Lightning agree to terms with Tanguay

TSN says RDS reports that the Lightning have agreed to the terms of a contract with Alex Tanguay, pending a physical. The deals is supposed to be fore 1 year at $2.5 million. Negotiation had apparently been going on since July, but it was only after being contacted from both Lecavalier and St. Louis that he decided to sign the the Lightning.

Did you see that chic-ago?

*Cross-posted from my other blog Vancity Canuck*

Sorry, I had to do it.


















I am back from my trip to Illinois. It was a couple of days spent at a small university town and then a couple of days in Chicago.

And now I come back to hear that Paris Hilton has invaded Vancouver and supposedly wants both Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson from Twilight. Puke. She's here filming an episode for Supernatural where she plays a shapeshifter who shapeshifts into....Paris Hilton! Who wrote that?

Chicago was great. Love the city. Love the food; deep dish pizza, great Italian, cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather, pecan rolls, biscuits, fried fish sandwiches. Yum.













Thunderstorms and tornado warnings? Not so much.














I've never seen a Wal-Mart so large in my life before. I should have taken a picture of it since I took a picture of almost everything else.

Such as the bean:














And Wrigley Field:













But now I'm back, and hockey is just around the corner.

Lightning make trade announcement on... twitter (!)

Egads. Twitter.


















The Lightning announced today, via twitter, that they have traded Evgeny Artyukin to the Anaheim Ducks for Drew Miller and a 3rd round draft pick in 2010. Even though Artyukin was a bit of a fan favorite in Tampa, this is a great trade for the Lightning.

Didn't really see much of Miller as a Duck, he only played 27 games last season and 53 career total, but he had 4 goals and 6 assists. He also was part of the 2007 Stanley Cup winning team. Oh, and he's the brother of Buffalo's Ryan Miller, not as famous but he, unlike his brother has a cup.

Would you be miffed if your friend owed you 3 million?

I bet you would.


















Does this man owe you money?

Len Barrie has repaid Oren Koules the 3 million that he owed, and I can assume that this will help smooth out their friendship.

I can't stand owing money to people. Even when I owe people $20 bucks for covering dinner or something I try to pay people back as fast as possible because I hate the feeling of owing money.

Imagine if you owed someone 3 million? I wonder how you bring that up... "Hey Oren, so buddy, I'm gonna need for you to cover my side of the payment to the NHL about the team that is currently loosing buckets of money....how much you ask? Well...just spot me 3 million..."

That conversation must have sucked. But now it has been confirmed, by text no less to Damian Cristodero that the sum has been paid back. It's nice to know that the beat reporter is on constant texting basis with Koules. Is this a cost cutting measure by the newspaper or are they just chummy? Will DC not get to go on the road with the team and instead just text the owner? It just seems to weird to confirm the information by referencing your text that you received from the owner. I guess I can be ok with texting as long as he doesn't reference twitter as a 'source' in the future. I will draw the line.

If you have ever wanted to read about how Len Barrie came to own/develop Bear Mountain Resort, there was a piece that was written in the business section of the Globe and Mail back in March. It's a little long, but interesting to read.

Lightning to buy out Vinny Prospal

Since the Coyotes have already taken 1 bad contract off of the Lightning, ahem Vrbata, the Lightning were not able to move Prospal to another sucker team and has instead offered to buy out his contract. Prospal has 24 hours to accept the buy out and become a UFA or be put on waivers and see if he is claimed by another team. The cap hit to the Lightning will be 1.67 over the next 6 years.

I'm not thrilled about paying for players that don't actually play, but it looks like the Lightning office is trying to get rid of their bad contracts, definately a step in the right direction. I know that Prospal can have his good years...but he had a terrible year last year, and he's a journeyman that really has not shown consistency from year to year. This has been his 3rd time that he signed with the Lightning after all.

Does this mean that the Lightning are trying to free up cap space for Tanguay? We'll have to see what Lawton tries to do, but I wouldn't be surprised if we sign a few more defencemen, I believe we have like 8 or something...we need a good 10 more to last through the year.

Lightning Pre-Season roadtrip?

The Lightning have announced their pre-season schedule today. First game of the year is September 16th in Dallas, then a home game on the 18th, then 4 back to back to back to back games from the 21st to the 24th, then finish up in Atlanta on the 27th. Who created that schedule? and how is that better than starting in Europe?

My complaining is not the point of my writing, what is my point is that in between all of those back to back games is a game in Everett, WA on the 22nd. Woo. That's only a 2 hour drive from Vancouver! Do I feel a roadtrip coming on? Yes. It may have to happen.

In other Lightning stuff:
-It appears that Hedman has been a busy guy. His angry looking photos have been plastered all over the Lightning website.

















Mattias doesn't do angry glamor photos well....deer stuck in headlights on the other hand...

They also seem to think the draft was just on Friday...way to stay on top of things Lightning website people.

















-The Lightning have also signed LW Stephane Veilleux for a 1 year deal. From what I've seen when he played in Minny he was a hard working 4th line guy. Good signing.

And just like that, the Lightning DON'T look so bad...

So three moves today (and one non move), and the team doesn't look so bad.

We picked up a rock of a defenceman in Ohlund.

We signed D Matt Walker who player for the Chicago Blackhawks last year for 6.8 million over 4 years. Walker is a 6'3", 214 pounder from Beaverlodge AB that was known last year from his youtube video where he blocks a shot with his hand and when he gets to the bench you see his broken finger...and it's gross..and then he just keeps playing the rest of the game. What a man.

Lucas Krajicek has re-signed for a 1 year deal

Vinny is still a Tampa Bay Lightning.

With a defensive unit that looks like a defensive unit, it seems like the Lightning are headed in the right direction. I don't want to jump to conclusions too fast, since we'll still have to see what Lawton does tomorrow, but so far so good.