't have the numbers in front of me, but they were not playing him very much when he was playing.

Meritocracy my ass. Willis has had an uphill skate since Day One of camp. Not sure why they even re-signed him.

Gets points in every game, contributes in all 3 zones, but gets benched for 2 of the last 3 E-games (pending a benching vs. FLA). Why the hell wouldn't you want to see more of him in game sitations to make that decision?

Testify Brother Schnarr.

-Pete Choquette

Meritocracy my ass. Willis has had an uphill skate since Day One of camp. Not sure why they even re-signed him.
Me either. I'm glad it's not just me, here I was thinking there must be something I'm missing with Willis, that he must be really awful but I just couldn't see it!

The bottum line and it sickens me to almost puke , is that Willis and Keefe should be on the roster opening night and they wont because the two russian kids cant handle going to the minors and playing with Hershey or Hamilton . So in short even no the other two played better and won jobs the russians get the job because they need there hands held !!!!! This will cause Feaster and/or Torts to one day lose there jobs , I firmly believe Keefe will score 20 Goals one day and be another Tucker in this league !

Could it be that they're trying to hide Willis so he doesn't get noticed in these e-games? That way nobody would take him in the draft?

Could it be that they're trying to hide Willis so he doesn't get noticed in these e-games? That way nobody would take him in the draft?

To do that, you'd have to be going into the exhibition season with the mindset that you were going to farm Willis no matter what happened... which shows that even if your theory were true, the theory only serves as further proof that they weren't going to give Willis a fair deal no matter what.

Feaster practically admits it in print for crying out loud! Its contemptible. Contemptible that all the talk of "meritocracy" and "The players will decide." was all a bunch of bullcrap and contemptible that this organization will lose at least one and maybe both forward assetts for nothing. I'm left with three big issues coming out of this:

1.) The stupidity of protecting a career minor leaguer in Darren Rumble over Shane Willis or Sheldon Keefe. Unless there's a plan to nominally upgrade at d by bringing in a Patrick Traverse and then exposing Rumble, I really don't see any logic in this. Heck, I don't see any logic in it even in that situation either.

2.) The possible rearing of the ugly head of Jay Feaster's mismanagement of our AHL situation for the last two years, yet again. This may be a red herring though: see issue 3.

3.) The obvious and deliberate blackballing of Shane Willis. I don't know what he did or who he crossed (I suspect Tortorella) when he came here, but its clear to me they decided early on they didn't want him as a part of the team and no movement of heaven or earth would change that. He scored the most goals in scrimmages last year. Cut. We have an obvious need for a RW for Vinny's line all last season and they never call up a proven NHL 20 goal scorer and try to use him to fill the position. This year he goes in and puts up a point a game in preseason and they decide to waive him. And they have the audacity to say he hasn't seized the job by the throat? That he's only played as well as Nikita Alexeev who choked away a scoring line job they were trying to feed him on a silver platter and then proceeded to prove he isn't checking line material either by coughing up the tying goal in the last minute of the 3rd period against Florida?

No sir, I don't buy the use of the minor league affiliate situation as an excuse for SCREWING Shane Willis and Sheldon Keefe out of roster spots. And if Hershey and Hamilton are so unspeakably horrible that the thought of sending Alexeev and Svitov there is too much to bear, then what in the blue h-e-double hockey sticks are we doing sending Andreas Holmqvist, Evgeni Artukhin, and Gerard Dicaire there? I can make an argument that Holmqvist, for instance, is every bit as valuable to the future of this organization as Alexeev or Svitov and they didn't flinch to send him down. No, this smells like a contrived an excuse by which to make it acceptable to ignore their own rhetoric about picking a team based on merit so they can coddle two former 1st round picks, one of which (Alexeev) has no business making this team and the other (Svitov) clearly hasn't separated himself from the pack and who came into camp out of shape.

No, wait, now I have a 4th issue:

4.) The ridiculous rush job they've put on Alexeev and Svitov. They're RUINING these kids. Svitov had no business being on the team last year. He played 6-8 minutes on most nights unless is was a blowout and there was garbage time. That's UNACCEPTABLE. This young man has been shoehorned in that same sorry role since he was 16 in the Superleague. And they wonder why his offensive development has been stiffled? Now they're going to once again waste a top flight prospect by making him freshen water bottles at the end of the bench? Bravo. Prospect development! I wrote that story last year and I stand by it, its WRONG to force Alex Svitov into that role and waste his talents. He should be in the AHL getting IT, and so should Project Nikita. Project Nikita hasn't even put up solid numbers and play in the AHL yet in his career, so why in God's name should this organization be getting rid of two guys who have to clear a spot for him?

