Just recently the Tampa Bay Lightning, that perenially struggling ice hockey team in the heart of America's retirement and warm weather state, signed several key names that bolster their offense. Gary Roberts, Vaclav Prospal, Vincent Lecavalier, and Ryan Malone have all been added or re-signed to the club, creating a decent offensive unit, at worst. They have also acquired the rights to Brian Rolston, another forward.
Once upon a time, this free agency looked boring. But now with players like Sundin, Rolston, Hossa, Bertuzzi, Naslund, half of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and many more, it's tempting to grab as much as you can. Tampa Bay has jumped all over the opportunity. A last place team (barely beating the Los Angeles Kings for that honor), the Lightning have made a concerted effort to improve. There are a few similarities with the Philadelphia Flyers' retool of last year.
Learning From the Flyers
During the 2006-2007 season, the Flyers suffered disappointment, and in the off season made quite a few splashes in an attempt to improve. Last season the Flyers broke out of the cellar and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals on the strength of their acquisitions and probably could have given Pittsburgh a run for their money had they been healthy.
But the Flyers had a defensive core. The Bolts seem to be ignoring the mantra that defense wins championships. Can you name any Lightning defensemen? Unless you're a Bolts fan, probably not. How about in goal? They're hoping an untested Mike Smith can carry their team. With no defense to speak of, even the second coming of Patrick Roy wouldn't survive.
A Balanced Team Wins Championships
They could take some lessons from the Detroit Red Wings, who have taken great care and time to develop an almost perfectly balanced team. Boasting some of the best offensive and defensive names in the game, they were able to build around a few key players and win the Stanley Cup. What did the Red Wings do at the trade deadline last season? Did they sign one of the many sought after forwards? No, they acquired a number four defenseman, Brad Stuart. A move derided by many, it proved to be the right one. Stuart was integral to their Cup run. Facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had acquired Marian Hossa at the deadline, the offensive- and defensive-mindsets were allowed to compete directly.
Tampa Bay seems to be closing their eyes in the hopes that scoring a lot of goals will make up for allowing a lot of goals. That may work in the Southeast Division, but it won't work in the rest of the league, and they will come to regret their long-term contracts on offense at the expense of balanced team-building.
