GDT: 10/15/23 - 7:00PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Ottawa

[Sky04]

Coasting is this core’s MO

They’ve just out-talented almost everyone til recently.

This, talent gap has significantly closed between all teams and Tampa, going to keep getting beat down unless they put more effort into the game. If everyone worked like Hagel we'd be golden, they play like they still think theyre atop of the league.

 

[JTBF81]

The lack of anyone giving a shit to start a season is nothing new, but it is beyond disappointing this season in particular. Long offseason and a much more well rested team, in addition to knowing you needed to play well the 1st 2 months to help out the serious drop in net minder quality should've been enough to inspire and motivate them. Instead, it's more of the same early season garbage, and there's not going to be a world class G to mostly keep them in it on.most nights. Basically everyone needs to get thelr heads out of their collective asses, or by the time Vasy does return, it could be rough times.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

There's a realistic chance they miss playoffs. It's only 3 games but that D looks every bit as terrible as previous years, JBB didn't address a top 6 replacement, that they desperately need now that they will have to score 5 goals a night due to their goalie situation.

JBB taking quite a few L's lately.

Agreed. The gap in the Atlantic has shrunk and it's looking like it'll be rough without Vasy. We'll be right there but gone are the days where we can coast in March. It'll be a fight until the bitter end.

 

[Rschmitz]

We like to blame JBB but what about Cooper? Ive seen far worse teams perform better and with more structure.

I think after a long 3-5 month offseason the GM will always be the first to get praise or criticism, but you're right Cooper should eventually find himself on the hotseat if he can't make the necessary adjustments.

So far this season reminds me of when we missed the postseason after losing our center strength, felt like all of the excuses were being made.

 

[Master P]

We like to blame JBB but what about Cooper? Ive seen far worse teams perform better and with more structure.

I think after a long 3-5 month offseason the GM will always be the first to get praise or criticism, but you're right Cooper should eventually find himself on the hotseat if he can't make the necessary adjustments.

So far this season reminds me of when we missed the postseason after losing our center strength, felt like all of the excuses were being made.

Still remember that game against the Wild where we lost 3 centers in one game.

 

[Rschmitz]

Still remember that game against the Wild where we lost 3 centers in one game.

The one where Nino took out TJ? Yeah screw that guy

 

[Master P]

The one where Nino took out TJ? Yeah screw that guy

That was Parise I believe.

 

[These Are The Days]

It took 3 games for us to implode. You all have gotten soft. I remember the sky falling after the first period of the season

 

[Rschmitz]

That was Parise I believe.

 

[Master P]

It took 3 games for us to implode. You all have gotten soft. I remember the sky falling after the first period of the season

I don't think I've seen a single "fire cooper" post yet.

smh

Ah yeah, I was thinking of this one.

 

[bov]

Well, this was probably Jeannot's best game as a Bolt so far. That line was a whole was promising.

 

[Point21]

 

[Rschmitz]

I don't think I've seen a single "fire cooper" post yet.

smh


Ah yeah, I was thinking of this one.

Game screwed us over that year, plus TJ and Namestnikov were never the same.

 

[The Gongshow]

Agreed. The gap in the Atlantic has shrunk and it's looking like it'll be rough without Vasy. We'll be right there but gone are the days where we can coast in March. It'll be a fight until the bitter end.

Exactly. Ottawa, Buffalo, Detroit are hungry, young and have played like they want to finally take that next step and this will come at the expense of Tampa. It's inevitable, happens to good teams, we continue to lose key players (at no ones fault, that's the business with a hard cap), aging players and lack of draft capital, which was spent for cups and win now. That was the right call of course, wouldn't trade those cups for anything, but the window is closed and now they're holding on.

Only 3 games in, but there's alot of hungry teams and Tampa seems full.

 

[JTBF81]

Exactly. Ottawa, Buffalo, Detroit are hungry, young and have played like they want to finally take that next step and this will come at the expense of Tampa. It's inevitable, happens to good teams, we continue to lose key players (at no ones fault, that's the business with a hard cap), aging players and lack of draft capital, which was spent for cups and win now. That was the right call of course, wouldn't trade those cups for anything, but the window is closed and now they're holding on.

Only 3 games in, but there's alot of hungry teams and Tampa seems full.

While other teams are no doubt hungry and ready/close to making the next step, I wouldn't agree that the window is closed. It's too early to say that, especially with the core they still have. The new depth additions such as Sheary, Jeannot, Eyssimont etc, and the new full time dmen such as Perbix and Raddysh need to step up and bring more, but it's only 3 games so far. In addition, more expensive dmen like Hedman, Serg and Cernak need to play like what they are getting paid and not what we've seen a lot of these first 3 games.