No, I'd rather have these two guys even just playing 15 minutes a night in Hershey (I think they'd get more) than Svitov, for instance, basically being iced on the end of the bench like a frosh on an NCAA team. And I suspect, especially in Alexeev's case, attitude has something to do with it. Project Nikita pouted in Springfield last year. "Coach McSorley is picking on me." Sorry, now that I've seen Project Nikita play like poo in our camp, I'm less inclined to believe McSorley was being tough on him without cause. The whole idea that we might be coddling him because he'll turn into a whiney ***** if we send him to Hershey, and that coddling coming at the expense of Willis or Keefe to this franchise, turns my stomach and makes me want to vomit. I DID think Alexeev had done enough to make the team last year over Olvestad (heck, I even did enough to make that team compared to Olvestad). But this year he's been terrible. Meritocracy my foot! If this was a meritocracy he'd be paying pennance in Hershey, PA already.

-Pete Choquette

Excellent write up....


All I have to say is bravo Cheeto....bravo :rant:

Tell it like it is, brother Choquette.

This whole thing reeks to high heaven.

Keefe now a NY Ranger.

Keefe now a NY Ranger.

I got the state right at least. Slats made a good little pick up here if he can get Sheldon some IT. Kudos to him.

-Pete Choquette

Bwahahaha

Much like Biron, this will be a lot of whining for nothing.

I know it's difficult for the raging Ego(s) on this board to accept, but Torts and Feaster are smarter than they want to admit. That's why they actually work for a NHL team and don't sit home and fantasize in front of their computer.

Keefe will have a non-descript career.

Bwahahaha

Much like Biron, this will be a lot of whining for nothing.

I know it's difficult for the raging Ego(s) on this board to accept, but Torts and Feaster are smarter than they want to admit. That's why they actually work for a NHL team and don't sit home and fantasize in front of their computer.

Keefe will have a non-descript career.

And you're saying we have raging egos? Hm.

Bwahahaha

Much like Biron, this will be a lot of whining for nothing.

I know it's difficult for the raging Ego(s) on this board to accept, but Torts and Feaster are smarter than they want to admit. That's why they actually work for a NHL team and don't sit home and fantasize in front of their computer.

Keefe will have a non-descript career.
Keefe will be just fine your a dope for that type of comment , This will come back to haunt the Bolts one day soon trust me !! He just needed a chance, know he's got it

And you're saying we have raging egos? Hm.

Yay. Tucker16 or sniper-crash crawling out from beneath their favorite rock. And nobody here was freaked about losing Biron. Hate to break that to you, but you should know that already.

Keefe will be a solid NHLer.

-Pete Choquette

Bwahahaha

MIA for two months from the HF boards and THAT is the best you can do? Sad. Inaccurate too.

Your rock is calling you LastoftheJabronies. Time to go hide again.

-Pete Choquette

Meritocracy my foot! If this was a meritocracy he'd be paying pennance in Hershey, PA already.

Alright. Credit where due... they farmed Alexeev.

-Pete Choquette

Alright. Credit where due... they farmed Alexeev.

-Pete Choquette
Thankfully!!

Afanasenkov & Cibak still up

There are not many rangers fans who know about Keefe's skill level, but if he ever gets the call up and some ice time I thinking he is a good shot to stay with the big club.

There are not many rangers fans who know about Keefe's skill level, but if he ever gets the call up and some ice time I thinking he is a good shot to stay with the big club.
If they try and send him down, we can get him back for nothing, so they'd better think long and hard about putting him on the big club.

Did Afanasenkov actually outplay Willis? I could tell from the ex-games that Cibak outplayed Svitov but I did not think Affy outplayed Willis. I still do not understand why we protected Rumble who was out of hockey last year until we dug him up. Chad and Pete- you-all are preaching to the choir, but I truly appreciate your knowledgable views. The Keefe deal will come back to bite us, unless the rags do send him down- which would not surprise me in a way. Is Willis on his way to Hershey? Why do they have it in for Willis? This makes no sense. But of course why should it.

Did Afanasenkov actually outplay Willis?
Not in my estimation, but I've given up trying to read the minds of this coaching and management team. I thought he'd made the team last year too.

I still do not understand why we protected Rumble who was out of hockey last year until we dug him up.
Feaster seemed to really, honestly think he'd be an attractive pickup for someone, presumably because of his low salary. But, my god, like you say, we pretty much dug him up, he's a career minor-leaguer, not to mention he's been out with back spasms for two weeks now!! I highly doubt anyone would have taken him.

