... Radim Vrbata, who will be a healthy scratch tonight with the promotion from Norfolk of Paul Szezchura and Radek Smolenak. Both will be in the lineup against the Flyers.

Said interim coach Rick Tocchet: “I just think that (Vrbata) is not getting the loose pucks and we need production. We’re (calculating) scoring chances for and against and if you’re on the ice for scoring chances against all time and you’re not giving us for you’re a minus player.
“We just can’t have Vinny Lecavalier (team-leading 10 goals), Martin St. Louis (5) and Ryan Malone (7) always supplying us the goals and the last three-four games that’s what we’re getting from those guys, and nobody else. So the way I look at it, if you’re not coming up with loose pucks right now, then you’re not going to play.”

After amassing a career-high 56 points (27 goals) a Phoenix last season, Vrbata, 27, signed a three-year, $9-million deal with the Lightning. He has six points and three goals for the Lightning in 17 games and was identified as being “caught in between everywhere,” Tocchet said, in a meticulous study of the 4-3 loss to the Avalanche. The duration of his inactivity will likely depend on the play of the newcomers and what Vrbata shows in practice.