giate free agents, 6-foot-8 defenceman Andrej Sustr could

The New England Patriots barely missed a beat when Tom Brady served his monthlong Deflategate suspension, going 3-1 and keeping up with the undefeated Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.Trevor Siemian, the 250th overall draft pick in 2015, outdueled a trio of top overall selections in Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston during a magnificent first month as Peyton Mannings surprise successor.Then, reality hit -- along with Buccaneers defensive tackle Clinton McDonald .He flung Siemian to the turf, bruising his left shoulder, the first in a string of injuries that have sidelined the likes of DeMarcus Ware, C.J. Anderson, Aqib Talib and Derek Wolfe while helping to break the Broncos stranglehold on the AFC West.With an anemic offense and a depleted defense, the Broncos (6-3) are looking up at not only the Patriots (7-1) in the AFC but two teams in their own division. The resurgent Raiders (7-2) and the Chiefs (6-2) are ahead of them in the AFC West, which the Broncos have owned since Tim Tebow was running the read-option and not the bases.Weve just got to find a way to stay on the damn field, said coach Gary Kubiak, whose team leads the league in three-and-outs, putting a back-breaking strain on its dazzling defense.Behind Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, the Raiders are seeking their first playoff berth since 2002, and their 30-20 drubbing of Denver on Sunday was their biggest win in more than a decade.We know we cant look at this game as something thats going to define us or define the season, running back Latavius Murray said after running for three touchdowns and half of Oaklands 218 rushing yards.By dominating the trenches and controlling the clock for 41:28, the Raiders were able to expose a weakness in Denvers otherwise stellar defense.Thats something that we have to fix, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. Its been leaky pretty much all season. So we have to figure that out and really put an emphasis on that, and get back to doing what we do.The Raiders wont get caught up in their first-half success because they know holding off the Chiefs, who have won 10 consecutive home games , and Broncos, who have won five divisional titles in a row , wont be easy.Plus, New England is clearly the class of the conference now that Manning is pitching products instead of pigskins.Brady is back and better than ever.The Patriots, who visit Denver on Dec 18, are 4-0 with him back under center.At age 39, that speed bump year when most elite QBs have either traded in two-minute drills for 30-second spots or are just trying not to tarnish their legacy, Brady has thrown for a dozen TDs and not a single interception in four games.His completion rate of 73.1 percent is nearly 10 points above his career average, and his passer rating of 133.9 would be a career high if he can maintain this pace over the second half.Brady is two wins shy of Brett Favres 199 career victories and three wins shy of Mannings record 200 wins, a mark the five-time MVP set when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.Its pretty early, so, theres a long way to go, Brady said. Seven wins, its a good place, I think decent position. But coach always says `Seven wins wont get you anything in this league. Hes right. Weve got a lot of football ahead.As well as things have gone for the Patriots, the trade of defense stalwart Jamie Collins was a reminder to everyone -- Brady included -- that no one has infinite time in the Patriots locker room.You cant be around this long and not realize that the world will keep spinning and the sun will come up tomorrow without you, Brady said.The next two months will show whether Bill Belichicks trade of Collins was a huge mistake or a heeded message.New England is well on its way to an eighth consecutive AFC East title, holding a three-game lead over second-place Miami (4-4).The Houston Texans (5-3) are the only .500-or-better team in the AFC South, but they were throttled 27-9 in Brock Osweilers return to Denver.At least the South has a winning team. The Ravens and Steelers are tied atop the North at 4-4.Nothing epitomizes Pittsburghs paradoxical season as well as kicker Chris Boswells flubbed onside kick Sunday in the final minute of the Steelers 21-14 loss to Baltimore. Boswell attempted what in soccer is known as a rabona -- where the kicking leg is wrapped around the other leg before striking the ball. But Boswell kicked the ball right into his other foot.A lot of teams seem to be tripping over themselves in an attempt to keep up with Brady and the Patriots this season. Indeed, the only conference teams with winning records halfway through the schedule are the Patriots, Texans and the trio from the AFC West.And all the way at the bottom, 0-9 with few prospects for getting a victory, are the Cleveland Browns.Ive never been 0-and-9 before, so you better believe its the toughest challenge Ive ever had, Browns coach Hue Jackson said. But I am excited about the challenge and I truly believe that weve got a tough road ahead of us, but were looking forward to it.