My poor Tampa Bay Lightning

[Xi Retlah iX 0]

And now they locked the number 1 selection. I hope stamkos can bring a lil bit of life into Tampa. but they are going to need more than just a number 1 draft pick to turn things around.

[bbruins8 0]

Ah a reason to go to more than just Bruins games next season :). Methinks he will jump right into the NHL, skip the BS.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Bolts get first pick..

[kosydar 0]

Rigged, again.

[iggy777 0]

And now they locked the number 1 selection. I hope stamkos can bring a lil bit of life into Tampa. but they are going to need more than just a number 1 draft pick to turn things around.

St. Louis, Lecavaier, Stamkos up front as well as Jussi Jokinen all that's missing is a goalie, maybe a deal for Emery or Raycroft and there a decent team again

[kosydar 0]

Raycroft doesn't make teams better. For those who follow the Lightning closely, what are the chances they trade down? I know it was well talked about that if the Kings won the lottery they would consider taking a defenseman because of how many elite young centers they have. Seems like it isn't the case with the Lightning, but who knows.

[gxc999 7]

Raycroft doesn't make teams better. For those who follow the Lightning closely, what are the chances they trade down? I know it was well talked about that if the Kings won the lottery they would consider taking a defenseman because of how many elite young centers they have. Seems like it isn't the case with the Lightning, but who knows.

I'm a Lightning Addict. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if we traded at all. If we could get something like Jack Johnson, O'Sullivan and a later pick, I'd be pretty happy. A lot depends on new ownership. They really might want to keep this pick and use it as a draw for future years. Nobody knows yet.

[Viking 1]

According to HNIC Satellite Hotstove, Torts' job is safe.

I saw that, and I'm just really wondering how that's possible... I'm waiting for them to draft Stamkos, and then he refuses to play for them a-la Lindros/Berard. I'd probably rather be drafted by the '91 Nordiques, or the '95 Senators than the '08 Lightning.

[RadioGaGa 162]

According to HNIC Satellite Hotstove, Torts' job is safe.

I saw that, and I'm just really wondering how that's possible... I'm waiting for them to draft Stamkos, and then he refuses to play for them a-la Lindros/Berard. I'd probably rather be drafted by the '91 Nordiques, or the '95 Senators than the '08 Lightning.

What offensive player wouldn't want to play with Vinnie & Marty?

[kosydar 0]

If he is a center he'd be behind Vinnie unless they convert him to wing. But I don't know why he would refuse to play there team-wise. I really hope another team steps up and trades for that pick. Another first overall pick to the Southeast is gross.

[TBLfan 25]

Yeah, damn that worthless Southeast division. 2 out of the last 3 Stanley cup winners... God they are worthless.

[kosydar 0]

How are both of those two teams doing now? Carolina isn't a playoff team for two years now, and Tampa is the worst team in the league. Since the 01-02 season the Caps have made the playoffs twice, Carolina twice, Tampa four times, Atlanta once, and Florida zero. So out of 30 possible times, a Southeast team has made it in nine. This is a division that has featured players such as Vinnie, St Louis, Richards, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Hossa, Heatley, Jokinen, Staal, Brind Amour, and on and on. I understand your team plays there, but seriously the Southeast is easily the most worthless division.

[warrior37 0]

on a note of the southeast being brutal, its also kind of funny how the division winner gets the 3rd seed, when really they have as about many points as the 7th or 8th seed, and when was the last time 2 teams from the division made the post season?

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

on a note of the southeast being brutal, its also kind of funny how the division winner gets the 3rd seed, when really they have as about many points as the 7th or 8th seed, and when was the last time 2 teams from the division made the post season?

2007 had the Thrashers and the lightning as the 3 and 7 seends

2006 had the canes and the lightning as the 2 and 8 seeds

2004 had tampa, as the only team, but the #1 seed in the east

2003 had tampa and washington as the 3 and 6 seeds

2002 had the canes as the only team

2001 had the caps and the canes as the 3 and 8 seeds

2002 had washington and florida as the 2 and 5 seeds

So to answer your question, in the last 7 playoffs, only twice has the southeast not had 2 teams. One of those times they had the #1 seed.

And only twice in the last 7 playoffs was the 2nd seed the #8.

