Due to infractions couldn't edit but, Seriously EA has the worst freaking ratings ever. I saw that Ryan Miller is tied for with Lundqvist as best goalie in the NHL at 91. Kopitar is a 86, same as Gagne. Tavares is a 85, Karlsson is 86, Hamhuis/Edler 88 while Doughty is is 87, Brian Elliot is rank 80, Alex Pietroangelo is 87, and these are just the ones I remember. It is just brutal.
Id put 83 for him but I actually really like the new ones, obviously some big mistakes (Vermette 72, Lapierre 78 cmon), but the idea is neat just needs some tinkering
Malone's hair is almost down to his shoulders, part of what he called a "friendly wager" with Coyotes goalie and former Lightning teammate Mike Smith. Both have avoided clippers since March 2011, when they shaved their heads at the Tampa Bay Cut For A Cure charity event for cancer research.
"We pretty much look the same," Malone said of the contest for the longest locks. "Trim up the neck hair every once in a while, but that's it."
Needs a beard or a bigger mustache too
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Last edited by TheDaysOf 04: 09-05-2012 at 07:37 PM.
"They're both going to get a lot of ice time," Boucher said at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon. "I'm not expecting Lindback to come in here and play 65 games. He played 15 games the past two years, so it's not fair to him. It's not fair for the expectations."
Boucher's facts are slightly off — Lindback played 16 games last season and 22 in 2010-11 as Pekka' Rinne's backup — but the coach's instinct to manage the expectations for Lindback, 24, is a no-brainer.
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"We know he's going to be good, but how good we don't know," Boucher said of Lindback. "That's why Garon is perfect for him. He'll be able to help him with how to manage things. And we know we can put Garon in net and get good results."
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Given that and the acquisition of Lindback, Boucher wanted Garon to know he will not be overlooked, so he made a phone call. His message: "Don't come in with a backup attitude."
"With my experience, whatever a coach tells you, it's never set in stone, but it's good for him to tell me to prepare," said Garon, who added that his groin is 100 percent healed. "When there is a trade like that you don't know what to expect. You don't know what's going on. It was good to get that phone call."
Speaking of phone calls, Garon called Lindback to let him know they will be partners and not competitors.
"I talked to him and welcomed him and told him whatever you need through the year I'll be there to help you," Garon said.
"Even so, he added, "I prepare like I'm going to play a lot of games. The rest depends on how things go. But I don't control that. All I control is being in good shape and being ready to play."
Over the summer, Connolly joined Stamkos and personal fitness fanatic Gary Roberts outside his home near Toronto to participate in summer workouts, which Connolly characterized as “intense.”
It seemed to pay off, however, as Connolly said he feels stronger, faster, more confident, and even added 12 pounds of pure muscle since the conclusion of last spring’s regular season.
“Last season was a rough one for me, so coming into this year, I knew I needed to make an impression,” Connolly said. “I felt like I needed to change a lot of things not just in my game, but off the ice like my eating and sleeping habits, so working with Stammer and Gary really helped me with what I need to do to take the next step in my game.”
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“I know the skill is there and I feel like I got better during the second half of the season and towards the end of the regular season, but I wanted more and wanted to make myself as prepared as possible heading into this year because I still feel like I have to prove myself,” Connolly added. “For me, Gary Roberts and Stammer were the right guys to help do that, so I felt like I needed to do those workouts, and I wanted to do them.”
On Thursday in Brandon, even Stamkos admitted he could already see a difference in Connolly’s game.
“He worked extremely hard all summer and showed the dedication that he wanted to get better,” Stamkos said. “I can tell how much quicker he is on the ice, how much faster and stronger. This is just the beginning for him, but he’s already taken that leap.”
If the NHL gets tired of being on vacation and decides to save the season, it will happen in the next week or two. Now that we've gotten a decent look at the Syracuse guys, how would you put the Lightning team together if the season were to start on Dec. 15.
If we stick strictly to one way contracts to start, the Bolts will look like this:
Purcell-Stamkos-St. Louis
Malone-Lecavalier-Tyrell
Pouliot-Thompson-Hall
Pyatt-Wilson-Crombeen
Hedman-Salo
Carle-Brewer
Bergeron-Lee
Mikkelson
Lindback
Garon
If there is some flex available in the budget, I think Johnson will get the 3C spot and one of Conacher, Brown, Panik, Palat or Connolly will get a 2W spot. Eventually most of those wingers will take over the Lightning's wing positions, but how much happens this season and how much in the future we don't know. I think Taormina and Korobov could easily handle the #5-6D spots if the one way contract guys struggle. Maybe Barberio also, but he still seems to struggle defensively now and then.
Those are just my thoughts, the team could be put together a dozen different ways really. Hopefully, everyone comes to their senses and starts playing again.
Conacher would be the best fit, Brown could use minutes in the bottom 6 this season.
Panik could play too but I think it would be best to dominate in AHL, same for Connolly and Johnson
Palat could use a season more IMO
I'd like to give Barberio a shot but not sure if that would be the best for the team
The thought was, Vinny and Malone are both 6'4", 32 year old guys, so could use some youthful quickness on that line. Sticking with the 1way guys, maybe we could switch Pyatt and Tyrell to get a little O bump, if Pyatt can do RW. I'd feel more comfortable with one of the AHL guys there though.
Another thought, Pouliot and Lecavalier worked out together this summer, so if one of Pouliot or Malone is comfortable at RW, those 3 may work as a decent 2nd line. Yes, I know the lines get rescrambled every 5 minutes anyway, just saying.
The AHL guys shouldn't worry about there being few openings on the Bolts roster, as several players are scheduled to become free agents after this season.
The AHL guys shouldn't worry about there being few openings on the Bolts roster, as several players are scheduled to become free agents after this season.
Id put 83 for him but I actually really like the new ones, obviously some big mistakes (Vermette 72, Lapierre 78 cmon), but the idea is neat just needs some tinkering
