The Turning Point In Tampa Bay?

Wow.

What else can you say about the recent events in Tampa? 

As of June 30th, the Bolts have locked up Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Vinny Prospal and in all likelihood Brian Rolston.  On top of that, they drafted Steve Stamkos and resigned Vinny Lecavalier.  Add to that Jussi Jokinen, Martin St. Louis, and two wild card type contributors in Michel Ouellet and Jeff Halpern, and you have a hell of a group at forward.  So far, if Stamkos makes the team, and there are no other major acquisitions, I see their top lines looking like this:

Prospal - Lecavalier - St. Louis

Jokinen - Stamkos - Malone

Rolston - Halpern - Ouellet

Roberts - Gratton - Tarnasky (Or Andre Roy and Jason Ward)

Others like Andreas Karlsson and Karl Stewart are knocking around as well (and might be in that center ice position if there's any issue with Stamkos).  Now as I see this group, two ideas come to mind immediately: this group is going to be as horrendous as the late 90's New York Rangers; a group of players thrown together due to name recognition and a desire to get fans in the seats... or that wow, this team might look like Philly from last year; redone with a new philosophy, and taking the league by storm. 

I want to lean on the first becoming a reality, that this group sounds great on paper, but might not make it on the ice.  Aside from the first line, if the rest are set up the way I have and no other forwards are added or subtracted, there is not one line that has played together before this year.  Looking at each; that first line was together for a good part of last season and couldn't carry the team.  I personally can't see Ryan Malone coming close to scoring another 27 goals this year (he couldn't crack 30 with either Crosby or Malkin... is Lecavalier or Stamkos or Halpern THAT much better than either one of those Penguins?).  He's going to be a free agent bust, for sure (if you consider $4 and change million per year for what his stats are).  Sorry to say it... but I don't see him scoring more than 20 (which is basically his career average). Halpern had a strong finish to last season, but has only cracked 20 goals twice in his career, and is 32.  He's at that age where players' stock usually begins to sink.  Rolston's 35 and HAS TO start slowing down... literally.  I definitely think that interest is going to be at an all time high in Tampa, but I just don't see this group bringing Tampa into the playoffs, and causing definite damage once there.

The next topic in Tampa, and the one I believe will be the conversation into the latter parts of the season, is how this group is going to be in net.  Again, if there are no more changes, Ramo and Smith aren't exactly going to unnerve any opposing forwards.  I do see Mike Smith getting the first crack at net.  However, he has proven nothing.  He is an outstanding puck handler, which will either propel Tampa's attack, or potentially cause him to give up the terrible goal here and there.  Ramo's a good prospect, but a number 1 netminder?  Too many questions at this point. 

Their defense corps isn't overwhelming either... however I'm sure Koules will address them at some point this offseason.  Will Boyle be back?  That's a big question.  We'll see if he'll fit under the cap with all the other acquisitions.  He, Filip Kuba and Shane O'Brien are solid, but NHL elite?  Unsure.  Paul Ranger and Andre Picard are contributors as well, but I have to believe they are at minimum, at least 1 defenseman away from truly being considered dangerous (If you follow the trend... watch out for Brooks Orpik to join up).

In my opinion, everything starts with the man in the suit.  Can Barry (I haven't coached in over a decade) Melrose REALLY be the answer that this team needs?  Yes he coached Wayne Gretzky, but so what?  So did John Muckler, and he helped to dig a few franchises into the ground (Calling New York, Buffalo and Ottawa).  Almost every team has had a head coaching vacancy in the time he's been unemployed... and NO ONE'S hired him.  Doesn't that say something about Melrose's coaching ability?  It's taken certain teams a season or two to get used to some of the new rules... and I'm sure Melrose will be no different.  He really is an interesting choice though.  I guess Pat Burns, Pat Quinn, Bob Hartley, Joel Quenneville and Marc Crawford just haven't had enough success to even be interviewed?!!

Does this team have a talented group of players?  Absolutely.  Are they ready to take the NHL by storm?  I can't believe so.  I believe this team is going to have too many questions to succeed, at least for this upcoming year.  They'll need time to gel and find chemistry together; with the forwards, the coaches, the young defense, and the unproved netminders.  They'll improve over last year's disaster... but honestly, that's no ringing endorsement.  They'll fight to make the 7th or 8th seed, but again, they aren't going to scare anyone in this upcoming NHL season.  They'll have a few more sellouts for sure, but not that many more victories.