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP Sports Writers Josh Dubow and Kyle Hightower contributed.---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapletonSwell Water Bottle Clearance . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. SWell Bottle Sale . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. http://www.swellbottlesale.com/ . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Swell Water Bottle Wholesale .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Swell Bottles On Sale . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season.The Tampa Bay Lightning had the best goal differential of all the non-playoff teams, even better than playoff-bound Minnesota, but shaky goaltending and an abysmal road record left them with the third-worst record in a 30-team league. Off-Season Game Plan examines what the Lightning could do with a roster that has enough talent to compete for the playoffs, but needs a different approach under new head coach Jon Cooper. The Lightning are an interesting case. For a team that finished so low in the standings, they have a lot of talent around which to build and have many quality prospects in the pipeline, but not a lot of financial flexibility, based on the contracts already on the books, so GM Steve Yzerman may have to get to wheeling and dealing if there is going to be significant improvement in the summer. "Our group will change, how dramatically Im not prepared to say yet, but well explore options as far as improving the areas we feel need to be addressed," Yzerman told the Tampa Tribune. "We have players coming up from Syracuse (of the American Hockey League) next year that will have an opportunity to make this team. So, things will be different; they need to be different." Theres no denying that the results need to be different, but competent goaltending can go a long way towards closing the gap between the Lightning and the playoffs. They can improve defensively, knocking a shot or two per game off the 30.2 (20th) that they allowed last season and, with improved puck possession, possible increase their own 27.6 shots per game (ranked 24th), but if they get goaltending that stops around 91% of the shots they face, instead of 89.9% (tied for 24th) like last season, that would account for a change of 20-25 goals in an 82-game season. So, the goaltending will play a big part in Tampa Bays success or failure next season, but new faces that are added to the established core will also have a chance to make a difference for a Lightning team that could be a playoff team or miss the playoffs like they have for five of the past six seasons. The TSN.ca Rating is an efficiency rating based on per-game statistics including goals and assists -- weighted for strength (ie. power play, even, shorthanded) -- plus-minus, hits, blocked shots, giveaways, takeaways, penalty differential and faceoffs. (Stats are listed in this format: G-A-PTS, +/-, PIM, GP). Generally, a replacement-level player is around a 60, a top six forward and top four defenceman will be 70-plus, stars will be over 80 and MVP candidates could go over 90. Sidney Crosby finished at the top of the 2013 regular season ratings with a 93.65. Salary cap information all comes from the indispensable www.capgeek.com. GM/COACH Steve Yzerman/Jon Cooper Returning ForwardsPlayerRatingGPGAPTS+/- Cap HitSteven Stamkos84.1748292857 -4$7.5MMartin St. Louis82.18481743600$5.625MVincent Lecavalier72.3839102232 -5$7.727MTeddy Purcell69.0948112636-1$4.5MAlex Killorn64.653871219 -6$875KTom Pyatt63.81438816+5$600KRyan Malone62.5424628 -3$4.5MRichard Panik62.3925549 -2$900KNate Thompson62.05457815 -2$1.6MB.J. Crombeen56.5144178+4$1.15MDana Tyrell55.1821134 -3$600K Free Agent ForwardsPlayerRatingGPGAPTS+/- Class12-13 Cap HitBenoit Pouliot65.893481220+8RFA$1.8MPierre-Cedric Labrie56.7919213+2UFA$525KLightning Forwards Usage Chart from somekindofninja.com The games premier goal-scorer, Steven Stamkos has scored 185 goals over the last four seasons, 33 more than Alex Ovechkin, who ranks second, 56 more than Corey Perry, who ranks third. Stamkos is a scorer because he has a rare ability to shoot the puck, but hes a great player because he works at it. He was practicially a frail teenager among men when he arrived in the league as an 18-year-old, but hes been diligent about his fitness since and as hes matured, hes become strong enough to go to the dirty areas to score goals, while remaining fit enough to play in every game over the last four years. Stamkos