Merry Christmas! 800th game for Mattias

Well, it's the holiday season! It's the only time of the year that I choose to be more like my old self.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Dec 23, 2009 marked Ohlie's 800th NHL game. Here's to another 800!

Here's an article on Ohlie by Erik Erlendsson at the Tampa Tribune - I love how he still gets appreciated down in Tampa.

Ohlund making an impact with Bolts
Dec 26, 2009
For the past decade, Lightning fans had heard of Mattias Ohlund in name only.

He was the steady defensive stalwart for the Vancouver Canucks.

The numbers never jumped out - 325 points in 770 career games. And when the Canucks' top players were discussed, it was Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, Todd Bertuzzi, Trevor Linden or more recently Roberto Luongo who immediately came to mind.

Even if Ohlund was a barely recognizable name to Lightning fans before signing a seven-year free-agent contract last summer, the rugged blue liner hasn't wasted time making an impression.

Ask Henrik Zetterberg, the Red Wings superstar who is on the shelf after he leaned in for a puck only to take the brunt of a vicious - and clean - shoulder check from Ohlund on Dec. 17 that left him with a partially separated shoulder.

Or Phil Kessel, who in his first game back following offseason shoulder surgery, made the mistake of coming across Ohlund's blue line with his head down only to be greeted with a devastating hit that knocked him backwards onto the ice.

Those are the extreme examples of what Ohlund brings with his physical presence as he patrols the Lightning blue line.

"I knew he was physical, but this year he's had some huge hits," captain Vinny Lecavalier said. "But obviously not watching him out west, it's like, now you know that's why when you see in the playoffs, guys going after him, it's because that's how physical he is."

Andrej Meszaros knew Ohlund was much more than just a name on the roster. While the 24-year-old defenseman played one year of junior hockey in Vancouver, he remembers hearing of Ohlund's reputation.

"I used to watch the Canucks, so he was great for them, and he's been great for us, too. We are lucky to have him," Meszaros said.

The Lightning and Ohlund have been a perfect match from the moment he hit the free-agent market. Tampa Bay was in need of a veteran leader for a young defensive unit, while also wanting somebody to serve as a mentor for rookie Victor Hedman, who was selected second overall in the 2009 draft.

In need of a change after feeling he was no longer wanted in Vancouver, Ohlund was seeking a new challenge.

Ohlund certainly has delivered, despite only seven assists and no goals in 30 games this season. He has provided the leadership the team envisioned, taken to his mentor-like role for Hedman and been the same steady presence he was during his decade with Vancouver, leading the team in average ice time at 24 minutes, 2 seconds per game.

"He's been a solid guy with a workmanlike attitude each game," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "His physical play, too, is something that the other team will have his name circled and tell each other to be careful coming through the middle.

"And when you have players like that, you put on the brakes a little bit more through the neutral zone, where sometimes you are going through on your heels a little bit, and that's just enough to slow teams down. It's nice to have those guys on your team."

Ohlund said adjusting to a new situation has been every bit the challenge he expected, but he also knows that he can give more as the season goes on.

"I don't think that I've played my best. I want to be able to give more and do more than I have," he said. "But I've been feeling better and better and hopefully my own personal game can improve. I do have that level and obviously I want to play a little bit better."