[TBLfan 25]

...And I mention yet again 2 of the last 3 stanley cups. But it's nice how you base the entire group of teams as a waste because of two bad seasons.

...Which makes even less sense is that the first picks are SUPPOSED to go to the teams with the worst record.

[Eazy_b97 1]

The division is bad, it's pretty obvious. They have had cup winners, which mean there have been good teams, but the division, as a whole, is weak. This year is pretty well undebatable with the division winner barely making the playoffs points-wise, and them having the bottom 2 teams in the East. Last year their top two teams would've been 3-4 in every other division in the East based on points. Three teams under 90 points while no other division had more than 1 in the East. First year out of the lock-out the SE had one 100 point team, the Atlantic had 3 the NE had 2. This is with heavy divisional play as well, with a balanced schedule it could be worse.

[chippa13 1844]

Raycroft doesn't make teams better. For those who follow the Lightning closely, what are the chances they trade down? I know it was well talked about that if the Kings won the lottery they would consider taking a defenseman because of how many elite young centers they have. Seems like it isn't the case with the Lightning, but who knows.

I'm a Lightning Addict. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if we traded at all. If we could get something like Jack Johnson, O'Sullivan and a later pick, I'd be pretty happy. A lot depends on new ownership. They really might want to keep this pick and use it as a draw for future years. Nobody knows yet.

Give one good reason why LA would make that deal.

on a note of the southeast being brutal, its also kind of funny how the division winner gets the 3rd seed, when really they have as about many points as the 7th or 8th seed, and when was the last time 2 teams from the division made the post season?

2007 had the Thrashers and the lightning as the 3 and 7 seends

2006 had the canes and the lightning as the 2 and 8 seeds

2004 had tampa, as the only team, but the #1 seed in the east

2003 had tampa and washington as the 3 and 6 seeds

2002 had the canes as the only team

2001 had the caps and the canes as the 3 and 8 seeds

2002 had washington and florida as the 2 and 5 seeds

So to answer your question, in the last 7 playoffs, only twice has the southeast not had 2 teams. One of those times they had the #1 seed.

And only twice in the last 7 playoffs was the 2nd seed the #8.

You need to take into account that both teams that made the playoffs out of each of those years got to beat up on the other doormats of their division. I'd like to see a comparison of the records of said Southeast teams for divisional vs non-divisional games. Then, we'll have something to talk about.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

You need to take into account that both teams that made the playoffs out of each of those years got to beat up on the other doormats of their division. I'd like to see a comparison of the records of said Southeast teams for divisional vs non-divisional games. Then, we'll have something to talk about.

Until after the lockout, they played their division 24 times a year, and played non division teams the remaining 58 games. So it's hardly beating up.

So in the 02/03 the lightning were 12th overall in the league, the caps were 13th.

Change the criteria all you want but the facts are, the southeast are easy punching bags, yet have had 2 teams come out most years, are not always the 3 seed as the division, are not always the 8 seed as the 2nd team and have won 2 of the last 3 cups.

In addition to that they have sent a team to the finals in 96, 98, and 02

So, in the past 12 years, the southeast has been represented at 5 of the finals, and taken home the cup twice.

41% of the representation in the past 12 years has come from the southeast

[chippa13 1844]

'02-03

Tampa Bay: 50% win % against SE, 44% against rest of league

Washington: 70% against SE, 40% against rest of league

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

'02-03

Tampa Bay: 50% win % against SE, 44% against rest of league

Washington: 70% against SE, 40% against rest of league

50% of 24 games is 12 wins

44% of 58 games is 26 wins

70% of 24 games is 16 wins

40% of 58 games is 23 wins

So what you are saying is, statistically, the bulk of wins came from non SE teams.

Thanks for helping out

[chippa13 1844]

Wrong, I am showing that both teams had losing records against the rest of the league while beating up on divisional opponents.

Look at this year, only 2 teams had losing records against the SE division, that is out of everyone who played them. But you're right, the SE isn't the doormat of the league.

[mack 44]

When are you two gonna fuck?

[chippa13 1844]

What fun is sports debate when it goes like this:

"I think this."

"I agree."

"Ok................................so, looks like rain today."

[mack 44]

The same amount of fun as seeing the clusterfuck of a discussion about Irish.

[chippa13 1844]

Gotta have a little fun once in a while. Taking life too seriously isn't any fun for anyone.