Lightning Fans-

What a record this team has so far!! Lecavalier and St. Louis are amazing!! Anybody have any info on the team system and their style of play? Just like to know how this team operates.

Speed system, usually 2 forecheckers. Very little, if any neutral zone trapping. Play a puck pursuit system where the forecheckers, if beaten, scramble back and force everything to the outside. The third forward always attacks the puck carrier in the neutral zone, forcing him to make a decision - which is usually a dump in up the wall. When the forecheck is working, the dmen pinch in at the opposition's blue line. It's like a trap, but not in the neutral zone - in the offensive zone. When it works, it's fantastic. There was a 3rd period at MSG last year where the Rangers couldn't get out of their zone for 5 minutes it seemed.

Dmen are encouraged to pinch to make 2 on 1's 3 on 1's, etc. Forwards usually do a good job covering.

In their own zone and in the neutral zone everything is pushed to the outside. It looks like they're being dominated a lot in their own zone, but shots don't get through very easily. Rebounds cleared quickly.

There is high attention to detail - get it out/get it in... almost a robotic execution sometimes.

TB uses the cycle in the O-zone as a form of puck hogging to keep the puck out of the TB zone. The "Dirt" line of Dingman-Taylor-Andreychuk usually does this very effectively.

2 scoring lines
1 checking line
1 combo line that is capable of scoring, cycling and playing in their own zone. Svitov or Cibak has been centering this line.

Fun system to watch when they're not being trapped. LA and CAR (in CAR) threw the trap at them and shut them down for the most part. Big, physical forwards usually are successful against Tampa, too. They give up a fair amount of odd-man rushes, but Khabi and Grahame have been so good, the gamble usually is worth it.

Wow, excellent work. You're my boy, Blue!

The reason we look like we're being dominated in our zone a lot of times is because we don't play agressively on the perimeter. Ramsey teaches a collapsing, sometimes frankly non-physical (use your poke check, take away the stick instead of trying to waffle a guy and allow God to sort it out later), style of hockey which basically begs you to pass it back to your point and fire long shots for Khabi to eat up all night. I mean, we completely leave the points uncovered A LOT.

Its not the philosophy (call it the Stan Neckar school of defense) I would employ, but I think it goes with the personnel we have which lack a certain degree of mobility and in some cases strength. Kubina and Pratt are no speed demons, Boyle is tiny, and Lukowich isn't exactly Lou Ferigno in the upper body strength department (see: Zubrus making him his *****).

It'll be interesting to see if they change that once the mobility/strength quotient gets better on the backline with Dicaire, Holmqvist, Ranger, Egener, and Smaby on the horizon. My gut tells me they won't though because that's just the style Ramsey likes.

-Pete Choquette

What Oceanic said.


We take alot of chances in the offensive zone and rely on team speed to recover and stop odd man rushes and breakaways. When we don't get back Khabibulin or Grahame are leaned on heavily.


We give up alot of scoring when people swarm to the puck and not playing disciplined. Its actually a very good system if everyone stays commited to their man.

Well, for most teams in the league it's really a win-win situation here. You make the playoffs and have a chance at the Cup or you miss the playoffs and have a chance at Ovechkin. Which would you Bolts fans rather have?

Well, for most teams in the league it's really a win-win situation here. You make the playoffs and have a chance at the Cup or you miss the playoffs and have a chance at Ovechkin. Which would you Bolts fans rather have?

Playoffs and a chance at the cup. Lightning fans down here in Tampa have gone through too many years of missing the playoffs and being the laughing stock of the league. I think weve got a serious contender in the East with this team that COULD make a run like Carolina if Khabibulin gets hot. Ovechkin is a great prospect but making the playoffs last year was better than any year of drafting in the top 5. Besides, this is the year if the Lightning make a good run could get the majority of the community on their side, the bandwagons down here are jumping off the Bucs bandwagon and the Lightning bandwagon could get a major boost off that.

Well, for most teams in the league it's really a win-win situation here. You make the playoffs and have a chance at the Cup or you miss the playoffs and have a chance at Ovechkin. Which would you Bolts fans rather have?
I can't imagine fans of any team saying they'd rather ice a loser than a winner, no matter what the consolation prize. Assuming you're an Avalanche fan, would you like your Avs to tank the season for a "chance" at Ovechkin? Keep in mind that only one team will draft him, while the rest lose out on the Ovechkin lottery. Do you really want to take that risk?

(Pete, here's your chance to say that it will be a lottery in name only and Bettman will "award" Ovechkin--on the level, of course--to Mario's Penguins.)

I remember a few years back when Patrik Stefan was the hot commodity, everyone was saying that if he could stay concussion-free he was a sure-fire star. He did indeed remain concussion-free, and now he's trade bait as part of a package to land Comrie. Don't believe that Ovechkin, Crosby, or ANYONE is going to be a star in this league until they prove it.

Pardon me for my lack of trust, Foppa_Rules, but I'm more than a little suspicious. What are you looking for here? You start by asking how this team operates, and then you follow up your praise by asking if we'd like the team to tank and be in the running for Ovechkin. It doesn't make sense.

I was just asking. It wasn't a trick question. And I don't even want the Avs to get Ovechkin because the Avs are not well known for developing their prospects. They would probably trade him away. Even if they didn't there is so much pressure on that team to win, and they would want him to liveup to the standards of Forsberg and Sakic so he might not even reach his full potential on the Avs. I think he would do best on a younger team. Like Tampa Bay or Atlanta.

Besides, this is the year if the Lightning make a good run could get the majority of the community on their side, the bandwagons down here are jumping off the Bucs bandwagon and the Lightning bandwagon could get a major boost off that.
I was thinking about this last week when I noticed Wednesday's feature story in the sports section of the Times was on Kubina, big picture, the works, and the Bolts weren't even playing! Kinda unusual, but if the Bucs continue to frustrate the locals (to say the least) it could gain the Bolts a lot more attention.

I'm not too interested in lottery picks right now, this drafting from the back row is nice for a change! :)

The Avs have been drafting from the back row for YEARS. I don't remember the last time they got a first round pick....maybe when they were the Nordiques? Don't worry, you can get a lot of good picks from the later rounds...look at Milan Hejduk!!

Or you could find a way to trade for the top pick. I think only a few teams would trade the top pick though; teams that have been at the basement too long to afford another dismal season. Predators, BlueJackets and Rangers I think fit this bill.

The Avs have been drafting from the back row for YEARS. I don't remember the last time they got a first round pick....maybe when they were the Nordiques? Don't worry, you can get a lot of good picks from the later rounds...look at Milan Hejduk!!

I remember in 98 they had 4 picks..Tanguay, Rehger, Skoula, and Parker I believe. Rehger was traded in the Fleury deal and Parker was traded last year I think. 99 they got Nederost. I think the main reason their prospects don't get into the NHL is because of that wealth of talent on the big club and of course they trade the prospects away.

What would a team have to trade for the #1 pick? Is there any special thing you have to give away?

No. It would take a franchise player to get a shot at this year's #1. No way anyone trades it.

What would a team have to trade for the #1 pick? Is there any special thing you have to give away?
And down in Sunrise, a certain coach/GM's ears have just perked up.

Trade? Number 1 pick?

Well, I guess the teams that miss the playoffs have one chance in 14 to get him.

Well, I guess the teams that miss the playoffs have one chance in 14 to get him.

No. Teams that miss the playoffs have a chance to move up a maximum of three spots in the draft order. You can't leap from being the 14th best team to getting the #1 overall pick.