UNCLASSY MELROSE

I like Barry Melrose as much as the next guy, and I also think he was a great coach, but perhaps he should never have come out of retirement in the first place. The comments he made about his former team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, suggest to me that he is back where he belongs, on ESPN radio, that is.

I'm not saying Melrose is wrong about Steven Stamkos not being ready for the NHL, I agree. However, I don't think it's a matter of size. Look at what Patrick Kane did in his rookie season in Chicago. Kane is certainly not a big guy but he is skilled and, more importantly, he is mentally strong, at least his extremely mature game suggests he is. This may be Stamkos biggest problem. He will be a good NHL player one day, he's just not there yet.

Hoping the team wouldn't win another game all season, that's just not a very classy comment and not one I expected from a guy like Melrose.

Now, is Barry Melrose to blame for the Lightning's lame start to this season? Perhaps. As the coach he is, at the very least, responsible for the team's results. Also, when looking for scapegoats, it is certainly easier to sack the coach rather than the whole team. Ultimately, it the players who have to perform to win and they haven't. The Tampa Bay roster is still full of players who are good enough to take them to the play-offs, but they aren't playing at the level they should be.

The very questionable former management traded this team to pieces getting rid of Brad Richards and Dan Boyle among others, but they really have to get over it and move forward. Focus on what you have rather than on what you use to have.