This past week there has been plenty of talk about potential goaltenders for the Lightning, and as you can see from the links below there has been plenty written about it as well. I agree with Erik Erlendsson in his article that the Lightning need a long-term answer in goal, so with all the suggestions that Tim Thomas could be a option for the Lightning next season, bringing in Thomas would go against logic for the long term future of the team.

I may be in the minority on this but I am not against a trade for Roberto Luongo depending on how the next NHL/NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement looks like next year. But that's the catch to his contract (and Vincent Lecavalier's contract as well), right? In Vancouver it was never expected that Luongo would play out his 12 year contract that he signed two years ago, instead it was assumed that he would retire and the cap hit would come off the books. Though his average cap hit might be reasonable for an elite goaltender at $5.3 million per year, the length of his contract might not necessarily be removed depending on the new CBA rules. And to me, that's maybe what makes a trade for Luongo so risky since we don't know what the new CBA rules will look like until after trade time.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• I love when other writers talk about our kids, so here is Brent Lemon giving you 5 reasons why you should follow the Norfolk Admirals these playoffs (The Hockey Writers)
• You have until May 3rd to vote for Steven Stamkos over Evgeni Malkin in Round 1 of the EA NHL13 cover vote. Go vote here
• According to a Nick Kypreos last week, Roberto Luongo asked for a trade and his list will reportedly include the Lightning (Puck Daddy)
• I laughed when I first read that there was an event called the "Cattle Barons Ball" but here's a great read on how the host of the event (and the team's owner) Jeff Vinik "is just a nice guy" (The Tampa Tribune)
• Sean Gordon handicaps the Habs GM candidates and assistant GM Julien BriseBois is on there (Globe and Mail)
• Bolts GM Steve Yzerman was reportedly shopping Ryan Malone before the 2012 NHL trade deadlineand may continue to do so in the off-season (The Fourth Period)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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In Damien Cristodero's blog yesterday he had some quotes from Martin St. Louis's exit interview. On the team being close to being a playoff contender, he says "We’re not that far away. I totally believe that". Coming from St. Louis, I can buy what he is saying about how close he thinks the team is. All of his answers are great, so do head over and give it a read in full.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Even though it ended a loss, Cory Schneider's start in Game 5 got people talking that maybe Cory Schneider wouldn't be traded away by Vancouver. Damien Cristodero goes through some other goaltending options that maybe the Lightning would be pursuing (Tampa Bay Times)
• Could Luongo be traded to the Lightning? Cam Tucker from the Vancouver Sun and David Shoalts from the Globe and Mail weighs in
• A former Lightning coach (tenure 1999-2001) Steve Ludzik opens up with his battle with Parkinson's (Toronto Sun)
• Teddy Purcell tweeted a photo of St. John's version of beaches... which includes icebergs

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Not a whole lot of Lightning-related things this week, with thanks to the off-season, but lots of 2012 NHL playoffs stuff after the jump.


Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Joining Brent Sutter and Kirk Muller, Guy Boucher was named assistant coach for Team Canada for the IIHF World Championships that will take place in Sweden and Finland starting May 4th (The Tampa Tribune)
• Nate Thompson and J.T. Brown will play for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships while Teddy Purcell will play for Team Canada (Tampa Bay Times)
• Great open to this article: "The last time the Norfolk Admirals lost a game, the Giants had just won Super Bowl XLVI, the Daytona 500 was still weeks away, and pitchers and catchers had yet to report to spring training."
• Nate Thompson 1- shark 0 (@natethompson44) and if you aren't already following him on twitter you should fix that because he's been on fire tweeting from Minnesota grocery stores and while fishing
  

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Steven Stamkos continues to set new club single-season goal scoring records with each goal scored. Previously the club's single-season goal-scoring mark of 52 which was held by our captain Vinny. But even Lecavalier says "He's probably going to beat (52 goals) many more times," (NHL.com)

