Melrose To Be Named Lightning Coach

While the past week or so on this blog has been dedicated to the Florida Panthers, there is now hockey news to report from across the state. ESPN Analyst Barry Melrose will be named head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning today.

Melrose has been out of coaching since 1995, when he joined up with ESPN. His only stint in the NHL came behind the bench of the L.A. Kings, and led the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals in his debut season. He also led 2 minor league teams to championships, the '87 Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), and the Adirondack Red Wings (AHL) in '91.

The Lightning ended last season in last place in the eastern conference, and were recently sold to new owners, Palace Sports. In the recently completed entry draft, the Bolts had the #1 overall pick, which they used to select consensus #1 Steve Stamkos. Stamkos led the Sarnia Sting of the OHL with 58 goals and 105 points in 61 games. He joins former #1 overall Vincent Lecavalier in Tampa.

While this choice has the stench of a publicity stunt on the surface, it's much deeper than that. Melrose has been in the booth since 1995. But when ESPN chose not to cover hockey post-lockout, Melrose was left with little to do but give a semi-regular 2 minute segments on SportsCenter. He's made it known he wants to get back to coaching. Now he has his chance. There's no question that few have more knowledge of the game. It will just be interesting to see how he makes the transition back into coaching.

Rumors swirl around Melrose, Bolts

While the Florida Panthers coaching search drags on, it seems as though the Tampa Bay Lightning may have a move of their own. While nothing has been announced, and both sides have avoided comments, there are reports and rumors that ESPN commentator Barry Melrose may be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning next season.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, Melrose is in line for the job. The paper reported that it had been told Melrose will sign a contract sometime in the next couple days for $2 million a season with the Bolts.

The Lightning were Stanley Cup winners in 2004. Post-lockout, Tampa has struggled to adjust to the "new NHL." Last season, they were dead last in the conference. New ownership is coming in and is looking for someone to replace current head coach John Tortorella.

When asked about this situation on SportsCenter Friday, Barry Melrose deflected the question as any professional would. "I want to coach again in the NHL. But nothing's going on. Uh, I work for ESPN and I'm very happy working for ESPN," said Melrose.

Lightning GM Jay Feaster also deferred comment to after the sale of the franchise was complete. In a statement released Friday, Feaster said, "We have been asked by both Palace Sports & Entertainment and OK Hockey that unless a hockey operations issue is time-sensitive or deadline-sensitive, all items be deferred until after the closing of the sale of the franchise. In as much as John Tortorella is under contract to be the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2008-09 season, this is not necessarily a time-sensitive issue."

This comes as somewhat as a surprise to me. Sure, coming in last place isn't the goal at the start of the season. But Just 3 seasons ago, Tortorella led the Lightning to the Holy Grail. Now he's cut free. Will he land in South Florida? Torts worked well with his young team in 2003-2004, most notably Vinnie Lecavlier and Brad Richards (both were only 24 when they won the Cup). I can see some similarities in the 2004 Cup winners to the 2008-2009 Panthers. A young, talent filled team, a couple of older veterans (Dave Andreychuk won his first cup in '04 with Tampa), and a solid netminder who just needs some decent defending. While this deal isn't even done yet, I wonder how much Jacques Martin is watching this situation from his seat in Sunrise.

Which to Watch?

Every year, the NBA and NHL playoffs begin and end around the same time. One with SportsCenter specials, hour long previews, and player-by-player match ups. The other, a 2 minute segment here, a quick blurb there, far from the national attention as the other. (In case you can't figure it out, the NBA is the attention getter, the NHL is the forgotten step-child.) There are many, many reason why this is. Hockey has long been the 4th, if not the 5th sport in this country behind the NFL, MLB, NBA, and now probably NASCAR. The canceled 2004-2005 season certainly didn't help. The NHL's banishment to the cable nether-regions of the Versus network is another reason for the sport's decline. But is this all deserved? The NHL set attendance-records this season. People are going to the games more than ever. Let's discuss why (and hopefully by the end of this, you'll be able to tell on what side of the center ice line I stand).

Now related to Florida sports, as this blog clearly is, only the Orlando Magic are competing in the 2008 Spring Playoff season. But for discussion's sake, let's pretend the Panthers and\or Lightning qualified for the postseason.