development has obviously been helped by the freakish Martin St. Louis skating on his wing. St. Louis led the league in scoring for the second time in his career, with his 1.25 points per game was a career high. Hell turn 38 this summer and has two years remaining on his current contract, so theres little reason to expect anything but continued elite production from the second-highest scorer in the entire league, behind only Ovechkin, since 2006-2007. The game has taken a toll on Vincent Lecavalier, the 33-year-old centre whose production has fallen off considerably since he scored 92 points in 2007-2008. Hes still a fine No. 2 centre behind Stamkos, but if injuries have caused him to miss 44 games over the past three seasons, the trend is only going down for a player eating up a large portion of the salary cap through 2020. A skilled winger with good size, Teddy Purcell could be even more dangerous if he used his size more, but as it is, Purcell is merely talented enough to play on either of Tampa Bays top two lines as well as the power play. Hes a productive complementary scorer, the kind virtually every team can use. The lockout may have helped Alex Killorn, the 23-year-old rookie out of Harvard, who got to spend half the year in the AHL developing his game before the NHL season started. Killorn didnt debut with the Lightning right away but, after 38 points in 44 AHL games, he was ready to step in and contribute. He has good size and skill; the question is whether he has enough to hold down a regular spot in Tampa Bays top six. Tom Pyatt has worked his way into a top-nine role with the Lightning, though there is some evidence to suggest that hes overmatched playing 13-14 minutes per game, which is admittedly a challenging spot with Tampa Bay because they naturally want to start the Stamkos and Lecavalier lines in the offensive zone as much possible. At the same time, with 20 goals over the last two seasons, Tom is the higher-scoring Pyatt (brother Taylor has 15 goals in that time) in the NHL. Injuries wreaked havoc with Ryan Malones 2013 season, but thats not uncommon as hes missed 91 games in five seasons with the Lightning. When healthy, hes a big physical presence on the wing, who can score a bit, hit and fight, if need be. At the same time, knowing how often hes been hurt, it could make sense for the Lightning to either trade or buy out the final two years of the 33-year-olds contract in order to create greater roster flexibility. 22-year-old Richard Panik was one of several young Lightning forwards to get a chance and he didnt disappoint. Despite limited ice time, Paniks play showed that he was ready to play in the NHL. If his offence (22 goals, 41 points in 51 AHL games last season) can translate, then he could get a chance higher up the depth chart. Another of the sacrificial lambs on the lower half of the forward depth chart, Nate Thompson has never started more than 42% of his shifts in the offensive zone, making it tough to put up very good possession numbers (or a plus rating -- Thompson has been a minus every year hes been in the NHL), but the Lightning obviously like Thompsons active physical game as they signed him to a four-year contract extension. Though hes scored a single goal in each of the past two seasons, winger B.J. Crombeen did score a career-high 12 goals in 2008-2009, but hes making his mark as pugilist, fighting 74 times over the last five seasons, including a league-leading 14 last season. Hes a better player, and not as imposing, as the standard heavyweight, but thats how Crombeen is earning his bones. Industrious forward Dana Tyrell has been battling to keep a spot on the Lightning roster, but hes not as skilled as some of those climbing up the organizational ladder, so if hes not as proficient offensively, hell really have to master the defensive details -- and stay healthy -- if hes going to have an extended NHL career. Restricted free agent winger Benoit Pouliot isnt ever going to live up to being the fourth pick in the 2005 draft but, in recent seasons, hes shown that he can a useful complementary player, skilled enough to play on a scoring line in a pinch. But Pouliot is replaceable, by younger, cheaper players, which makes sense for a player that has played for four teams in the last four seasons. The Lightning have a number of prospects that can challenge for spots, and are likely to have either Jonathan Drouin or Nate MacKinnon at their disposal after the draft, but might also want to add a veteran to go in their top nine, particularly if they do manage to shed a few salaries (like Malone and Pouliot). If thats the case, maybe a veteran with a Detroit Red Wings background and solid two-way ability, like Dan Cleary, would have some appeal. Returning DefencePlayerRatingGPGAPTS+/- Cap HitVictor Hedman72.034441620+1$4.0MMatt