In the NHL.com article by Adam Kimelman he gets lots of praise from Coach Boucher "First, I think he's a totally unselfish guy. It's never about his points, it's never about his goals. I've seen him this year give an open net to guys so that they could score. What I like is he's focused on the defensive part of his game so much and the small details that make a guy a winner rather than just a star. I raise my hat to that, he's improved so much from the beginning of last year, it's amazing"

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• A great read by Erlendsson on Stamkos' participation with You Can Play. "Right away I knew that I wanted to do it,'' Stamkos said. "It's a very important subject. It's a touchy subject to certain people and we want to just raise awareness. I thought it was a great cause and I'm happy so many other players have got involved and hopefully we can raise awareness.'' (TBO.com)
  
• Lightning Nuts and Bolts: Sebastien Caron talks about fondue in Switzerland "The smell is terrible but it's actually pretty good" (Tampa Bay Times)
• Lecavalier talks about why he is on the roadtrip with the team: "when I'm ready to play, I want to play," he said. "That's why I'm joining the team (on the road trip). I don't want to set any dates, but I want to start practicing with the team and get the feel of the game. I want to play as soon as possible." (Tampa Bay Times)
• Your Bolt Prospect of the week goes too...

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Tampa Bay Lightning on WhoSay

In case you need something to feel better about after last night's loss, check out this photo and more importantly this photo of Victor Hedman's visit to Mt. Vernon Elementary School this morning, where fourth-grader Andrew White got to take him to school. I'm a grown adult and I'm a little jealous.

ps. to Andrew: awesome sign

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• How does Steven Stamkos' 50 goal season so far stack up against best offensive years of all time? (Backhand Shelf)
• The Hockey News has their annual top 50 player rankings as voted by players themselves. Stamkos slots in at #4, Martin St. Louis at #15, and surprisingly Lecavalier at #50
• To say that Keith Aulie is a work in progress is being quite generous, but assistant coach Dan LaCroix thinks he has the potential to be a solid defensive defenceman (The Tampa Tribune)
• Stamkos joined the 50 goal club the other day and Down Goes Brown looks into the history of the 50 goal club

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Vincent Lecavalier and members of the Lightning are participating once again in Cut for a Cure, shaving their heads on March 30th. The money raised will go towards the Pediatric Cancer Foundation and the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer & Blood Disorders Center at All Children’s Hospital. Lightning players such as Marc-Andre Bergeron, Teddy Purcell, Brett Connolly, Tom Pyatt and Bruno Gervais will take part in this year's cut, and Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon will also be participating (as well as several dozen Tampa Bay business leaders)For more info and to see who is participating head over here to their website to check it out.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Damien Cristodero plays ad libs with Guy Boucher: DC:"You're playing Stamkos and St. Louis …", GB: "Too much," (Tampa Bay Times)
  
• Mike Commodore says that he can still play hockey, "Can I do everything I once could? Maybe not. But I'm not old. I feel like I still have something left in the tank." (Tampa Bay Times)
• There's something very awkward when you read Gary Shelton write "Ride the kid. Ride him hard. Ride him as if he were the last horse in the Pony Express" in reference to Dustin Tokarski. Maybe that's just me (Tampa Bay Times)
  
• The trade deadline sometimes has benefits for players that remain with the team, such as Brett Connolly who has looked better in the past few weeks than the four minutes of ice time he was getting a few months ago (The Hockey Writers)
  

The rest of your links after the jump...

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On Sunday, during the NBC Game of the Week's first intermission, Patrick Burke launched "You Can Play" with a public service announcement aimed at creating a level playing field in the sport, regardless of sexual orientation. The PSA video can be found at the end of this post.