Let's begin with the pure adrenaline pumping, action packed, heart stopping excitement factor. Everyone knows NBA games don't begin until there are 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Both teams generally will score at least 70 points, so why bother watching them get there? The last 5 minutes of the game then take, on average, 30 minutes to complete. In hockey, the play easily continues for 3 to 4 minutes at a time, and then once the whistle does blow, there is an actual rule in the books that the puck must drop within 18 seconds of the play stopping. NHL plays 3, 20-minute periods for a total of 60 minues. The NBA? 4, 12-minute quarters for a total of 48 minutes. So why do the two sports take about the same amount of time to complete? Far too much dead time in basketball. Hockey has an actual flow to the game.

So clearly, an NHL playoff game is more exciting. What about the game itself? Both hockey and basketball are "team" sports. Yet watching Kobe Bryant score 81 points, or Shaq Diesel turn around, raise an arm, and score 32 points without rising more than 4 inches above the floor, seems impossibly individual. Is it really just a coincidence that Michael Jordan, I mean the Chicago Bulls... won 6 straight NBA titles? Try watching the great ones in hockey go from one end to the other to score a goal... he'll be crushed by a 6'3", 220 lb defenseman moving at 25 mph before he gets to the blue line. I've heard basketball described as a contact sport... but apart from Steve Nash (a Canadian, mind you) being checked into the boards last year, I'd hardly call slaps to the hands while trying to shoot or "bodying up" a hard foul.

If you're still skeptical about the NHL, I have just one request. Tonight, Tuesday the 22nd of April, there are 2 game 7's in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Take a moment of your time, tune your digital cable box into the triple digits and find Versus network, and check it out. I promise you will not find a more intense, thrilling game on television. Even if the hockey doesn't do it for you, you can't go wrong with playoff beards.

Too Much O in TB?

Well, since this blog site has everything from the Rays to the Magic, why not a little Tampa Bay Lightning insight every now and then?

The Bolts have always been one of my top five favorite teams, and they will start next season as my number four team (behind the Panthers, Canucks and Sabres). That being said, I've never gone out of my way to watch the Lightning play. However, I do get the pleasure of seeing them play our beloved Panthers eight times a season thanks to Gary Bettman's genius schedule *insert sarcasm*.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I'll get to why I'm writing this. The Lightning hold the number one pick of the NHL draft this June (wow, is it just me or is this number one pick thing a pattern in Florida?). The consensus number one draft pick is Steven Stamkos, a Center with raw talent. This past season, he netted 58 goals and 47 assists for 105 points for the Sarnia Sting. Not every day you'll see an article about why he should NOT be picked number one.

Today is one of those days.

The offensive heavy Lightning need everything but another scoring threat. Despite the losses of Vaclav Prospal and Brad Richards, the Bolts still have way too much salary tied up in Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. With the next three picks of the draft expected to be franchise defenseman (Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian, and Alex Pietrangelo), the Lightning could really do themselves some favors by trading down a few spots, picking up another early draft choice, and grabbing one of these defenseman.

The Lightning finally look to have solid goaltending for the first time since they had Nik Khabibulin, with the acquisition of Mike Smith from Dallas and the development of Kari Ramo. Tampa will never be short in the offensive department. All they have left to do is make their defense less, well, offensive. One of these three players could go a long way in doing so.

A solid draft could help the Bolts get back to the Cup before anybody could possibly dream.

Panthers Loss a Major Setback in Playoff Race

Today the Florida Panthers suffered a devastating 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, those vicious cross-state rivals to the west. The Panthers now trail the 8th seed, Boston, by 5 points with an one fewer game left to play.

This was one of those games that you want to forget immediately but for some reason you can't. A must-win game against a terrible team - and a loss. I guess I'm being a little hard, after all, the Panthers did just gain 17 of a possible 18 points in their previous 9 games. Arghhh.

Frustration is the word I'm looking for. The Panthers have played their best hockey of the year, but once again, it's most likely too late.

They cannot lose another game. Period.

Panthers Return to Winning Ways

Wednesday night's OT loss to Carolina was disappointing, and as DSponge pointed out, it probably ended their hopes of a division crown.

The 8th seed, however, is looking alive and well, especially after a solid 4-2 victory over the Lightning tonight. This puts them at 8-0-1 in their last nine games...not too shabby.

I predicted that the Panthers would need to go 6-2-1 in their last nine games to qualify for the playoffs. They have since gone 2-0-1, but the OT loss was in the worst situation (to division leader Carolina).

With six remaining games, the requirements go up a bit. Could 4-2 do it? Possibly, if one of Boston or Philadelphia goes on a losing streak, but that's asking for a lot. I'm inclined to think 5-1 (or 4-0-2) is more likely the antidote for playoff ills, with 4-1-1 also in play.

No matter what happens, the Panthers deserve our respect and praise.