Swedish love in video form

So while checking out the Lightning website today, on their front page, they told me that Victor Hedman has a message for me! So clearly, I clicked on it. Click here, seriously, you won't regret it.

Um....Victor Hedman...I think I may love you after this video. The writing is so bad, but you make it work, shifting your weight and your coy smile....

Stamkos ok and Hedman is even more normal

During practice today Stamkos flew into the boards after getting tangled up in Mike Smith's stick. Smith was trying to poke check the puck, and instead got his stick caught in Stamkos' stick. Stamkos is ok, he said it was "nothing serious".

Hedman's baseline tests came back today, even more normal than the test he took during training camp. Hedman, turning into a comedian joked "Maybe I need a couple more hits,". Tocchet expects to play him on Thursday against the Lightning.

Both Lecavalier and St. Louis missed practice today due to a "body maintenance" and "recovery day" today.

Drew Miller was put on waivers to send him down to the AHL, we should know by 12pm tomorrow if he clears.

Lightning 5, Sharks 2 - Bolts WIN!

The Lightning won this game with a huge team effort. I could hardly believe this was the same team we saw lose to the Senators and the Pens last week. This team looked like a team that could actually play hockey.














Barely into the 1st period, just 30 seconds in, Lecavalier makes a pass to St. Louis, who feeds the puck to a speeding Wright that is coming towards the goal and he taps the puck in the back of the net. Fans hadn't even sat down in their seats yet and this new line has already gotten it's first goal. This is the same rookie who just got promoted to the top line with St. Louis and Lecavalier, who also got his 1st NHL goal tonight, just 30 seconds in to the period.















The Lightning extended the lead by a deflection from Ryan Malone off of David Hale's shot, they are up 2-0 to end the 1st period.

Seriously?

In the second period the Lightning were able to kill off a penalty that Stamkos took for holding, and kept the Sharks from mustering any real shots on the powerplay. A turnover led to the Sharks getting a goal from Ryan Vesce on Mike Smith, 2-1. It's ok, the Lightning still look good playing. Stamkos steals the puck from behind the net, fans on the original shot but gets Nabokov to commit to his attempt, then manages to get a wrist shot off, 3-1, unassisted by Stamkos.

In the third period, Andrej Meszaros gets a shot off from near the blue line that ended up going off a San Jose skater, 4-1. While Lecavalier is off in the box for slashing, Boyle is able to get a powerplay goal on Mike Smith making it 4-2. But it's really too late, and Tanguay, even though he has no goals so far, feels Dan Boyle breathing down his back as he skates the puck, passes the puck to Stamkos who gets an empty net goal. Tanguay could have taken the shot and been checked or hooked, instead unselfishly passed the puck for the goal. Team effort.













Was tonight a showing of what we could see in the future? I hope so.

Next game Saturday night against Buffalo

Notes:
-Mike Smith got his first win of the season
-The Lightning blocked 12 shots, with Hedman leading with 3
-Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley didn't get a shot on net

Wright's Promotion, and Chamber Luncheon Pics

Tocchet said that Tanguay and Lecavalier needed to get "uglier". What he means is that Lecavalier and Tanguay can't keep wanting to get great goals, sometimes the goals are going to be garbage goals. Right now, the top line, which is now Lecavalier, St. Louis and Wright need to get any goals, pretty or ugly.













James Wright is 19 years old, and 7 games in to his NHL career, gets to be on a line with Lecavalier and St. Louis. Great quote from him in the Times today:
"Wearing the same jersey as them is pretty special," Wright said. "And to be on the same line as them is awesome."

The Lightning have two more games to decide if Wright will remain with the Lightning or be sent back down to the juniors to play for the Vancouver Giants. He's so new to this, he can't cash a cheque yet from the Lightning because he doesn't have a social security number yet. His second great quote today on how he is getting by without a paycheck:

"I got a loan from my parents," he said. "Zero percent interest rate." -Times.

Love this kid.

And from the Chamber Luncheon today, enjoy the photos:








































And my favorite baby Swede:

Lightning This and That

Just some stuff before the season starts:

• The Lightning signed free agent LW Mitch Fritz to a 1 year contract. He's a giant who stands at 6'8", and was undrafted will be report directly to the Admirals. The former Kelowna Rocket made his NHL debut with the Islanders last season.
• Mike Lundin and Matt Lashoff cleared waivers and were both assigned to the Admirals. Lashoff got a verbal lashing from Tocchet today, with Tocchet saying "I don't think he came into camp vying for a job,". Ouch. But Cristodero points out that if they get called up, because they only make $105, 000 each, they don't have to clear re-entry waivers.
• The Lightning keep increasing the Swedish love by teaming up with IKEA. And clearly, the next logical step, since we also have Ohlund and Hedman, would be to have a Swedish Night! No word yet if pickled herring or swedish pancakes with lingonberry syrup will be served though.

And from the man who loves press conferences:
Burke says that the Canucks shopped Burrows, Bieksa and their 1st round draft pick for Hedman at the draft. Gillis denies this. Since I love both teams, I could really go either way on my opinion if it did happen, but I am happy that it didn't.

No requirement for Lawton's decision making

THANK GOD

Did we all just let out a little sigh of relief when Tavares went first?

Even though it would have been awesome to see the madness ensue if the Isles took Hedman, I imagine all of the phones on the Lightning table start ringing, Burkie jumping over tables and Lawton's head exploding, there was no such need for any madness last night.

In case you have been living under a rock, or in somewhere where hockey isn't a religion, like Florida** or something, the Lightning took Hedman at #2.

Mmm...that is a nice jersey on you...

The rest of the night was, well long. Did every team have to congratulate the Penguin for being the Stanely Cup Champions? Or say something in French? (I loved it for the first 10, but not so much after)...Next time, perhaps the NHL should cirulate a memo, maybe like Lawton did by e-mail, that clarifies that you should go up and say "For the [insert #] selection, the [insert team] select....[player]....." Those are now 4 hours of my life that I will never get back.

This is how you smile in front of the kids when it's joint custody day...

Please enjoy this moment Hedman, before you start your season learning names of the 527 names of players who you'll play with on your roster.

ps. pick a new number kid, because #4 is already taken

**i kid about the Florida jokes because I know there are some hockeys fans there...but just some...