Burke spreads the message of inclusion to help carry on the legacy of his brother Brendan Burke. In a piece written by Bruce Arthur of the National Post, "A few weeks after Patrick Burke made his brother Brendan swear on the Stanley Cup that he really was gay — that was what the boys always did when you wanted to prove something, swear on the Stanley Cup — he went to Brendan and he apologized. He said he was sorry if he ever said anything, did anything, to make Brendan feel uncomfortable before his younger brother came out of the closet to his family in December of 2007"

Over 30 hockey players have gotten involved with You Can Play and for the remainder of the season, additional spots will air to get the message across. For more information on the initiative, visit the website YouCanPlayProject.org.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Victor Hedman could play tonight versus the Senators as he says he's 100% (Tampa Bay Times)
• Brett Connolly's comfort level and minutes are on the rise since the exit of Steve Downie (The Tampa Tribune)
• If the Lightning make the playoffs, could Stamkos be considered a contender for the Hart? A 'For Your Consideration' campaign for him (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• Did you know there is an Evan Oberg mileage tracker? As of February 29th, he's at 16,319 miles (Lightning)
• The rumors of the Norfolk Admirals and Lightning ending their affiliation, and the Syracuse Crunchbecoming the new affiliate for the Lightning (with no information coming from the Admirals management themselves) has left fans feeling like they are in the dark. Ken Peacock writes "I have already paid for my season tickets next year and I would like to know what sort of product we will see on the ice next year." (Vulture's Row)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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There's something heartwarming about seeing a former player that you love do well on a new team; that is, providing they are not on a team that is your rival. So with recently traded forward Steve Downie now in the Western Conference, seeing him do well is just awesome.

Last night the Colorado Avalanche tweeted:

Steve Downie has seven points (2g/5a) w/a +7 rating in his last three games. COL is 4-0 since acquiring Downie on Feb. 21.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Nicholas Cotsonika of Yahoo sports says the Lightning are winners in the trade deadline because "Steve Yzerman decided the Bolts were better off taking advantage of a seller’s market and loading up for the future" (Yahoo!)
• Kevin Allen also calls the Lightning a winner (USA Today)
• Teddy Purcell was named the NHL's second star of the week
• The Lightning revamp their defense in three deadline deals (NHL.com)
• Brian Lee is getting a fresh start in Tampa. How did the trade come about? "I called Steve to congratulate him on (getting) Mike Commodore," said Murray, and then said, "Oh, by the way." (Ottawa Citizen)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Our division is downright awful. That, my friends, is just the truth. If the division leader didn't occupy one of the top three spots in the Eastern Conference, the division leading team - currently the Winnipeg Jets - would be seeded 7th in the East. That's just one point ahead of the Panthers in 8th. The rest of the division? Well, we are not even currently near a playoff spot as of last night. The Washington Capitals are holding court at 10th, we're in 11th and Carolina is tied for last with the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens.

So, after Capitals owner Ted Leonsis admits his team played their worst game all season in their blow-out loss to the Hurricanes, the Jets jumped from being in 8th to 3rd (with 67 points) after their win over the Lightning last night, it's not a stretch to call the Southeast the worst division in the NHL.

So I asked my fellow Raw Charge writers:

In comparison to other divisions, why does the Southeast Division suck so much?

Our answers after the jump and you can weigh in with your theory in the comments

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Since the Lightning started making deals with the Dominic Moore trade, the Bolts have won their last two games and are technically still in the playoff picture. Damien Cristodero reports that Steve Yzerman said Saturday that if they keep winning he may alter his strategy heading into next week's trade deadline. He won't be a buyer but he may just let the guys remaining on the team just keep riding the wins if that's how they are playing.

