Speculation: 2022-2023 General Lightning Discussion - Part 2

[LightningStrikes]

I think that's a given vs. Toronto. I don't know why you fear it. It's probably the only way we keep Marner and Matthews from eating us alive.

Because I fear the other lines will be a mess.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

I think its time to sit Perry for a couple games and see if Ace can revive the corpse of Bellemare. Ace and Maroon have been pretty good together.

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[Sky04]

We've definitely made mistakes, but they've been fairly minor. We've chosen proven talent over unproven talent. But there's another side to that. Guys like Gourde and JAM were on their way to being career minor leaguers before our development staff got hold of them and turned them into late bloomers.

I think you're putting way too much weight into Taylor Raddysh's success with Chicago. Some guys do well on bottom-feeding teams where there is minimal competition for a scoring role. He's older than Hagel and not as good. He's developing into a real NHLer, but you have to give up guys like that if you want real players coming back.

Tyler Johnson is having a decent offensive season too (50 point pace, per 82). That doesn't mean he would be able to do that on a team that isn't forced to put him in a scoring role. Valerie Bure made a career of this kind of thing.

Raddysh is such a terrible example, his first 2 years in the AHL were bad - they were nowhere near call-up worthy. He was declining as a prospect and we still gave him a shot, he looked fine as a rookie but we upgraded to Hagel so why is anyone crying over it? Sammy Walker? He didn't spend a minute on our AHL team, he had his heart set on Minnisota the second he signed his College deal to play back home.

I'm not sure what he's nitpicking at, everybody who has deserved a shot has got one except for MAYBE Gemel Smith but he wasn't a prospect anyways. Gonclaves? Finley? Fortier? Look at their numbers, these guys are playing poorly in the minors and nowhere near call-up worthy.

 

[FinnLightning26]

 

[Byrddog]

Agreed. Detroit in the early 2000s and TB in the early Yzerman years benefited from being ahead of the curve in terms of drafting. Yzerman put less emphasis on size than other GMs, and pretty much no emphasis whatsoever on country of origin. But other teams have caught up now, and they're all doing pretty much the same thing, including over-cooking their prospects (a trick we stole from those early 2000s Wings teams, who were no stranger to the 25 year-old rookie).

IMO the retooling started after the second cup. That was the first year we started losing players we wanted to keep, and started trying to replace them on the fly with younger options. We've been paying out the nose in draft picks in order to do that, but you have to give JBB credit for icing a contending team despite the heavy losses we've taken.

Odds are always against us to win a cup. Even in the cup years, when we had, I say again, a MUCH better team than your average cup team, the odds were always against us just like every other team that has won a cup. But we still have a Hall of Fame core in their prime, so we have to squeeze every bit of juice we can out of that. Just like Detroit did, just like Chicago did, and just the Pens are doing right now. We're gonna go through all of those stages too. But while we're on top we are gonna try to hold on as long as we can. Anything else would be a fireable offense.

Holding on as long as you can drags out the suck. It’s true we’re gonna be in the playoffs the next 3 years but as our core ages out there is nothing to replace them with. Developing late picks most times ends up as a 4 or 5 year process. First round guys usually take three years to gain traction guys like McDavid only come around a couple times a decade those who hit the league at full ability. Look at a guy like MacKinnon or Jack Eichel number one picks sure fire superstars took each of them three years to get to the top of there game. Then there are first overalls that just do not break bottom six in talent I look At Edmontons top five picking for years and they are still not there. We’re talking almost 20 years since McTavish was coach and then GM.

I mean at this point the ship has sailed on a normal rebuild. And like most other teams they will hang on to declining players until they have negitive value due to term left on contract. So many here are big on JBB well I’m no convinced. I’m so convinced I predict that three years from now you will be calling for his head.

 

[Stammertime91]

I don't mind Ferraro but if this ages poorly (and I don't necessarily think it's a bad take either), then LOL.

 

[Master P]

I don't mind Ferraro but if this ages poorly (and I don't necessarily think it's a bad take either), then LOL.

It already has aged poorly. We hear this stuff every year.

 

[JTBF81]

It already has aged poorly. We hear this stuff every year.

I especially like how he says Toronto guys clearly have another gear they'll almost assuredly find, but he acts like Tampa may not. When it comes to finding another gear in the playoffs, not sure picking Toronto over Tampa is a surefire bet lol.

