I doubt he's being considered at this point, but I disagree on the 3 strong LD options -- That was a thing BECAUSE Sergachev didn't make any money back then, not in spite of it.
Let me do my best...
Honestly, I'm at a point where I'd be open to trading Sergachev if--and this is a big IF--we absolutely knew we could acquire an adequate replacement for less money.
He's skating and has joined the team for parts of practice wearing a red, non-contact jersey. He's still likely a ways off from being game ready though. If Tampa makes it to round 2, maybe he has a chance imo.
Didn't realize that. Thought he was still on pace to be back for Round 1. That's what I get for watching opposing broadcasts more often than not.
Crozier also looked pretty good in his limited number of games this year.
Inconsistent the first half of the season (Vasilevskiy out, lots of guys coasting, depth was a concern, defense especially Sergachev & Perbix was bad, goaltending was ok and Vasilevskiy wasn't himself when he came back). Overall team defense was horrible for awhile. They get hot right before the All Star break, then come back from the break flat, sit in a bubble spot up to the trade deadline, then BriseBois adds Duclair and Dumba, team got on a heater all the way up to clinching a playoff spot, Vasilevskiy looks better as well.
Vegas's blatant LTIR cheating -vs- Lightning's LTIR
Lightning grew team with youth within over-the-years
- Lightning used mostly homegrown youth to build team over-the-years.
- That youth reached 2015 SCF -vs- Hawks ahead of schedule. Had to deal with LTIR issues that Hawks used to keep Kane sidelined until playoffs. Lightning were only team to vote for getting rid of LTIR after 2015 season.
- Lightning could've said screw it right after 2015.... we're doing LITR also!
- But did Lightning use LTIR right after 2015 to help them reach 2016/2018 ECF's? No Lightning did not: they were so sneaky about things and waited 5 yrs during 2nd cores window to impose their devious LITR plans. That way Lightning out-smartered everyone off the scent.
- Lightning reached 6 ECF's, 4 SCF's, and won 2 "Cups" in 8 years time.
- Lightning reached 5 ECF's. 3 SCF's. and won 1 "Cup" without Kuch's LTIR season.
- One year of Kuch/Lightning using LTIR doesn't diminish Lightning's achievements over 8 years time one bit. Those saying Lightning are what they are because Kuch had surgery 1 year during 8 years of pure dominance sound so foolish, silly, ignorant to facts, or they're just ate-up.
- Lightning didn't need to blackmail/bully league to build team & stack resources either.
- Lightning made few legit trades for young players here & there (Cernak/Bishop, Serg/Drouin, etc.) but didn't sign franchise type players from others, for 3 years straight while abusing LTIR. Did they? Nope....
- To compare Lightning to how Vegas built/operates is huge insult to one of best NHL organizations during cap era. Lightning -vs- Vegas are not cut from same cloth, not even close.
- Vegas is blatantly abusing LTIR and that's nothing like what Lightning did or built.
- Again, Lightning built team over years from within legit like and most players got raises for successes. If anything, Lightning were victims of their own in house successes because they didn't need other NHL teams franchise players to do it!
Lightning have more playoff miles
- Believe Lightning have doubled most NHL teams playoff games played since 2015.
- Playoffs miles are brutal, Kucherov and others have felt those playoff miles more than most.
- When some playoff teams were facing elimination games, their strategy was to hurt star players. Kuch, Point, and others felt this many times over, but one cheap hip-shot was to much for Kuch (Cough...cough.... Islanders).
- Kuch tried to make it work without surgery after1st "Stanley Cup", and shorten off-season made choice more difficult. Lightning bet Kuch would heal during off-season rest, but no dice when hitting ice come regular season time. Now remember, Lightning's playoff success had them having way shorter off-seasons than most NHLer's for how long? They made deep playoff run year after year, this adds up. Think Covid off-seasons had even less off-season turn around, but not sure.
- Without covid season, Kucherov LITR surgery situation doesn't play out the way it did. Did Kuch/Lightning cause or plan perfectly for covid shorten seasons, so timing workout. No, but Lightning were smart enough to take advantage of timing, but still rolled the dice with the possibility of not making playoffs, without Kucherov in regular season. Luckily Lighting built enough of a juggernaut to whether that shortened storm.
Lightning organization knows what's up, alternate jersey was a statement
Go Lightning !!!!
- "The Lightning Bolt, it's more than just a mark: It's an icon, a badge of honor, a reflection of all the blood sweat and sacrifice. It's demanded from anyone who's ever worn us, an emblem of excellence. A combination of everything we've been, everything we are, and everything we hope to be. From expansion, to raising banners, from the Lightning on-the-ice, to the thunder in-the-stands. It's our legacy....... One that says to the world, we're earned our stripes !!!!!
- Now go run through a wall, playoffs are coming !!!
- Lightning have reached greatness using many in house methods, but they also used disses, non awards, and lack of respect to become a juggernaut. So this group could fight off bias and # 1 BS thrown their way. So keep serving it up, seems to keep this organization, players, and coaches hungry.
- Sorry for long post,, but these comparisons of Lightning -vs- Vegas organization methods are bunk. Thanks for letting me vent these issues after lurking mostly.
no need to sign dumba when we have crozier who is about 10 times better
Strong agree. It’s his reactions and reads in his own zone that let him down.