Ryan Malone likes this strategy saying "That's great, if that's how it is" (Tampa Bay Times). Of course the strategy has its limitations as if there is a great return for a player in trade, I don't think Yzerman will hesitate to make it. As for the talk about Malone being traded, I just don't see it happening. His annual salary decreases to 3 million next year and then 2.5 million for each of the next two seasons. I realize his cap hit remains the same but I just don't see them trading him away when he's becoming cheaper over the next few years unless the deal is amazing.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• In hopes of saving his career, Mattias Ohlund has had major surgery on his left knee this Thursday. What is he getting done? "Noted orthopedist Anthony Miniaci will use a thin layer of titanium to resurface the bottom of the femur behind the kneecap. That should create a cushion where cartilage that usually covers the bone has flaked off to such an extent there is painful bone-on-bone rubbing at the patellofemoral joint." Yikes. (Tampa Bay Times)
• Vincent Lecavalier is out for tonight's game with an upper body injury that "popped up" according to Boucher in the game against the Caps (Tampa Bay Times)
• Defenseman Pavel Kubina talks about the trade to the Flyers and says this about signing in 2010: "To be honest, when I signed to come back here (in 2010) I had better offers from other teams; more years and for more money, and I took this deal because this team belongs to my heart and I spent so many great times here." (NHL.com)
• ....Annnd he's already saying that he hopes to stick around as a Flyer, "If I play well for this team and they want me, I don’t want to go anywhere and test the water" (Broad Street Bull)
  

The rest of your links after the jump...

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According to James Mirtle's playoff projections of the postseason cutoff, the Lightning need to go 19-8-0 to make the playoffs.

So, you're saying there's still a possibility?

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Martin St. Louis and head coach Guy Boucher talks with Dave Lozo and looks back on his scary eye injury. "Marty's Marty," Boucher said. "That's what Marty is -- a gamer, a warrior, one of those guys who shows up when you don't expect. That's why today, I always expect him to be what he is." (NHL)
• Steve Yzerman has no plans to play the Winter Classic 2013 alumni game (The Detroit News)
• Stamkos had a birthday last week. Missed the party? Don't Trade Vinny highlights what went down
• The top five Lightning rookie cards to own (Hopeful Chase)
• Have you ever wondered which period is the worst for the Lightning? My initial guess was wrong (Backhand Shelf)
• Is Julien BriseBois ready to GM in the NHL? Jonathan Willis breaks down his candidacy (Edmonton Journal)
• Are the Lightning paying for bad contracts? Is water wet? (Tampa Bay Times)
• 10 reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning are better than the Florida Panthers. Besides the fact that the Panthers are better in the current standings (The Hockey Writers)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Are the Lightning going to be sellers or buyers at the trade deadline this season? Right now, it's too early to tell. Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun debate this topic on their daily debate on ESPN. Talk is that there is interest in Ryan Malone and pending UFA's Pavel Kubina and Dominic Moore. LeBrun says he spoke with Yzerman yesterday morning and as of now, Yzerman still believe their in this and will see how the next few games play out.

"Our team is winning," Yzerman told ESPN.com. "My approach is that if there’s any deal that potentially can be done which makes our team better now or a better team in the future that’s worth doing, I’m prepared to do it. But at this point, nothing has made sense from my point of view."

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• When you are a hockey parent, you want your son's games, no matter what time of night they air. Elisabeth Hedman wakes up at 1:30am local time in Sweden to watch her son play hockey, heading back to bed for a few hours of sleep before teaching kindergarten during the day. Also she was rather nervous when he returned to the ice last week to play (Globe and Mail)
• Tonight's game is being aired nationally on NBC Sports (NHL.com)
• During the AHL All-Star game, Joe Gregory, the Admiral's governor went looking for a possible replacement the Lightnings' AHL team. The clubs are currently in the final season of a five-year working agreement and nothing is guaranteed for next year (Virginian-Pilot)
• Bolt Prospects, prospect of the week is Alex Killorn who is a senior with Harvard, a Hobey Baker award nominee, and likely to join the Admirals at the conclusion of his season

The rest of your links after the jump...

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It's been a week without hockey. I'm not sure how you got through it, but personally I watched hours upon hours of glorious tennis, but there was still this nagging feeling of something missing.

If you did catch the skills competition, perhaps you caught Steven Stamkos going three for three on the shootout elimination challenge to win the event. Since he has gone 0-for-10 during the shootout the past two seasons, it should make you say "Stammer, why can't we see this more often?"

