NHL Preseason: Lightning Place Mattias Ohlund Injured Reserve

The Tampa Bay Lightning have officially placed defenseman Mattias Ohlund on injured reserve, reports Damian Cristodero of the St. Pete Times. An MRI showed no structural damage to Ohlund’s knee, Cristodero says, but the 13-year veteran will nonetheless not be available when the Lightning open their season this Oct. 7 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Ohlund spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Vancouver Canucks before signing with Tampa Bay, for which he’s played the last two seasons. Disconcertingly, this is the second straight season in which Ohlund will be unavailable for the season opener, notes John Fontana of Raw Charge, SB Nation’s Lightning blog. Despite that, Ohlund has shown reasonable durability for a veteran, missing just 15 games in his Lightning career.

Elsewhere, the Lightning will need to make one more roster cut before Wednesday’s deadline. The choices are Brett Connolly, Blair Jones, Tom Pyatt, Mattias Ritola, and Dana Tyrell. Beat writer Eric Erlindsson of the Tampa Tribune believes “all signs point to […] Tyrell being the final cut.”

NHL Preseason: Ryan Malone Avoids Suspension For Chris Campoli Hit

The Tampa Bay Lightning received good news Monday afternoon when the NHL announced it would not suspend forward Ryan Malone for his hit to the head of the Montreal Canadiens' Chris Campoli during the Bolts' preseason finale last Friday, a 5-1 defeat. In the third period, Malone checked Campoli in the head, knocking the Montreal defenseman out of the game.

But Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's Senior Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations, determined Malone's hit was legal, if only by a slim margin. "We felt that Malone had committed to the hit when Campoli was upright," Shanahan said in a statement. "However, when the contact was made, Campoli's head position significantly changed just prior to the hit."

This news comes as a surprise to John Fontana of Raw Charge, SB Nation's Lightning blog. "Ryan Malone will be sitting to start the NHL season," he wrote Saturday. "How many games is anyone's guess until Shanahan hands down his decree." Kevin van Steendelaar of Habs Eyes On The Prize was less diplomatic; he wondered if someone "urinated in [Malone's] orange juice" the morning of the game, prompting his check on Campoli and his other aggressive behavior.

The Lightning, who finished the preseason with a 3-4 record, begin their season with Malone in tow this Friday, Oct. 7, against the Carolina Hurricanes. The home opener is scheduled for Oct. 17, when the Lightning host the Florida Panthers.

Malone is set to start his fourth season with Tampa Bay. Last season, he ranked No. 6 on the team in scoring, with 38 points in 54 games.

Blues Top Bolts 4-3 In First Ever Hockey Game At Amway Arena

The Tampa Bay Lightning dropped to 0-2 on the preseason with a 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night at Amway Arena in Orlando. This was the first hockey game to be played at Amway Arena.

Lightning Hope it Strikes Twice in Tampa Bay with Ryan Shannon

The Tampa Bay Lightning hope Ryan Shannon could be the next Martin St. Louis.