Lashoff had such a lazy camp in Boston that the team seemed to hold a grudge against him going forward. In their defense, he had a spot sewn up and he blew it – so perhaps he deserved to have them hard on him. He wasn’t the first defenseman called up, either. He was only recalled when two rearguards went down with injury and even that wasn’t enough to let him dress for a game early on. The B’s eventually shipped him to the Lightning as part of the Recchi deal. Two weeks later, they called him up for good – this time giving him over 20 minutes of ice time and loads of time quarterbacking the power play. His seven points in 12 games for TB are promising. His minus-7 in that span is not. He is on the cusp of becoming a star NHLer or a career minor leaguer; it will all come down to his work ethic this summer. Boom or bust if there ever was one and we’ll know this fall whether he’s the latter or the former.

Upside: #3/4 PP QB; (10-40-50, 90 PIM)

Certainty (NHLer; Upside): 65%; 45%

Hmm, have we seen this show before? In 2006-07, former first-round pick Matt Lashoff posted 36 points in 64 games for the AHL’s Providence Bruins, and followed that up with two points in his first twelve NHL games. In 2007-08, the slick offensive blueliner had – guess what – 36 points in 60 AHL games and five in eighteen NHL games. So where does this put Matt developmentally? In a not-bad place. Few rearguards can boast back-to-back 35- plus point seasons in the AHL before the age of 22. He’s ready for full-time duty now.

Upside: #3/4 PP QB; (10-35-45, 100 PIM)

Certainty (NHLer; Upside): 80%; 40%

2007 Fantasy Prospects Report:

Useless fact, number three: Go to YouTube, and search for “Matt Lashoff”. Okay, not really a fact, but there’s your introduction to this offensive defenseman. Ironic that it takes a great deal of confidence to execute a trick shot when the opposite is what’s keeping Boston’s first round pick in 2005 out of the NHL. Flat in the first of his twelve games of action with the Bs, Lashoff came on strong in his final three contests before being demoted. Back in the A, the 6’2, 205 lbs defender has racked up 31 points, the 20th highest among all blueliners. Looking to crack the Bruins D full-time in 2007-08, it will be a bit before Lashoff’s offense materializes in the show. When it does, it will be similar to the output of former teammate Paul Mara.

Potential: (10-30-40, 100 PIM)