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Stamkos is one of the players trying out the new Bauer Re-Akt helmet that is designed to reduce concussions. Stamkos and Claude Giroux talk about how players are taking a more active interest into their own safety (USA Today)
• Brett Connolly has been struggling since returning from WJC's (The Bolts Independent)
• Former Lightning owner Len Barrie gets evicted out of his $14 million house (Globe and Mail)
• Andrew Johnson of The Hockey Writers wonders if the Lightning and Red Wings could be trade partners. Guess it took him a far leap to make this connection huh?
• Not to take away from his shootout goal scoring at the ASG, but I have an issue with Stamkos' hair (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• Carrie Selivanov, daughter of Phil Esposito has died after long illness. She was married to former Lightning player Alex Selivanov (TBO.com)
• Former Lightning goalie Karri Ramo scores a brutal own goal in a KHL game (Puck Daddy)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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There are currently nine players out currently with injury for the Lightning, with Dana Tyrell being the latest addition to the injury team. But sometimes with hardship comes great quotes from coaches, like this gem from Boucher:

"The hockey gods," Boucher said, "are whipping us left and right."

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• "Lightning hit hard by injury bug" is the headline on NHL.com. Thanks captain obvious!
• Mathieu Garon's new mask (In Goal Magazine)
• Instead of sending him back to juniors, the Lightning are giving some tough love to Brett Connolly (Tampa Bay Times)
  
• Matt envisions which characters in Super Mario World the Lightning players and organization would match up to. The one for Downie as the Big Boo is uncanny (Don't Trade Vinny)
  
• Last year in the playoffs we had Sean Bergenheim but Dominic Moore is beginning to become considered a 'clutch' player, agree or disagree? (Lightning)
  

The rest of your links after the jump...

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I would start this intro about how the two teams playing tonight faced off last year in the Eastern Conference final and now are at polar opposite of the Eastern Conference standings, but instead let's talk about how Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times has Steven Stamkos as one of her pluses in her pluses and minuses article, citing Stamkos being the first player to reach the 30 goal mark this season.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Your stat for today for something positive via the Lightning website: Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier have combined for the most goals among any pair of NHL teammates since Christmas with 16
• SB Nation Tampa Bay's mid season review of the Lightning
• A year later, the Panthers and Lightning have switched fortunes (SBN)
• Cory Conacher continues to impress with his rookie season with the Norfolk Admirals. "To be honest, there are other players a little more ready to play at this level, at this time," BriseBois said, "but Cory is knocking on the door. It probably won’t be this year, more than likely, but we expect him to play for the Lightning soon." (Burlington Post)
• Gary Shelton writes "Egad. The Tampa Bay Lightning has become the Tampa Bay Bucs." (Tampa Bay Times)
• Days of Y'Orr picks apart our goal differential and provides a dancing Boucher photoshop

The rest of your links after the jump...

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If you have been listening to the Marek vs. Wyshynski podcast* then you might have heard a hypothetical question come up once or twice on whether you would buy out player X (with no repercussions to your cap hit) if you had one free buyout allowed after the NHL's next Collective Bargaining Agreement has been renegotiated and ratified.

Why would you do this? Let's say for instance that the new CBA causes the cap to down next season or they change how they calculate the cap which currently just keeps increasing every single season at a pretty high rate. Or maybe you just have a bad contract that you want to get out of, and a free buyout could help out how your team in constructed.

So this question got me thinking whether the other writers at Raw Charge would consider buying out Vincent Lecavalier, here's what I asked:

If during the summer during the new CBA negotiations there is an option to buyout ONE player on your team with no repercussions to your team in the future, do you buyout Lecavalier? Why or why not?

Our answers after the jump and let us know in the comments on what YOU would do

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Great news about Martin St. Louis tonight. NHL.com writes that St. Louis traveled with the team to San Jose today and returned to practice with the team. He wore a full cage during the drills today at the HP Pavilion but there is no timetable yet to whether he'll be back in the lineup tomorrow or on Friday in Colorado.

