Depth on ‘D’ bolsters Bolts

The Tampa Bay Lightning has been trying to get better behind the blueline for more than a year, and as luck would have it, its two top prospects just happen to be defensemen. Equally fortunate is that both prospects possess some of the skills the Lightning’s current blueline corps lacks. Mike McBain, who has been in the system for two years, is a smart stay-at-home type who gets physical when necessary. Mario Larocque, Tampa Bay’s first pick in the 1996 entry draft, is a smooth-skating puck carrier, the kind the Lightning doesn’t have outside of Roman Hamrlik. “McBain’s a little bit ahead of Mario because he’s older, but they’re both coming along quickly,” said Tony Esposito the Lightning’s director of scouting and development. “It’s a plus for us that we have two very…

ELSTON

LaFontaine not certain about future

Pat LaFontaine is feeling better and making progress in his recovery from the effects of cumulative concussions, but his NHL future is still in doubt. LaFontaine recently returned from another trip to the Mayo Clinic and while the news was largely positive, doctors didn’t give him the go-ahead to return. “They said right now they’re not going to clear me to play at this time,” LaFontaine said at a news conference. “They feel that everything should be back to 100 per cent. I trust and respect their opinion tremendously.” LaFontaine acknowledged he was disappointed by the latest results. He had gone to the renowned Rochester, Minn., clinic with the hopes of getting medical clearance to play. LaFontaine said he had been feeling like his old self in the two weeks leading up to…

Angry Pronger rips Burke for not penalizing Foote

St. Louis Blues’ defenseman Chris Pronger was livid after defenseman Adam Foote of the Colorado Avalanche didn’t get suspended for a two-handed slash. Pronger suffered a spider fracture of the left wrist on the Foote slash 21 seconds into the second period of the Avalanche’s 5-2 victory Feb. 15. He missed the next game two hours later, but returned Feb. 19 playing with a protective cast. Foote didn’t miss any time at all. Brian Burke, the NHL’s senior vicepresident and director of hockey operations ruled the incident did not warrant a suspension and declined further comment. “It’s a joke,” Pronger said. “Brian Burke came in and told us the punishment fits the crime. The fact is I had my wrist broken and (Foote) got nothing. I got four games last year when I…