Suffice it to say, the rest did me well.

I stayed away exactly a month, which was the minimum I’d promised myself. The itch was there to return early on a few different occasions but I resisted – made myself hold back – and I feel recharged and ready to tackle another active off-season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

But first, some shameless self-promotion …

Over the course of the last few months and especially during my recent absence, I’ve given a lot of thought to where this writing gig of mine might be headed. There are now a handful of legitimate opportunities on the horizon to which I will have to give even more thought in the coming months to determine my long-term hockey-related future.

In the meantime, born of recent discussions with friends and colleagues who admit to being moderately entertained by my commentary on a plethora of non-hockey subjects, as well as the response to a pair of offbeat pieces I posted here last year – this one on the NHL’s attempt to soften playoff hockey and this, a wacky account of my cross-country travels last summer – Y2JJ.com launches later this afternoon. As my first solo web endeavor, this won’t be anything fancy, in terms of aesthetics or otherwise. Rather, Y2JJ will be the home for my thoughts on anything and everything that I either can’t justify posting here because of irrelevance to my assigned beat or spicier material that I’d refrain from publishing here at the PG-rated ‘Buzz.

I’ll link to new works on the Y2JJ side of things over here, I’m sure, and will add those subjects to the NHL-related topics I touch on via Twitter so come on over, check out my debut rant and keep an eye out for news and notes that may be of interest to you from this point forward.

I’ve borrowed a phrase from the late Philadelphia Flyers head coach, Fred Shero, as the tagline for the new site.

“To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

As you might gather from that, I won’t be holding back. Hopefully, the following I develop over there will enjoy the content, though I don’t ever expect choral agreement on my opinions. Not by a longshot …

But let’s get to some hockey, eh???

CEO/GM/Coaching Update
In the month since I last posted, the Lightning search for a CEO/GM/head coach triumvirate has progressed, I suppose, though there really is no actual news to report there of late.

Toronto AGM Dave Nonis took his name out of consideration last week, signing an extension with the Leafs and The Fourth Period is reporting that Steve Yzerman will not be the Bolts’ next GM either, though I haven’t heard as much locally.

I’ve been led away from putting significant faith into the idea that Doug Risebrough will get the nod and I can’t get behind word of Pierre McGuire as a serious candidate. (It’s just that, after the Melrose thing … You know …) Word is former Lightning GM Jay Feaster was never seriously considered and former Feaster assistant Claude Loiselle said early on that he had not been contacted. Flyers icon Bobby Clarke had no interest and Red Wings AGM Jim Nill is in line for an extension in Detroit alongside GM Ken Holland, according to both the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.

That about does it for everyone’s short list which leaves us where, exactly?

Well, Lightning owner Jeff Vinik has repeatedly said he wants “world class” people in place in these key positions. I suppose everyone’s definition of “world class” is different and, by some stretch, perhaps that status can be earned in Vinik’s eyes. To that end, what about current assistant GM Tom Kurvers, who has assumed the role of head honcho while the search plays itself out?

Kurvers told the St. Pete Times in late April that he does have aspirations of becoming a GM himself but also that he expects the Lightning to hire a GM with experience. Still, with several names apparently dropping out of the race, one could conclude that Tampa Bay could do far worse than a guy with extensive scouting, Director of Player Personnel and AGM experience in Kurvers.

That probably won’t happen but the longer this goes without resolution, the more we might have to warm up to the possibility.

It’s looking more and more likely that the role of CEO will now be filled after a GM is selected, if only because the role of general manager is so vital to the entry draft and that there should be no rush to put a CEO in place prior to that. Vinik’s insistence that he will be a non-owner/operator type puts tremendous reliance upon the CEO that is hired, meaning that particular selection is of the utmost importance.

And a coach? There’s little point prognosticating that far down the totem pole without pieces one and two in place. But what of Rangers assistant Mike Sullivan? He’s had two go-rounds already here in Tampa and has two years of head coaching experience from his days in Boston.

Depending on the GM, of course, Sully might not be a bad bet.

Welcome, Victoria!
Vinny Lecavalier and girlfriend Caroline Portelance welcomed their first child, daughter Victoria, in early May. Congratulations on the new addition to the Lightning captain and his family! Life as you know it has only just begun.

Now then, Vin, time to give up the texting and driving!!! My wife slays me for that vile act on the regular. Trust me, hearing it from me is far less painful. (More on that later today over at Y2JJ.com.)

Brandon Bochenskiov
Lightning forward Brandon Bochenski, set to be an unrestricted free agent come July 1, inked a deal with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League on May 6th. No big loss, really, for the Lightning as Bochenski’s return was probably not in the cards.