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Mathieu Garon rides a hot streak into being the starting goalie for the Lightning (St. Petersburg Times)
• Late last week Cristodero wrote that Boucher hinted that Ohlund might not play this season (St. Petersburg Times)
• Brett Connolly pledges to put work ethic before skill. He also non-nonchalantly recalls squishing his hand as a kid, having 3 broken bones and needing surgical reconstruction to fix it (Vancouver Sun)
• Want to watch Brett Connolly at the WJC's this year? NHL Network will be all medal-round games and five additional preliminary-round match-ups (NHL.com)
• It is fan-posted but do check out Cory Sznajder's post on the Lightning OZ "Coke" Chart. Also check out Cory's Hurricane blog the Shutdown Line

The rest of your links after the jump...

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A couple days later, but the NHL has made public that Steve Downie was fined the maximum $2,500 allowed under the CBA for leaving the bench on a legal line change to become involved in an altercation in the game against the Rangers. Is it just me or the maximum of $2,500 seem like a drop in the bucket when fining an NHL player?

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• St. Louis is recovering from a scary injury: "I couldn't see out of my left eye, how the blood rushed through the eye. Panic set in. I was very overwhelmed with the possibilities, you know." (Sporting News)
• LeBrun and Burnside debate the Anisimov celebration (ESPN)
• Why the Lightning like Cory Conacher and are planning on signing him, just not right now. Why? Timing issues with giving him a contract this year will burn through the first year of his waiver exemption (Lightning Strikes)
• Gary Sheldon weighs in with his thoughts on our new conference from realignment (St. Petersburg Times)
• The top 10 best-selling jerseys during the month of November according to shop.NHL.com (Hockey Gear HQ)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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While we all talk about the new realignment plan (and how screwed over the Florida teams got), the Lightning continue their work in the community. This initiative is called "Save Our Sons, Turn in Your Guns".

With $12,500 given by the team for the program, the Tampa Police Department will collect guns on Saturday at the Seminole Heights Baptist Church with no questions asked. Each gun turned in gets $50 in cash. More info here.

And now for your links:

Your Lightning links:

• The Lightning crashed a Senator's charity dinner while they were in Ottawa (CTV)
• A behind the scenes video of the Lightning players who did a photoshoot for Bay Magazine
• If you haven't read it yet, Clare's post on whether players should block shots
• Mashable looks at the Lightning's microchipped jerseys and how it changes the fan experience. Though I don't agree that it's the jerseys that caused the increased season ticket sales
• Raw Charge has a store, check it out why don't you?

More links after the jump...

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Every time Michael Farber writes, I just want to share how well he writes with anyone who will care. With the two firings of coaches in the Southeast Division, he takes a look at what happened, the back story on the new coaches and a look at the other two coaches in the division.

With all this turnover in our division, it seems a bit strange that Guy Boucher now has the longest tenure out of the group. What was his response to being told this? "That’s what I hear," Boucher said. "I’m so experienced now."

Your Lightning links:

• Former Bolt defenseman Mike Lundin has had a hard start to the season with a freak back injury that has him just just returning to practice last week (editor note:  Lundin played his first game of the season last night in the Wild's 3-1 victory over the Bolts)
• Nolan looks at coaching in the Southeast Division saying that the Lightning are the most stable team in the division (Frozen Sheets Hockey)

More links after the jump...

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Crosby, Crosby, Crosby....and now here are your regular scheduled programming of links:

Your Lightning links:

• The Toronto Star on how Stamkos is more than just his one-timer from the left circle
• Victor Hedman on wanting Crosby back on the ice and having to explain the hit he gave to Sid (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Last week Mike Halford of PHT called out Dwayne Roloson for his underwhelming play in their Wednesday Wake-Up Call
• Rating the mustache efforts of the team so far during Movember (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• 10 reasons why the Lightning are better than other teams (The Hockey Writers)
• A Theory of Ice has three ridiculous, boring coaching ploys even better than Laviolette's to the Lightning
• Cristodero writes on the art of describing the injury as upper or lower body injuries. "And then Babcock throws out mid body," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said of Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. "What the hell is that?" (St. Petersburg Times)
  

More links after the jump...