Carle71.794851722+1$5.5MSami Salo68.704621517+5$3.75MRadko Gudas67.6522235+3$992KEric Brewer67.42484812+3$3.875MBrian Lee55.2022000 -13$1.dddddddddddd15MMattias Ohlund $3.607M Free Agent DefencePlayerRatingGPGAPTS+/-Class12-13 Cap HitKeith Aulie63.5945257+1RFA$578KLightning Defence Usage Chart from somekindofninja.com Particularly in light of his offensive production, some may wonder if Victor Hedman is living up to being the second overall pick in the 2009 draft and the answer is yes, he certainly is. The 22-year-old has been eating a steady diet of the oppositions top forward lines, with more shift starts in his defensive zone, and his 0.45 points per game last season represented a career high, continuing the scoring ascent that has occurred in each of his four seasons. Bringing in Matt Carle as a free agent last summer was a shrewd move by the Lightning in their attempt to shore up their defence. Carle doesnt play a physical game, but hes smart, skates well, makes a good first pass and played a career-high 23:45 per game for Tampa Bay in 2013. Shortened seasons might be the way to extend 38-year-old Sami Salos career as he missed only two games in 2013, after missing 161 in the previous eight seasons. Salo played hard minutes for the Lightning, perhaps more defensive responsibility than the ideal, but understandable given some of the alternatives. When the Lightning brought up Radko Gudas, they didnt just add a fearsome beard, they brought a guy who lays his body on the line. With 87 hits in 22 games, Gudas ranked second among defencemen, to Philadelphias Luke Schenn, in hits per game (3.95) and Gudas did so with good possession numbers in his admittedly small sample of NHL work. Playing with an edge to his game not only differentiates Gudas from other Tampa Bay defencemen, but its also a prime reason that 22-year-old should get a chance to earn a bigger role as he matures. Despite facing lesser competition and starting fewer shifts in the defensive zone, veteran Eric Brewers possession numbers werent very good last season. The 34-year-old has good size and has played plenty of hard minutes in his career, but hes slowing down. He played 20:31 per game in 2013, his lowest since 2000-2001, and an indication that hes not going to be handling the heavy lifting on the Tampa Bay defence. The Lightning erred in their judgment on Brian Lees career prospects, giving him a contract extension, then being forced to bury him in the minors last season after he struggled through 22 games. The ninth overall pick in 2005, Lee has been given ample opportunity to prove hes an NHL defenceman but, after 209 games, it appears that hes destined for the AHL barring another team willing to take a chance on a change of scenery making the difference. No defenceman in the league played more than 40 games, like towering Keith Aulie, and as little as Aulies 12:49 per game. He was okay in that limited time, but a long-term career will depend on how much he can improve so that hes trusted by the coaching staff. Knee woes have prevented Mattias Ohlund from playing the last two seasons. Hes 36 now, has 979 games (regular season and playoffs) under his belt and not making a comeback, so hes included merely because his salary will sit on the Lightnings salary cap until he gets put on the long-term injured list. Upgrading the defence is always a wise move for the Lightning. They did last summer, adding Carle and Salo, and it wasnt enough, but that doesnt mean they should stop trying. Prospect Mark Barberio maybe ready to make the jump after three years in the AHL, but the Bolts could go for any reasonably-priced veterans that will improve their NHL depth. Mike Kostka, who played for Jon Cooper in the AHL prior to getting his feet wet in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, might be worth considering. Returning GoaltendersPlayerRatingGPWLOTLGAASV%Cap HitBen Bishop73.372211912.67.920$2.3MAnders Lindback62.0024101012.90.902$1.8M Free Agent GoaltendersPlayerRatingGPWLOTLGAASV%Class12-13 Cap HitMathieu Garon59.43185922.90.897UFA$1.3M 6-foot-7 Ben Bishop got caught in a numbers game in the Ottawa Senators crease, so he was dealt to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline as the Lightning keep looking solutions between the pipes. Bishop had a .911 save percentage in 36 career games before joining Tampa Bay, good enough to warrant a look in a starters role, but hardly a sure thing that hell be the long-term answer. Part of the reason to remain skeptical about Bishop is because the Lightning made a similar attempt when they signed Anders Lindback last summer. Lindback, like Bishop, is a huge (6-foot-6) backup, who had a .914 save percentage in 38 games over two seasons with Nashville before getting his shot with Tampa Bay. A .902 save percentage in his first year as a starter opened the