After having 29 teams pass on his services and coming to terms with the fact that the Lightning no longer want or need him in their lineup, especially at an extra $10 000 per game, veteran Gary Roberts has retired from professional hockey. His tenure in the NHL has had its ups-and-downs, and included stops in Tampa, Pittsburgh, Florida, Toronto, Carolina, and Calgary, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1989. A severe neck injury almost prematurely ended his career, but Roberts was able to persevere and have several successful seasons afterwards, which speaks to the character, heart, and determination he was always attributed with. He finishes with 909 points in 1224 games.
This marks yet another departure of a recently acquired player from Tampa's roster. They splurged into the free agent market this past summer, only to see themselves struggle to stay out of the league's basement for the balance of the schedule. The management and ownership tactics practiced by Brian Lawton, Len Barrie, and Oren Koules have raised eyebrows all year, and I'm sure there will be more problems to deal with before they find a solution.
- In other Lightning news...
In case you missed it, Steve Downie is in trouble again. He has been suspended 20 games by the AHL for swinging his stick at an official. With each passing incident, it would appear as though Downie is becoming less and less intelligent. And believe me, there wasn't much going on upstairs to begin with.
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