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There is a certain art to getting a munchie while watching a hockey game. Whether you are an in between period kinda person or a master at the commercial break person, it's an art to choosing what to have.

And if you attend games, you know at any rink there are the places to eat.

So this week, the question I asked was:

Name your favorite in-game snack that you make at home or if you go to games, the best food in the Tampa Bay Times Forum?

After the jump we have the answers from our crew here at Raw Charge, Lightning bloggers Alexis and Nolan, and twitter friend @AustinBolts. Don't live in Tampa? Well I've got you covered with recipe suggestions. Please do share your favorites on the question in the comments.

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The GM's will have their first meeting of the season in Toronto today. Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes that the 1-3-1 system will be a hot button topic being discussed at the meetings.

In response to all the questions about Guy Boucher's system, GM Steve Yzerman had some great quotes in Elliotte Friedman's 30 thoughts this week. After saying he prefers a re-alignment system where teams play home-and-home every season, he said "Every fan should get a chance to watch Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos. And with all of you guys talking about the 1-3-1, every fan will be dying to see it."

Your Lightning links:

• Jacques Lemaire defended Boucher's coaching system. Great quote on former NHL coaches criticizing Boucher: ""They have the mike, and some guys with the mike try to coach. They couldn’t coach, so they go behind the mike because they couldn’t find a way to win. So they’re no big deal." (Montreal Gazette)
• An article on assistant coach Martin Raymond who was inducted last month to the McGill University Sports Hall of Fame (Montreal Gazette)
• Carter Ashton is looking to follow in his father, Brent Ashton's footsteps (NHL)
• Not often a guy readers agree with, Ryan Lambert seems to be the voice of reason in that Flyers-Tampa 1-3-1 story from last week
  

More links after the jump...

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Sometimes players will hold players only meetings, nothing happens and the media glances over the occurrence of the meeting. Sometimes players hold player only meetings and the team turns around a losing slide, then people go back and say, 'it was because of the player only meeting' that sparked the change.

Before going into Sunday's game Boucher insisted the players have breakfast in the morning since some players just grab coffee and go. Then he had his pre-game meeting at the hotel instead of at the rink curbing the late naps that cause "coma mode". The Lightning had a comeback win over the Panthers who they've struggled against this season. Was it the routine change that made the difference? Maybe breakfast is the new players only meeting.

Your Lightning links:

• Breaking down Stamkos' one-timer shot from the left circle (Puck Drunk Love)
• With Hedman injured it's possible Gilroy will be paired up with Brewer. Great quote from Boucher on Gilroy's move that led to the Stamkos goal on Sunday,"But a spin-o-rama at the blue line?" (St. Petersburg Times)
• Boucher wants more out of Purcell, and says Purcell "is an enigma sometimes. He's a player who can give you a lot and make very smart, surprising plays. He just has a tendency to fall asleep." (St. Petersburg Times)
• Dustin Tokarski is Bolt Prospects' prospect of the week
• The Lightning have unveiled new team license plates with the new logo. Show your team pride by getting one

More links after the jump...:

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How do you feel about having the Flyers, Capitals, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Hurricanes and Panthers in our division next year? According to Elliotte Friedman on the HNIC hotstove this week, this is the realignment plan that has been gaining steam.

A quick breakdown of the proposed plan is that it will be a 4 division league with each conference having a 7 team and 8 team division. Each team plays a home and home game against other teams not in their division and then the rest of the games are against their own division. That's a lot of inter-divisional games. There will also be a change to the playoff format as the first two rounds of playoffs would also be inter-divisional, followed by a East and West Conference finals in the third round and Stanley Cup in the fourth. The Western teams like the plan because it cuts down on travel but as you can see in some of the links below, some teams are very opposed to it.

So what do you think about this realignment plan?

Your links after the jump...:

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During the Rangers' Western Canada swing, John Tortorella made me remember why I miss him as a coach. His sound bites can be a gift. Tortorella had a 16 second postgame press conference after the loss to the Oilers. It consisted with him saying "We sucked from head to toe."