door for the Lightning to acquire Bishop. There is the possibility that one of Bishop or Lindback, or both, will post a save percentage of .915 or better, and Tampa Bays goaltending problems will be solved, but it may not be that easy either because, well, it hasnt been that easy so far. Top ProspectsPlayerPos.Team/LeagueStatsAndrei VasilevskiGUfa (KHL)2.22 GAA, .924 SV%, 8 GPBrett ConnollyRWSyracuse (AHL)31-32-63, +19, 71 GPNikita KucherovRWRouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)29-34-63, +17, 33 GPTyler JohnsonCSyracuse (AHL)37-28-65, +26, 62 GPMark BarberioDSyracuse (AHL)8-34-42, +7, 73 GPVladislav NamestnikovCSyracuse (AHL)7-14-21, +4, 44 GPSlater KoekkoekDPeterborough (OHL)6-23-29, -24, 42 GPJ.T. BrownRWSyracuse (AHL)10-18-28, -3, 51 GPOndrej PalatLWSyracuse (AHL)13-39-52, +26, 56 GPAndrej SustrDNebraska-Omaha (WCHA)9-16-25, +16, 39 GP It figures that the Lightning have questions about their NHL goaltending while their top prospect is the 19-year-old goaltender, Andrei Vasilevski, that they drafted in the first round last summer. Hes a very good prospect, but hard to figure that he would be NHL-ready sooner than a couple of years. Brett Connolly played 68 games for the Lightning in 2011-2012, as a 19-year-old, but it was likely premature for his development, so he spent most of the 2012-2013 season in the AHL where he showed the skills that got him drafted sixth overall in 2010. The 21-year-old can finish, has good size and should be able to make the jump next season. A potential second-round steal from the 2011 draft, Nikita Kucherov came over from Russia to play in the QMJHL last season and shredded the league. Hes a skilled forward who should put points. Now its a matter of being strong enough to do it against men. Can the Lightning find room for 5-foot-9 pivot Tyler Johnson? Dont they have to? Johnson was named MVP of the American Hockey League and started his NHL career with six points in six games before going through an eight-game scoreless drought and getting sent back to Syracuse. The challenge is that Johnson figures to be a scoring centre and the top two slots are taken in Tampa Bay by Steven Stamkos and Vincent Lecavalier. Nevertheless, if Johnson is the best the AHL has to offer, then hes due a legitimate opportunity to stick in the NHL next season. After putting up 134 points in his first the AHL seasons, Mark Barberio got into a couple of games with the Lightning in April. Theres little question that Barberio has the skill to play in the NHL, at least helping on the power play, but there could be more too. If his defensive play is adequate, Barberio could climb into a significant role with Tampa Bay over the next couple seasons as some veteran defencemen reach the end. A smallish skilled centre, Vladislav Namestnikov was a first-round pick in 2011 and has the game to be an NHLer, but he will need to get stronger to withstand the rigors of the pro game as well as take advantage of skating and puck skills that are so encouraging. Injuries have plagued 19-year-old defenceman Slater Koekkoek, limiting him to 68 games over the past two seasons, so next year may just be a year to get game experience, but hes a well-rounded defenceman with good size and improving puck skills. J.T. Brown is a speedy winger whose first season as a pro was marred by a broken collarbone. There are a lot of skilled young forwards bidding for jobs in Tampa Bay, so Brown faces a lot of competition, but if hes healthy, hell be in the mix. A strong year in the AHL earned Ondrej Palat a promotion to Tampa Bay and he didnt embarrass himself (2 G, 2 A, +5, 14 GP) while playing in a depth role. A third line role, with a little scoring potential, is a reasonable expectation but there is no shortage of challengers. One of the hottest collegiate free agents, 6-foot-8 defenceman Andrej Sustr could take some time, particularly as he adjusts to the pro game from playing a Nebraska-Omaha, but his size gives The Giant intriguing upside. Tampa Bays prospect pool is deeper than most and defencemen Nikita Nesterov, Dmitri Korobov and Dylan Blujus are among those beyond this list that are worth monitoring. DRAFT 3rd - Jonathan Drouin, Nate McKinnon, Seth Jones FREE AGENCY According to www.capgeek.com, the Lightning have approximately $62.8M committed to the 2013-2014 salary cap for 20 players. Check out my possible Lightning lineup for next season on Cap Geek here. Needs: One top six forward, depth forwards, one top four defenceman. What I said the Lightning needed last year: Three top nine forwards, two top four defencemen, two more defencemen, starting goaltender. They added: Benoit Pouliot, Cory Conacher, B.J. Crombeen, Matt Carle, Sami Salo, Anders Lindback. TRADE MARKET Ryan Malone, Benoit Pouliot, Eric Brewer, prospects. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '