Post by tampagm on Aug 27, 2009 13:54:38 GMT -5
Lightning Strikes Twice
The Lightning have pulled out two significant moves this week, acquiring young winger Rene Bourque and Veteran defenceman Ed Jovanovski.
The lightning were finally able to sign a significant free agent, locking down Rene Bourque to a long term deal. Bourque is a young winger, with a well balanced skill set and solid scoring instincts. He stands to benefit from the move, as he will likely get a chance to play with a premier center in Vincent Lecavalier. Depending on chemistry, this could prove to be a great move by the management. Brown had the following comments on the signing: “We have been looking for a top line winger throughout the summer, and we are extremely happy to bring in a young player like Bourque. He will be an important part of our team as we continue to grow after our success last season.”
The next move was a trade which landed the bolts veteran defenseman Ed Jovanovski. Going back to San Jose was Lukas Krajicek Enver Lisin and prospect Chris Summers, a solid package of youth. “We are pleased to be able to add a veteran like Jovanovski to our team. He will bring leadership and experience, helping our younger players. He is big and strong, and will have a significant impact on our style of play. The younger players that we gave up in this deal will be missed, but with out depth it was a good move to bring in a solid top pairing defenseman” Said Brown.
The move effectively means that the Lightning are out of the race for Scott Neidermayer, as they lack sufficient cap space for the all-star rear guard, unless they can make anymore moves to free up some cap space. It could be a smart move by management, as Jovanovski comes at a fraction of the cost in terms of cap hit, and he will remain with the team for at least 2 season, which would be more than Neidermayer who stated he would only play for one more season.
The Bolts are now preparing for the first annual SINHL summer tournament which will give them a chance to test their lineup against the competition. The tournament will allow management to see how changes have affected their teams, and maybe give us a preview of what to expect for the 09-10 season. With the recent improvements in Tampa, it will be exciting to see how the team will build on their success from last season.
The Lightning have pulled out two significant moves this week, acquiring young winger Rene Bourque and Veteran defenceman Ed Jovanovski.
The lightning were finally able to sign a significant free agent, locking down Rene Bourque to a long term deal. Bourque is a young winger, with a well balanced skill set and solid scoring instincts. He stands to benefit from the move, as he will likely get a chance to play with a premier center in Vincent Lecavalier. Depending on chemistry, this could prove to be a great move by the management. Brown had the following comments on the signing: “We have been looking for a top line winger throughout the summer, and we are extremely happy to bring in a young player like Bourque. He will be an important part of our team as we continue to grow after our success last season.”
The next move was a trade which landed the bolts veteran defenseman Ed Jovanovski. Going back to San Jose was Lukas Krajicek Enver Lisin and prospect Chris Summers, a solid package of youth. “We are pleased to be able to add a veteran like Jovanovski to our team. He will bring leadership and experience, helping our younger players. He is big and strong, and will have a significant impact on our style of play. The younger players that we gave up in this deal will be missed, but with out depth it was a good move to bring in a solid top pairing defenseman” Said Brown.
The move effectively means that the Lightning are out of the race for Scott Neidermayer, as they lack sufficient cap space for the all-star rear guard, unless they can make anymore moves to free up some cap space. It could be a smart move by management, as Jovanovski comes at a fraction of the cost in terms of cap hit, and he will remain with the team for at least 2 season, which would be more than Neidermayer who stated he would only play for one more season.
The Bolts are now preparing for the first annual SINHL summer tournament which will give them a chance to test their lineup against the competition. The tournament will allow management to see how changes have affected their teams, and maybe give us a preview of what to expect for the 09-10 season. With the recent improvements in Tampa, it will be exciting to see how the team will build on their success from last season.