 

[Master P]

I especially like how he says Toronto guys clearly have another gear they'll almost assuredly find, but he acts like Tampa may not. When it comes to finding another gear in the playoffs, not sure picking Toronto over Tampa is a surefire bet lol.

I mean that show is leafs propaganda to the nth degree. It's hard to take anything they say seriously.

 

[The Macho King]

I mean... would anyone be shocked if we lost to the Leafs? They're a very talented team. I love talking shit as much as anyone but come on - they could absolutely take us down.

 

[Master P]

I mean... would anyone be shocked if we lost to the Leafs? They're a very talented team. I love talking shit as much as anyone but come on - they could absolutely take us down.

Absolutely not. My issue is with the media and their fans. They are some of the most arrogant and obnoxious people out there. Every year they act like their shit doesn't stink and are condescending to other teams and fanbases.

 

[OffBy1]

I mean that show is leafs propaganda to the nth degree. It's hard to take anything they say seriously.

Ferraro's not wrong about our blueliners.

 

[Point21]

 

[DFC]

Because I fear the other lines will be a mess.

If we don't shut down Matthews and Marner (probably Marner if they're on different lines), it likely won't matter. They were killing us before Cooper put Point and Cirelli together. By Game 3 we were containing them.

Cirelli is going to be put on the other teams' best line for a certainty. Now that we don't have the Gourde line, he's our best option. I think Coop is going to try not to use Point in that role, but I think we're going to be forced to. It's kind of the nuclear option. But Toronto is a better team this year.

I mean... would anyone be shocked if we lost to the Leafs? They're a very talented team. I love talking shit as much as anyone but come on - they could absolutely take us down.

I think we are a significant underdog, honestly. We're a little worse and they're a little better. There's no reason they shouldn't beat us.

 

[Hoek]

We have too many good players for a true rebuild. I mean you could blow it up as much as possible and we'd still be a mediocre team that would place well out of the lottery picks so what's the point?

 

[Hoek]

Ferraro's always had an axe to grind against us since the days of Lecavalier, FWIW.

I wouldn't be shocked if we lost, but only because Toronto is so overdue it's ridiculous.

 

[Felonious Python]

Some ironic context is that the NHL is sometimes known as the 'Never Hungry League'. Overeating can become an issue.

The NHL is known as the “Never Hungry League.” Food is available everywhere, from the players’ lounge to the plane to the dressing room. Even if they’re burning calories, players have to be mindful about how much they’re eating.

How to eat and work out like NHL stars: 8 tips from an NHL strength and conditioning coach

Hurricanes strength and conditioning coach Bill Burniston offers some advice on getting back on track with the goals we set in January.

theathletic.com

Official Site of the National Hockey League | NHL.com

The official National Hockey League website including news, rosters, stats, schedules, teams, and video.

www.nhl.com

 

[DFC]

We have too many good players for a true rebuild. I mean you could blow it up as much as possible and we'd still be a mediocre team that would place well out of the lottery picks so what's the point?

We could blow it up this off-season and have about a 20% chance of being as good as we are now any time in the next decade. It's not easy to build a good hockey team when 31 other GMs are trying to do the same thing... ...well, okay. 30 of them are.

 

[Stammertime91]

We could blow it up this off-season and have about a 20% chance of being as good as we are now any time in the next decade. It's not easy to build a good hockey team when 31 other GMs are trying to do the same thing... ...well, okay. 30 of them are.

Agreed. Florida sucks ass.

 

[twenty5psi]

We won’t know where this team stands until the playoffs start. I don’t think they care about the regular season other than not developing bad habits, and the February/March stretch seems to be the “dog days” for them. Losing McDonagh hurts but they also played most of the run last year with no Point, Bogo/Cirelli/Paul playing with significant injuries, and had a very different version of Hagel. A lot will come down to if Hedman can find another gear. If he does it will help Coop shelter the third pairing.

 

[Stormbreaker]

 

[LightningStrikes]

After all these years Purcell didn’t even bother to get his teeth fixed lol.

 

[Sky04]

Bishop looks like hes 25 still

 

[Stammertime91]

Bishop looks like hes 25 still

Probably pulled his groin posing for that picture.