Speculation: 2017-18 Roster Discussion - Part 4

[Tampacuseforever]

Why waive Sustr? That makes no sense. Scratch him sure, give him 5 minutes a night, sure, but you never know when someone might get injured. Sustr as a #6/#7 is fine if that comes to pass, don't dismiss his value as a depth guy.

Thomas, Masin are better he's just blocking their progress.

 

[Firestorm]

If he doesn't, we'll riot.

Noted.

Who do you expect to score more points by the end of the year, Palat or Point?

 

[These Are The Days]

Neal wouldn't be such a bad idea. I'd definitely like to see us go that way at the TDL. And agreed about the backup goaltender situation. However, I'm led to believe that SFY has committed to Budaj

 

[HoseEmDown]

Thomas, Masin are better he's just blocking their progress.

No they aren't yet and no he's not. They have 1 year of pro experience and while they have looked good aren't ready to make the jump. There's still a lot of work to be done improving for both, same with Cernak. Maybe by the end of the year they'll show enough to warrant a call up for a short audition but not yet. Koekkoek is better than both and can't get in the lineup fulltime, he also waa a better prospect who took a few years to get his look.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

Neal wouldn't be such a bad idea. I'd definitely like to see us go that way at the TDL. And agreed about the backup goaltender situation. However, I'm led to believe that SFY has committed to Budaj

Doesn't Neal have a reputation for taking untimely O-zone penalties?

 

[JAY7791]

Something about Neal so far this season makes me feel like he's hungry to win and prove something. Whether it's being overlooked by the Preds or seeing his former team win back to back, I don't know. But I'd trade our late first for him. We have a good prospect pool and putting him with Palat and Point would be a fantastic fit and another shooting threat.

Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov
Palat-Point-Neal
Killorn-Johnson-Gourde
Kunitz-Paquette-Callahan

That's fantastic.

 

[These Are The Days]

Doesn't Neal have a reputation for taking untimely O-zone penalties?

I'd say more of a sneaky, dirty playing style. Untimely offensive zone penalties sounds like something Sustr would do because he only waits until the worst possible time to take his

 

[Tampacuseforever]

No they aren't yet and no he's not. They have 1 year of pro experience and while they have looked good aren't ready to make the jump. There's still a lot of work to be done improving for both, same with Cernak. Maybe by the end of the year they'll show enough to warrant a call up for a short audition but not yet. Koekkoek is better than both and can't get in the lineup fulltime, he also waa a better prospect who took a few years to get his look.

Have you seen Sustr play ? Worse than Carle !! You can replace him very easily, sorry I disagree with you on this one.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Have you seen Sustr play ? Worse than Carle !! You can replace him very easily, sorry I disagree with you on this one.

I have and he's not bad if you keep your expectations down. He had a fine game but all everyone wants to talk about is the penalty which led to the tying goal. What about the other 3 penalties that game? What about Dotchin letting the puck roll right past him to the NJ player to tap in? He's an easy scapegoat.

Look at Sergachev and Koekkoek, two players better than Masin and Thomas yet they are having trouble staying in the lineup and getting consistent minutes. If you think Masin and Thomas will just jump into the lineup getting 15 minutes a night your crazy, they'll be lucky to crack 5 like Koekkoek has. In the long run hopefully both are much better than Sustr but right now Sustr is better and it's better to have him playing 10 minutes than either of them two who need more playing time than that.

 

[The Macho King]

I'd say more of a sneaky, dirty playing style. Untimely offensive zone penalties sounds like something Sustr would do because he only waits until the worst possible time to take his

Lol - Neal's dirtiness is far from sneaky.

 

[The Macho King]

Thomas , Masin are better he is just blocking their progress

He's not really blocking Masin. Yzerman has been looking for balanced D his entire time here and now he's got good depth on both sides.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Neal wouldn't be such a bad idea. I'd definitely like to see us go that way at the TDL. And agreed about the backup goaltender situation. However, I'm led to believe that SFY has committed to Budaj

We could offer the conditional second from Montreal and then play Sergachev the rest of the year.

McPhee might even fall for it.

 

[berlin]

I know it’s early and the defense should improve some, but i think we are one top tier defenseman away from being a cup winning team.

 

[The Macho King]

I know it’s early and the defense should improve some, but i think we are one top tier defenseman away from being a cup winning team.

The Pens won last season with Brian Dumolin as their #1.

It's the cap era (and post-back diving contract cap era at that). People have to stop expecting a perfect team - even the Cup Champs are going to have holes. The key is to have enough strength elsewhere to make up for it.

That's my way of saying there is zero chance of getting a "top tier" defenseman this season. We a) don't have the cap, and b) none are going to be available. The best you could hope for is maybe Mike Green at the deadline or something like that - who is good but I think is about 4 years removed from being "top tier".

 

[DFC]

The Pens won last season with Brian Dumolin as their #1.

It's the cap era (and post-back diving contract cap era at that). People have to stop expecting a perfect team - even the Cup Champs are going to have holes. The key is to have enough strength elsewhere to make up for it.