The Keefe deal will come back to bite us, unless the rags do send him down- which would not surprise me in a way.
I really disagree that losing Keefe will affect us in any way, shape or form, but I know I'm in the minority on that one. ;)

Is Willis on his way to Hershey?
Yup, he's gone already. You're not alone in being puzzled, trust me. I've been told by my family that I like Willis entirely too much, but I'd really like to see him get a fair shot.

Feaster seemed to really, honestly think he'd be an attractive pickup for someone, presumably because of his low salary.

In a related situation, why are we carrying 8 d-men on the opening night roster? Makes little sense to me.

I really disagree that losing Keefe will affect us in any way

It won't effect us much on the ice, but it could become and embarassment to the front office if he rises to the occassion elsewhere.

And no, Affy did not beat out Willis IMO.

-Pete Choquette

In a related situation, why are we carrying 8 d-men on the opening night roster? Makes little sense to me.


Apparently you don't know about the new Super-dee-duper Reddenbocker C-43 Popcorn Maker with the patented Millennium-6 Butter Spreader being installed at the SPT Forum.

It takes at least 3 people to operate.
Manual says use 1 forward and TWO dmen for best results.

In regards to Affy vs. Willis...

I agree, that in the hockey I saw in Tampa in Sept, Affy did not outplay Willis. However, I did think that Affy did a lot of things better than I've seen him do them before (work along the walls in the O-zone, for one), and was effective.

Could it be that Affy was kept over Willis so there is someone to interpret for Svitov? I can think of no other factor that could tip the scales in his direction.

I think that perhaps the front office has been swept away with exuberance for the fact Afanasenkov has basically resurrected his career out of nowhere this preseason. No one saw this coming, and the difference between getting exhiled to the Swiss League and where he is now is remarkable. That momentum is carrying him to a job even though I don't think he outplayed a few guys who didn't make the team.

Annnnnd, they're probably afraid if they don't give Affy some positive reinforcement he'll go down to the minors, pout for a third straight year, and his career really will be over.

Annnnnd, I'm now convinced Shane Willis could turn water into wine and it still wouldn't matter to the front office. The organization refuses to have #24 in uniform here ever again.

-Pete Choquette

Apparently you don't know about the new Super-dee-duper Reddenbocker C-43 Popcorn Maker with the patented Millennium-6 Butter Spreader being installed at the SPT Forum.

It takes at least 3 people to operate.
Manual says use 1 forward and TWO dmen for best results.


Haaaaaaahahahahahahaaaaa!!!

Thanks for the info and Sotnos that just reaffirms my opinion that for evey semi- decent decision that cheeto makes he has to make two dumb ones. Does anyone have any idea what Willis did to so irritate people? The true mark of a professional is to overlook stupid stuff and do what is best for the team. Oh well, i answered my own question.

1.) No sir, I don't buy the use of the minor league affiliate situation as an excuse for SCREWING Shane Willis and Sheldon Keefe out of roster spots. And if Hershey and Hamilton are so unspeakably horrible that the thought of sending Alexeev and Svitov there is too much to bear, then what in the blue h-e-double hockey sticks are we doing sending Andreas Holmqvist, Evgeni Artukhin, and Gerard Dicaire there? I can make an argument that Holmqvist, for instance, is every bit as valuable to the future of this organization as Alexeev or Svitov and they didn't flinch to send him down. No, this smells like a contrived an excuse by which to make it acceptable to ignore their own rhetoric about picking a team based on merit so they can coddle two former 1st round picks, one of which (Alexeev) has no business making this team and the other (Svitov) clearly hasn't separated himself from the pack and who came into camp out of shape.

Whats new? Its been going on for 4 years

Could it be that Affy was kept over Willis so there is someone to interpret for Svitov? I can think of no other factor that could tip the scales in his direction.

I don't think so....Fedotenko can translate, he did it last year after Alexeev was sent down.

I don't think so....Fedotenko can translate, he did it last year after Alexeev was sent down.

Forgot Feds. He vanished from my mind in the same way he often does on the ice.

In the SSN Lightning Preview Andreychuk singles out Willis as having a good camp after "being cast aside," before mentioning "earning spots."

One could interpret that as a vote for Willis.

Cheeto Jay is so embarrassingly pigheaded, at this point I don't even think he'd pay the fee to bring Keefe back to the Lightning organization were the Rangers to waive him.

As for Willis, the organization clearly would have liked for him to have been selected in the waiver draft. Now, they'll have a tough decision to make when the first forward gets called up. Who will it be?

Now, they'll have a tough decision to make when the first forward gets called up. Who will it be?

Expect them to cop out and pick either Svitov or Alexeev IMO.

-Pete Choquette