And maybe this will become the new progression for classic NHL/AHL tweeners in the mold of the Bochenskis and Jason Krogs and Darren Haydars of the world: AHL-NHL-AHL-NHL-AHL-NHL-KHL.

Elsewhere, it’s only a matter of time before former Bolt Evgeny Artyukhin ends up going the KHL way as well, as predicted here, oh, two years ago?

Hockey’s NIT
While the comparison is lacking in several areas, the allusion made by several to the World Championships as hockey’s version of college basketball’s NIT is a pretty good one. While only college hoops can boast of a secondary tournament where the champion is basically crowned the 65th-best team in the country (woo hoo!), the Worlds mean little to average Joe hockey fan, as compared to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, especially here in America.

So pardon me, Canada, as I cringe when I hear of injuries suffered in this consolation tournament, a la Steven Stamkos’ apparent concussion from a few days ago.

I understand the idea of being proud to play for your country – answering the call, folks often say – and the valuable experience of some sort of post-season competition when your NHL team falls short of their goals. (Stamkos himself came of age in last year’s WCs.)

But the thought of serious harm to key cogs of NHL clubs forces me to question the value of this sort of thing, especially in an Olympic year.

And, on a team level, even if you win the whole thing, calling yourself “World Champions” is a little misleading when far more of the world’s best are sitting it out altogether. Worse yet, what does a poor showing at the Worlds say?

I guess we can ask the American squad there …

The Return of Pro Puck in Orlando?
Multiple sources have confirmed that a group of investors has recently expressed serious interest in bringing professional hockey back to the city of Orlando. Details are sketchy at present and the group, as of now, remains anonymous but it looks as though the ECHL is a likely target, rather than expansion or relocation of an AHL club, though there is no league affiliation at present.

Talks are ongoing and nothing is set in stone but a likely target date for the club would be no earlier than the 2011-12 season.

A point of logical skepticism would be where the proposed franchise would call home. The NBA’s Orlando Magic are moving to the new, state-of-the-art Amway Center next season and the land where the old Amway Arena is currently situated will be redeveloped in short order. An ECHL club playing in a brand new, jumbo-sized venue doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense, from a financial standpoint, particularly since Orlando’s last hockey team, the SPHL’s Orlando Seals had to cease playing in the old Amway (then the TD Waterhouse Center) due to poor attendance.

My personal opinion remains that this group (or any future potential investors) should either go big or go home by waiting out potential AHL expansion or relocation and forgetting about the lower leagues. An affiliation with the Lightning would be common sense in that case, which would help offset the costs of playing such a high-end venue, theoretically.

The IHL’s Orlando Solar Bears were a solid draw (and a solid club to boot) in the mid-to-late nineties before ceasing operations in 2001 after the league itself folded. The Seals failed to come anywhere close to the level of success and popularity enjoyed by their predecessor.

I’ll keep tabs on the efforts of the current group and any other further developments for future pro hockey in Orlando.

Shoulder-Gate
Finally today, the mess between Stephane Veilleux, agent Allan Walsh and the Lightning …

Veilleux’s surgery to repair a cyst, an impingement of the suprascapular nerve and a torn labrum went well yesterday, according to Walsh, who maintains that the Lightning are refusing to pay for the procedure because they claim the injury is non-hockey related.

Let’s be honest: I didn’t know we humans had something called suprascapular nerves before this fiasco and I’m not going to try and definitively determine where Veilleux’s injury came from. (That he plays tennis frequently and did so in the public eye against Andy friggin’ Roddick at the St. Pete Times Forum last year and that this particular injury is described as most commonly occurring in volleyball and, ahem, tennis pretty much tells me all I need to know.)

Point is, do the Bolts really want to squabble over what’s been reported as a $15,000 medical procedure and set that precedent? Probably not and I’m sure some sort of settlement will be reached before any grievance from the NHLPA is heard. (UPDATE: The Lightning will indeed cover surgery costs. How about that?)

But the question also has to be raised: Why such a stink? How often do injuries like this get disputed behind closed doors and settled, ultimately, in private? And how much does Walsh’s relationship with former Bolts GM Brian Lawton have to do with his publicly crying afoul?

A poorly disguised smear campaign from the ousted GM – “See? We weren’t all that bad? Look at what the new guys are doing!” – sounds a bit soap opera-like, sure.

But would you put it past him?

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That’s it from me on the hockey side of things today. Be sure to check out the debut of Y2JJ later today (around 4:00, EST, perhaps?) for rants on raves on all sorts of other topics, including natural disasters, terrorism, politicians, “Pacman” Jones, Tampa’s ingrate mother of 15 and more. (Admit it, you’re intrigued …)

It’s good to be back.

JJ

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