That's my way of saying there is zero chance of getting a "top tier" defenseman this season. We a) don't have the cap, and b) none are going to be available. The best you could hope for is maybe Mike Green at the deadline or something like that - who is good but I think is about 4 years removed from being "top tier".

With Stralman looking pretty healthy on the second pairing, it almost feels like we added a "top defenseman" anyway.

In a lot of ways, we've really just picked up where we left off at the end of last year. Lost Drouin, added Stamkos and Kunitz. Lost Garrison, added Sergachev and Girardi. And Kucherov is burning the league down, pretty much the same as he did in the final month or two last year.

 

[The Gongshow]

I'd gladly take Neal, as long as it didn't cost us pieces that would hurt us down the road the following season(s)

Also who would have that thought that Kunitz would be the player to get Cally going again. He hasn't put up any points yet but has looked solid so far to start the season. I know he'll never be the 20 goal scorer again like he was in 2015 but if he's drawing penalties, beating the crap out of the other teams D and continuing to make plays with that 4th line, I'm happy.

 

[Leonardo87]

I'd gladly take Neal, as long as it didn't cost us pieces that would hurt us down the road the following season(s)

Also who would have that thought that Kunitz would be the player to get Cally going again. He hasn't put up any points yet but has looked solid so far to start the season. I know he'll never be the 20 goal scorer again like he was in 2015 but if he's drawing penalties, beating the crap out of the other teams D and continuing to make plays with that 4th line, I'm happy.

If he keeps playing the way he is the production will come. Him and Gourde have both been playing very well but have little or nothing to show for it. Must be very frustrating for them.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/...o-lightnings-early-season-success/c-292126360

The Tampa Bay Lightning feature the top line in the National Hockey League currently with Vladislav Namestnikov, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov combining for 35 points collectively.

Heck, no other team in the NHL has three players, regardless of line, with more than 35 points combined. Washington comes closest with Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin recording 32 points between them, but only two, Kuznetsov and Ovechkin, play together.

 

[Leonardo87]

https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/...o-lightnings-early-season-success/c-292126360

The Bolts' third line during head coach Jon Cooper's tenure has typically been his defensive shut-down line, the group he sends on the ice to handle the opposition's best scoring threat. That's again the case this season with three hard-nosed, gritty players in Chris Kunitz, Cedric Paquette and Ryan Callahan. And when Paquette has been forced to the bench twice this season because of an injury, Gabriel Dumont has slid into his role to ensure that group shows no drop off.
Against Columbus, the Kunitz-Dumont-Callahan group arguably might have been Tampa Bay's best line, their ability to forecheck, force turnovers and create scoring chances setting the tone for the Lightning's physical play all night in the 2-0 shutout victory.

Wish they had a play-making center, they would both be good for 30 plus points. So frustrating the score sheet has not been kind to them. Maybe Kuch can lend some of his points, ha ha.

 

[JoVel]

There's no player in that line who can create offense based on their skill. All three of those players rely on their forecheck and physicality. It's a nice energy line but won't get us too many points. How is Peca doing in the AHL? Maybe he could be worth a try.

 

[Leonardo87]

There's no player in that line who can create offense based on their skill. All three of those players rely on their forecheck and physicality. It's a nice energy line but won't get us too many points. How is Peca doing in the AHL? Maybe he could be worth a try.

if Kunitz and Cally had that playmaker . Think they would produce on a nice level. Paquette or Dumont are not the answer. Cally and Kunitz have the ability to score, especially those dirty goals, but they need that one person to create that open ice and make the plays. I want to see more production from them, but feel their center is holding them back, No surprise the line did not miss a beat when it swapped centers.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Stammer, Kuch,....... everybody else

1. Steven Stamkos 3g + 15a = 18pts
2. Nikita Kucherov 10g + 6a = 16pts
3. Nicklas Backstrom 3g + 9a = 12pts

 

[Werewolf]

Its amazing to me how many players we have developed in our current lineup:

TBL: Stamkos, Kuch, Vladdy, Killorn, Point, Gourde, Palat, Johnson, Brown, Hedman, Sergachev, Dotchin, Koekkoek, Vasi, Sustr, Paquette
OTHER: Stralman, Coburn, Girardi, Dumont, Kunitz, Callahan, Budaj

You can make a case for Dumont...as he was AHL fodder before coming over and developed in Syracuse into a nice NHL 4th liner.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I haven't been able to watch a lot of the games. What's going on with TyJo and Palat?

How are they playing? TyJo production seems low. Has Point made him a bit of an afterthought?

 

[The Macho King]

I haven't been able to watch a lot of the games. What's going on with TyJo and Palat?

How are they playing? TyJo production seems low. Has Point made him a bit of an afterthought?

Palat's been great. Off the top of my head I don't know how his scoring is, but the Palat-Point-Gourde line has been a pain in the ass for opposing teams to deal with, and they look good on the second PP. Johnson has been uneven - looks good on the PK but even strength a bit meh. Some of that is having a revolving door at right wing since we're going 11-7, but some of it is he just doesn't look that good. Better the past few games though, and has been a weapon on the PK.