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Veteran Roberts Back; Jokinen Waived Again

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 5, 2009

PITTSBURGH - The game of roster rotation continued for the Lightning on Wednesday.

In was veteran forward Gary Roberts while G Mike Smith landed on injured reserve. Gone was LW Jussi Jokinen, who was placed on waivers and may have spent his last days with the Lightning.

Jokinen, in the final year of a deal that pays him $1.875 million this season, is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. If no team claims him before noon today, Lightning general manager Brian Lawton said Jokinen would be reassigned to the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Norfolk.

"I'd like to see him get another opportunity," Lawton said. "We have a lot of players here, and it wasn't going to work out. It's the nature of the business. I like him as a guy, but this is a results-oriented business and the results weren't there for him."

Jokinen, who left Mellon Arena before a team meeting Wednesday morning and headed back to Tampa, did not want to comment on his situation as he left the building. This is the second time this season Jokinen has been placed on waivers, the first coming Dec. 19 when he went unclaimed. Jokinen was acquired from Dallas last season in the Brad Richards deal, but after scoring six goals in the opening 16 games, he has gone without a goal since as he's battled a nagging knee injury.

Roberts, meanwhile, returned after missing the past 28 games with an elbow injury and 32 of the past 33 games due to injury. The 42-year-old has appeared in 19 games, scoring two goals and three points.

To make room for Roberts, Smith was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Friday with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Smith has missed the past two games, but Lawton said he expects Smith to be ready to play Saturday at home against the New York Islanders.

CAPTAIN STANDS UP, TEAM STANDS DOWN: Captain Vinny Lecavalier earned high marks for taking on New York's Tim Jackman after the Islanders' forward ran over G Karri Ramo in the first period of Tuesday's loss.

With Ramo out to play the puck, Jackman rammed into him, sending the Lightning goaltender sprawling to the ice behind the net and knocking his mask off. After no penalty was called on the play, Lecavalier went right to Jackman and the two exchanged punches.

"I think anytime that someone hits your goalie like that, whoever is there should do something, and it just happens that I was the first guy there," Lecavalier said. "He didn't have to hit Ramo, I don't think he meant to, but he should have been smarter by going in front of the net or around it. But he hit him pretty hard."

Both Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet and Lawton praised Lecavalier's effort, but acknowledged the lack of spark it created within the rest of the team.

"Your team should pick up after that, and, actually, the second period we were God-awful," Tocchet said. "That's the alarming part is after your captain does that, your guys don't respond in a good way."

"I was extremely, extremely disappointed with our players that our captain does a very noble thing to stand up for his team and his teammates," Lawton said. "The team didn't respond for him and that was very hurtful, disappointing and upsetting."

NUTS AND BOLTS: RW Adam Hall played his 400th career game. ... LW Ryan Craig and RW Matt Pettinger were healthy scratches. ... Pittsburgh Steelers K Jeff Reed performed the ceremonial puck drop between Penguins C Sidney Crosby and Lightning LW Ryan Malone, a Pittsburgh native and former Penguin. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was also at the game and sat in a suite with Penguins owner Mario Lemieux.

Erik Erlendsson

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