TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

All NHL Teams Pass On Jokinen

ADVERTISEMENT

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 21, 2008

ATLANTA - Lightning LW/C Jussi Jokinen went unclaimed on the waiver wire Saturday and suited up against the Thrashers.

Jokinen was placed on waivers Friday just before the holiday roster freeze went into effect, but the Lightning found no takers for Jokinen's $1.875 million contract. Now, they hope it serves as a wake-up call for the versatile forward who has no goals in the past 15 games entering Saturday despite significant ice time.

"It comes to a point I can't keep putting him out there if he's not going to produce," Lightning interim head coach Rick Tocchet said.

Jokinen has suffered from a nagging injury, a situation Tocchet said the coaching staff wasn't fully aware of until he took two days off from practice last week.

"I have to take this the right way, pretty much use it as a wake-up call," he said. "I have to be better. I haven't been good of late, not as good as I was early in the season."

DOWN AND OUT? Lightning prospect Dana Tyrell, who signed an entry-level contract two weeks ago, suffered a knee injury while representing Team Canada in an exhibition game Friday against Sweden before the start of the World Junior Championships.

Team Canada officials have yet to give a detailed report on the injury, although Coach Pat Quinn said after the game the injury was "substantial." Tampa Bay GM Brian Lawton said the Lightning have not been informed as to the extent of the injury.

A report from the Prince George Citizen, which covers Tyrell's junior team, cited sources claiming the injury is significant enough to keep Tyrell out of the World Junior tournament, which begins Friday in Ottawa.

SEEN STAMKOS? Rookie C Steven Stamkos had 9:15 of ice time in Thursday's game against Colorado - his lowest total time under Tocchet - and took only three shifts in the third period and overtime. Stamkos' ice time has dropped to less than 14 minutes in three consecutive games entering Saturday.

"He has to be ready to play from the start," Tocchet said of Stamkos. "We need his enthusiasm. Sometimes he's a slow starter. He even mentioned to me he's waiting to see how the game is going to dictate. We need him to be dictating the play."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT