Tampa Bay Does Not Appreciate High Save Percentages

The Tampa Bay Lightning and President Bush should get to know each other. They might have more in common than they think. Some people might say that President Bush is living in denial as to how poorly the situation in Iraq has unfolded (crap I should not bring up politics). To a similar extent, on a topic far less significant, the Lightning are in denial. They think that Johan Holmqvist and Marc Denis are the answer to their goaltending problems. In Sunday's St. Pete Times Lightning GM Jay Feaster praised his two net minders. "The bottom line is that we have two goaltenders under contract, and those two goaltenders won 44 [games] and put up 93 points for us," Feaster said. "So that's not a bad starting point." Alright, I'll bite. Are you saying that Denis and Holmqvist are more important than Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis? I sure hope not, cause then we'd have to check your medication. Lecavalier only put up 52 goals (1st in the NHL) and 108 points (3rd NHL). St. Louis was 5th in both categories. I'd be willing to bet all that had a little something to do with those 93 points. Yes it's true, you do need to put someone in net. I just can't imagine that either Holmqvist or Denis is the answer to Tampa's problems. Holmqvist had the better save percentage in 06-07, but that was good enough (those are two very generous words) for 39th out of the top 44 NHL net minders. Meanwhile, Denis was dead last. The pair also combined for a whopping two shutouts. Good news Lightning fans, I hear that 42-year old Ed Belfour is available. He was 21st in the league in GAA and 28th in save percentage. Sadly, even he is an upgrade at this point.