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Lightning Defense Expects To Get An Upgrade

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 13, 2008

TAMPA With Lightning goaltenders Mike Smith and Olie Kolzig coming under a barrage of pucks, Tampa Bay officials are scrambling to find some help on the blue line.

They may have found it two-fold.

The Lightning are expected to sign veteran defenseman Marek Malik to a one-year contract this week, possibly by Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the situation. In addition, Paul Ranger, who has been out while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, could be cleared to return in time for Thursday's game against the New York Islanders.

After allowing 126 shots through the first three games of the season, Lightning coach Barry Melrose has spoken at length about the defensemen playing with poise and control with the puck inside the defensive zone.

"It's about composure,'' Melrose said. "Right now with our D, when they are under pressure [the puck is thrown] around the wall.''

With Malik's expected signing — the 33-year-old is a veteran of 649 games — and Ranger's potential return the Lightning could have its fourth different set of defensemen in four games.

After the first game, Mike Lundin replaced Shane O'Brien in the lineup for game two. When the team returned from Europe, O'Brien was traded to Vancouver in a deal that landed Lukas Krajicek, who debuted with the Lightning in Saturday's home opener.

They hope to have Ranger make his debut against the Islanders after the third-year defenseman flew to Birmingham, Ala., on Monday following practice to be examined by James Andrews, who performed surgery to repair a torn labrum in Ranger's right shoulder. Should Andrews like not find any issues with Ranger's shoulder, he should get the green light to return to the lineup, which would provide a significant boost.

"The doctor just has to give the yeah or nay,'' Melrose said. "He was doing the combat drills and stuff, he's been skating great and he wants to play very, very badly.

Having Ranger back would be "what any top defensemen coming back into the lineup would mean, that's what it means to us,'' Melrose said. "All of a sudden we can cut [Matt] Carle's ice time down, we can cut Mesz's [Andrej Meszaros] ice time down and we get another big body that skates well. He's very, very important to us.''

As far as the possibility of bringing in Malik, Melrose said, "There is a chance I would bring Wayne Merrick in, I'd bring Dennis Maruk in, I'd bring in anyone with an M. And like we've talked about, if there is anyone out there who we feel is better than we got, we'd be crazy not to bring him in if we can make an upgrade.''

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

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