If they can stay afloat enough and figure this new system out while Vasy is gone, they'll have a chance to do something thus season. If not, and they completely suck the first 25-30 games, then they'll at least have a decent chance at maybe keeping their 1st this year maybe. I think they'll figure it out enough to end up one of the top 8 teams in the East, but if they have crashed and burned badly enough that they're that far out by the time Vasy gets back, just burn this season and have a great shot at a top 5-10 pick and make some tougher lineup decisions in the offseason(or even before.at the tdl if JBB feels that's the better path forward).

 

[Todd1a]

Our new system plan is to allow 50 shots per game with our ECHL goalies we have ugh

 

[Stammertime91]

Not really inclined to put much stock into three games. Regardless of how we play, goaltending is an issue. They'll have to be very good night in and night out just to stay close in the Atlantic until Vasy returns. Three games is premature opinionulation.

Good to see Jeannot already got 20% of last seasons goal total under his belt by game three. I'll start to worry if by game 15 we are sitting at like 5-10. Til then, hold your butts cause this year has a lot of changes - gonna be very Drouin until they iron it out.

 

[Ducati Boy]

I'm confused. Because, we're supposed to believe in the management, right? So, does a confused fan get a resolution? You see, I don't know because I never went to hockey school.

But I'm not afraid of losing. I'm not afraid of anything. I'm afraid of the opposing players. Which opposing players? How the hell should I know? You figure it out! I'm getting out of here!

(rips jersey)

 

[LightningStrikes]

Not really inclined to put much stock into three games. Regardless of how we play, goaltending is an issue. They'll have to be very good night in and night out just to stay close in the Atlantic until Vasy returns. Three games is premature opinionulation.

Good to see Jeannot already got 20% of last seasons goal total under his belt by game three. I'll start to worry if by game 15 we are sitting at like 5-10. Til then, hold your butts cause this year has a lot of changes - gonna be very Drouin until they iron it out.

See this is the approach, focus on the positive! Half Wilson got a goal!

 

[FinnLightning26]

If this is the defense we're going to get, it's a looooooong two months until Vasy gets back and who knows how he'll play after the surgery and time off. Good grief.

 

[DMB06]

We know it's going to be rough until Vasy gets back. If he comes back and plays like the Vasy of old, we'll probably sneak into the playoffs as the 7th or 8th seed. If he comes back and plays like he did for much of last season I think we're missing the playoffs altogether.

 

[Sky04]

We know it's going to be rough until Vasy gets back. If he comes back and plays like the Vasy of old, we'll probably sneak into the playoffs as the 7th or 8th seed. If he comes back and plays like he did for much of last season I think we're missing the playoffs altogether.

See that's the thing, everything you read about the goalies this year can be applied to how Vasy played for most of last year, lots of softies, no help from the defense etc. If he comes back and plays like a 9.5m goalie we have a chance, if he comes back and plays like an average goalie we're done. Goaltending isn't an excuse to be this poor though, they have the personel to at least be a .500 team without a prime Vasy back there, worse teams have done it every year.

We have 44M tied to Stamkos, Point, Kucherov, Hedman and Sergachev which is about half the cap, they need to pull their weight. The Leafs get clowned for having 40M tied to 4 forwards but those guys can carry shit goaltending.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

This is just factually incorrect based on his stats last year and this year.

20 points and pedestrian RELTM defensive stats for $6.75 million? Sorry, you’re just biased for a 35 year old that played well here for a couple years. He’s a boat anchor, and that’s why trading him netted us back an AHL player.

he's not the same player, and it'd cost us multiple roster spots to keep him.

 

[Maelmoor]

I think we need the mindset that it will be a battle to get into the playoffs. I really hope the team realises this too, won't be room for any coasting. So might be good with a wake-up call early on.

Hopefully the defense can be sorted out, they got to be much sharper than so far.

I still like our chances, just won't be easy

 

[Rschmitz]

20 points and pedestrian RELTM defensive stats for $6.75 million? Sorry, you’re just biased for a 35 year old that played well here for a couple years. He’s a boat anchor, and that’s why trading him netted us back an AHL player.

He led Nashville D in +/- last year despite taking on their toughest high leverage assignments. I don’t know how anyone can look at our current on ice product and go durr McDonagh is 35 this is fine