Tamba Bay Lightning?

Question

WTF is going on there? How can they afford to sign everyone and they're brother to these ridiculous contracts. Where is all this money coming from. Does the cap not apply to them? Why are they so desirable?

Answer 1

With the $6.4 million increase in the NHL salary cap, and having shed Brad Richards' big contract, and having only three players worth a hill of beans... they have a LOT of cap space. But don't get confused. They haven't signed ANYONE yet, aside of Lecavalier. All those trades for Rolston, Malone, and Roberts were only for the rights to negotiate. Few, if any,of those players are actually going to sign there.

p.s. I stand corrected... Malone and Roberts did sign! That said, they are still not making Brad Richards money.

Answer 2

They took my Ryan Malone.

:(

Answer 3

Andrew is dead on.  If there is no D or goaltending...there are going to be big problems next season for the Lightning.  If it were me, I would be willing to gamble with Smith in goal, but they really need to work on the defense.  They need some simple NON-offensive defenseman.  There is such thing as offensive over-kill and the Lightning are going to prove that point if they continue with this ridiculous drafting.

They no longer are paying for Denis OR Richards...that frees up a bunch of room.

Look at who is signed...nobody....http://www.nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?t...

TBL:  I don't completely agree with you, but your excitment makes me smile.  It is best to be optonistic, so I guess we are still on the same ship.  :)

Answer 4

when your coach has a mullet, anything is possible.

Answer 5

GREAT things are going on here. An owner that gives a d**n is going on here.

Getting rid of Richy and Denis' salary helped.

Keep in mind, the Lightning (because of our previous tight-wad owner) hung out right at the lowest possible salary for the cap. Now all that extra room is showing.

Yes, the cap applies to every team.

Because we finished dead last the previous season, and the owners actually care this year.

HALEY and ANDREW - I'll have to disagree. Other than bringing in a veteran defenseman or two, how can you improve such a young defense? Not by much, other than giving them their ice time and watching them develop (sometimes painfully) Oren Koules stated on his way in here he felt strongly of the young defense and wanted to keep that together.

I will not comment on the goalies, however; I got very high on Johan Holmqvist and that didn't exactly pan out.

Answer 6

They still are ignoring their huge need, defense and goaltending.  They can sign all these second tier forwards all day long and they still will lose by giving up 5 goals a game.