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Cathode Rays & Power Plays

The new permanent blog can be found here if you care to read on. I'm still writing about Lightning hockey on a regular basis if the title wasn't enough of a hint. And if you just want to see the hockey posts, then use this link.

You'll Never Believe This

Okay, so I don't know if anybody still reads this since it's been well over a year since my last post, but I'm going to try and give this blog another shot with the Lightning's new season quickly approaching.

Here's the thing. I've been watching the Lightning since I was eight years old. Their very first season. My dad even took me to a handful of games at Expo Hall. Yeah, back when the Bolts played in a barn. Since then, I've been to more games than I can count and followed just about everything that's ever happened to the franchise.

The games I didn't go to, I either watched on TV or listened to on the radio. I remember Larry Hirsch and John Ahlers. Do you remember when John Kelly did the televised games? I think he's in Denver or St. Louis now. He was my favorite of the Lightning broadcasters. Don't misunderstand though, Larry Hirsch is an awfully close second and I have absolutely nothing against Rick Peckham or Dave Mishkin (scooOOOOre!!), but I just felt Kelly brought an energy to his play-by-play that I just really enjoyed. I make room for the possibility of course that I'm the only one.

I'm getting a little off track, though. The reason I'm here... the reason I'm back... I may be getting hired as a member of the Sun Sports broadcast team for Bolts games. Can you believe that? Now, don't get carried away, here. I'll be an intern. But I'll be right there for every televised home game. Right in the middle of it. The best of both my worlds. Hockey meets live television.

Now as a video editor, I may not be the biggest fan of live TV, but my standards change when my Bolts are involved. Maybe I'll get to be involved in a highlight reel package or something. Someone has to edit those together.

So unless I'm told to stop writing by some higher authority, I plan to bring a unique perspective to the hockey blogging world this season. Nothing scandalous, of course. I'm not like that. But those who watch the games on what used to be called Sunshine Network, I'm sure you might find something interesting in what I have to say.

There you have it, friends. I'm returning to the blogging world. I swear. Unlike last season where I quit writing before training camp even began.

Let's go Lightning, let's go!

Game Over

Scott Stevens and Vincent Damphousse have, pardon the irritating cliché, hung up their skates for good.

The Devils announced Stevens' retirement the other day, effectively ending a 22-year career in the NHL. He was drafted by the Capitals in 1982 and played for them for eight seasons. Following a year in St. Louis, Stevens moved on to New Jersey in 1991 where he finished out his career.

Damphousse exits the NHL as a Shark. Until heading to San Jose in 1998, he had been only with Canadian teams, including Toronto (where he was drafted in 1986), Edmonton (for a single season), and Montreal (where he spent seven years).

And then there's Pavel Datsyuk, who apparently has no interest in returning to the Red Wings unless they meet his demands. The only thing this hold-up was missing was gunfire — until Datsyuk signed on with a Russian club for the season. Adios.

The New York Islanders re-signed Rick DiPietro and the Lightning grabbed blue liner Todd Rohloff, who no one else really seems to want.

Last but not least before I end this abbreviated post is to mention that the Lightning training camp opens at the Brandon Ice Sports Forum on Monday, Sept. 12.

That about wraps it up. The pre-season begins in 12 days.

R&R: Nope, Not Dead...

...I'm still alive.

But there's been no hockey news to report on over the last week. Or not anything worth an entire blog post. I don't like to write my posts a little at a time. As you can see I prefer a somewhat longer format containing useful (or useless, depending on how you look at it) information.

So here's what I know. The Atlanta Thrashers nailed down free agent Mike Dunham today with the future of their goaltenders a little bit foggy. Nurminen's knee injury the other day has basically put his career in jeopardy.

The Canucks signed goalie Brent Johnson the other day. If I'm not mistaken he was once a Blue. Matter of fact, does St. Louis even have a goalie now? Osgood just left for Detroit. Though, I guess if you count Patrick Lalime, they aren't in such bad shape.

Jose Theodore signed a three-year deal with the Canadiens. So he'll be staying there a while longer. But will this be a good year for him? He does tend to switch off between good ones and bad ones.

And Lyle Odelein was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. And if one more person says to me "the Penguins are going to win the Cup this year," I'm going to throw a Budweiser can at him. Sidney Crosby is great, sure, but no one guy is gonna win any team the Cup. And while I can't criticize some of their signings, rebuilding a team takes time. You don't go from last to first overnight. Look at the Lightning if you need proof.

Mike Emrick will call NHL games on OLN this year. He was signed on as the main play-by-play announcer. I remember him doing games on FOX back in the middle ages when they used to broadcast hockey. I remember I liked him. Plus he's been calling New Jersey Devils games for something like half his career — which has lasted 25 years to date.

That should wrap it up for tonight. Enjoy the satellite hockey arena photo below.




Pittsburgh's Hockey Mecca (Space's Perspective)   This here is Mellon Arena, home of the Penguins. Why Pittsburgh today? Why not? Maybe because it's the weirdest looking arena I've ever seen from space. It kind of reminds me of the biodome-ish structure from The Truman Show.