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Boyle Likely To Return Next Week

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

TAMPA - Defenseman Matt Smaby was sent down Friday, but it doesn't mean he's out of the Lightning's plans.

The rookie defenseman was reassigned to Norfolk of the American Hockey League, but Tampa Bay general manager Jay Feaster said it has nothing to do with Smaby's play, nor is it an indication injured defenseman Dan Boyle is set to return tonight against Buffalo.

The past few games, Smaby has rotated with Doug Janik as the sixth defenseman, and tonight is Janik's turn. So rather than having Smaby sit idle for two days - the team did not practice Friday - he will go play all three weekend games for Norfolk with the assumption he will rejoin the team for the upcoming three-game road trip in the New York area.

'Those guys are playing three games in three nights, with Sunday's game a 5 o'clock start in Philadelphia, so we told him that as long as he goes down and upholds his part of the bargain and plays hard, we intend to put him on a train to join us Sunday night in New York,' Feaster said.

Smaby has played in four of the first eight games with a minus-2 rating, four penalty minutes and one shot on goal.

As for Boyle, who has missed the first eight games while recovering from wrist surgery, Feaster indicated he believes a return of Tampa Bay's top defenseman could come on the trip that begins Monday against the Rangers.

'What Danny needs to do is go through some more practice to get back up to speed and go through some of the battles,' Feaster said.

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