And Torts was not the only one giving this weekend, Jay Feaster reflects on his time spent with Tortorella to the Calgary Herald. Best line? "I can't count how many guys I had in my office, complaining: 'He hates me.' And my standard response was 'Don't flatter yourself, he hates us all. Equally.'

Here are your links for the week:

Your Lightning links:

• Marty makes it into Puck Daddy's 7 players they'd pay to watch in an NHL shootout
• Sons of Andreychuk weigh in on whether Brett Connolly will make it past tonight
• The St. Petersburg Times on Brett Connolly and a golden tidbit on the Lightning dressing room: "Meanwhile, in the hallway in the Lightning locker room, someone has tacked an ad from ESPN Magazine on a bulletin board. It's a picture of the Geico caveman playing horseshoes, with Connolly's name written above it in an apparent nod to his furry chest. Alongside the picture is a message of congratulations for making the magazine so quickly."
• Don't Trade Vinny has this gem of a post as he compares the Lightning to Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Wondering what Oren Koules is up to? He's involved in the Hulsizer bid to buy the St. Louis Blues. Yes, he's looking to buy another NHL team (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• The Province editorial department decided to be hfboards for a day instead of writing about politics and suggested that the Vancouver Canucks should trade Roberto Luongo for Vincent Lecavalier
• Though he hasn't started the last few games, Roloson's struggles were not his fault alone (St. Petersburg Times)
  

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Yes it's back. Your weekly round-up of links from around the hockey interwebs compiled by me, are back for another season. Let's not waste any more time, here is this weeks edition:

Your Lightning links:

• Jeff Vinik is blown away by what $40 million in refurbishments can do for a place. For $40 million, I should hope that a renovation blows you away (Lightning Strikes)
• WB Philip has your week in review of the Lightning
• Although we haven't seen it yet action during a game, the Tesla coils are pretty awesome (Lightning Hockey Blog)
• Want to buy a 2004 Stanley Cup Ring? There's one on sale on ebay from the zamboni driver. It starts at $10,000 and you have 5 days left to buy it (link via Puck Daddy)

The rest of your links after the jump...

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Tonight's game in Boston was supposed to be a rematch of sorts against the two teams that met in the Eastern Conference Finals. What tonight showed was that Boston still had their game, but the Lightning clearly did not tonight. What a mess the first and third period was for the Lightning.

The Bolts were able to escape the first period with the game tied, but it didn't look like the two teams were equally matched. The Bruins outshot them 15-9 and had tons of pressure during the their two power plays. Mathieu Garon was a big reason why the Lightning came out of the first unscathed.

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Sometimes, to better understand your team, you need to take a step back and listen to what others have to say about the club. When you aren't a fan of the team, sometimes you can be more objective with your assessment. Lucky for us, at this time of year, everyone is doing a preview of the Tampa Bay Lightning or the Southeast Division.

So here is a collection of some of the previews that have been cropping across the interwebs about the Lightning. Some of them are spot on, and some of them, not so much. You be the judge.

• Puck Daddy's season preview
• ESPN's 10 things you need to know
• TSN's season preview
• The Globe and Mail's season preview
• SBN Tampa Bay: Blue Thunder

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This pre-season, I have seen more questionable hits and subsequent suspensions than I can remember in recent history. Brendan Shanahan, the new head honcho of suspension giving, aka the Senior Vice President of Player Safety, has had to hit the ground running.

In addition to replacing Colin Campbell, the NHL has Shanahan producing videos that explain why a suspension has been given out. In each video, Shanahan introduces himself, shows footage of the play being evaluated, explaining which rule was violated and citing the factors that go into the severity of the suspension. Haven't seen one yet? Click here, here or here for examples.

So this week, the question I asked was:

What are your thoughts on the Brendan Shanahan's suspensions and video explanations of the suspensions so far?

After the jump we have the answers from our crew here at Raw Charge. Please do share your take on the question in the comments.

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