TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Lightning Bolster Blue Line

ADVERTISEMENT

By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: October 7, 2008

TAMPA - The only jet lag the Lightning felt Monday following their return home came from the team's on-ice performance against the New York Rangers in Prague, Czech Republic.

So Tampa Bay vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton worked the phones shortly after the team landed in Tampa and worked out a trade with the Vancouver Canucks to land defenseman Lukas Krajicek and minor-league forward Juraj Simek in exchange for defenseman Shane O'Brien and forward Michel Ouellet.

WHO'S IN

Lukas Krajicek: A first-round pick, 24th overall, by the Panthers in 2001, Krajicek has 42 assists and eight goals in 207 career games. He will help the Lightning in the transition game with his first-pass ability.

Juraj Simek: The 21-year-old winger from Slovakia enters his third year in North America and had seven goals and 17 points with Manitoba of the AHL last year. He will report to Norfolk.

WHO'S OUT

Shane O'Brien: Ex-Bolts GM Jay Feaster gave up a first-round pick to acquire O'Brien from the Ducks but he never was able to live up to the offensive expectations the team had for him. He fell out of favor with the current coaching staff quickly and was a healthy scratch in the team's second game in Prague.

Michel Ouellet: Brought in as a free agent to ride shotgun to Brad Richards last season, Ouellet didn't find a comfort level until he was paired with Jeff Halpern at the end of last year. With all the forwards the Lightning signed over the summer, it would have taken a stellar camp for Ouellet to win a job.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT