GDT: 9/26/17 - 7:30PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Florida [Preseason Game 5]

[DFC]

I'd point out he is an overager - this wasn't his first draft eligible year. Still insane though.

Yeah, that definitely helps him.

I just refuse to believe anyone, even a little bit, "saw this coming." My guess is Al Murray himself is a little shocked at how quickly this is happening.

If Volkov actually pulls it off and makes this team? I mean, what an amazing story. "The Mystery Man."

 

[HoseEmDown]

This kid is not 18 straight out the draft though. This kid is 20 ... same age as Drouin and Point when they broke the lineup. Sergachev would actually be more impressive making it as a 19 year old.

Drouin was 19 too.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Got my tickets for tonight, can't wait!

 

[These Are The Days]

If you're not entirely surprised that a kid drafted in the second round, just four months ago, has a chance to make a frikkin Jon Cooper team out of camp, I think you're lying. Russian or not, we have no precedent for this.

There's no precedent for a drafted player to make the team on day one you're right about that. The real big point is that it just goes to show how much attention we pay to Russian prospects. Because precedent or not and unknown prospect or not, drafting the talented Russian player has been standard for our organization for 5 or 6 years now. Had Nesterov stuck around and Gusev worked out a deal to come over to the NHL it would be him, Kucherov, Namestnikov, Vasilevskiy along with Volkov and we'd be talking about potentially 6 roster players form that region of the world. Make no mistake, it's surprising to find a player who can make the team on his first shot like that. But it's ZERO surprise to me that it's a Russian. Odds felt in favor of it being one.

Like I said, if you're a talented Russian player we are going to find you and we are going to take you. Volkov might've been an unknown but it's clear we did our homework. That doesn't surprise me either

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Not to mention Volkov's adapting fairly quickly to the N.A. game and smaller rinks coming straight from Russia, and he only played until December last year before he broke his foot, so he's coming off an injury too.

 

[DFC]

There's no precedent for a drafted player to make the team on day one you're right about that. The real big point is that it just goes to show how much attention we pay to Russian prospects. Because precedent or not and unknown prospect or not, drafting the talented Russian player has been standard for our organization for 5 or 6 years now. Had Nesterov stuck around and Gusev worked out a deal to come over to the NHL it would be him, Kucherov, Namestnikov, Vasilevskiy along with Volkov and we'd be talking about potentially 6 roster players form that region of the world. Make no mistake, it's surprising to find a player who can make the team on his first shot like that. But it's ZERO surprise to me that it's a Russian. Odds felt in favor of it being one.

Like I said, if you're a talented Russian player we are going to find you and we are going to take you. Volkov might've been an unknown but it's clear we did our homework. That doesn't surprise me either

Sometimes I just slap my forehead.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm glad to see Coop spinning the wheels on this kid. If he's the real thing then he belongs on the team no matter what. I'm glad to see him give Volkov such a chance. Make him first call up with Peca if he can't make the team.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

volkov, eh

 

[MrClutch86]

We do need a 2RW, and if Volkov can perform, he would solve that problem.

 

[DFC]

We do need a 2RW, and if Volkov can perform, he would solve that problem.

Yeah. He just has to outproduce Killorn, and suddenly we look pretty deep.

 

[Steazy Doo]

Volkemort - he who must not be drafted.

 

[HoseEmDown]

There was always a chance for a rookie to make this roster, we needed a 4th line injection. Volkov is essentially in the same situation as the CHL kids as they're all 20 and a few have played pro games, in the AHL or VHL like Volkov. The position he plays is one in need of a player which helps and I don't see his ceiling as high as some here. So putting him in a 4th line role won't hurt his development as bad as putting a kid you have top 6 hopes for would.

 

[These Are The Days]

Sometimes I just slap my forehead.

??? You've lost me on this one man. Are you seriously trying to say I need to be shocked that arguably the best scouting staff in the NHL found yet another great Russian player when they've already been doing this for years? So what we didn't know anything about him 4 months ago? Apparently our front office and scouting department did. The comment about a Russian being the guy to make the team on his first shot was based on percentages because most of the Russians we draft eventually make the team. That's why I went through the trouble of listing them.

I was never trying to say I wouldn't be shocked if he made the team. I was trying to make a point about Russian players within our organization.

Look let's forget it. I probably didn't do a good job of conveying it. If makes the team I'll be surprised all the same as you.

 

[DFC]

There was always a chance for a rookie to make this roster, we needed a 4th line injection. Volkov is essentially in the same situation as the CHL kids as they're all 20 and a few have played pro games, in the AHL or VHL like Volkov. The position he plays is one in need of a player which helps and I don't see his ceiling as high as some here. So putting him in a 4th line role won't hurt his development as bad as putting a kid you have top 6 hopes for would.

We do need somebody to fill that 2RW slot though, and we don't have a lot of great options. So it's fun to be hopeful that he can step in there.

He stood out among a lot of kids last game. This one's a different animal. We'll see if he can keep up, and if a top-six role is in any way realistic. It might not be. But, like I said, it's fun to hope at this point in the year.

 

[DFC]

??? You've lost me on this one man. Are you seriously trying to say I need to be shocked that arguably the best scouting staff in the NHL found yet another great Russian player when they've already been doing this for years? So what we didn't know anything about him 4 months ago? Apparently our front office and scouting department did. The comment about a Russian being the guy to make the team on his first shot was based on percentages because most of the Russians we draft eventually make the team. That's why I went through the trouble of listing them.

I was never trying to say I wouldn't be shocked if he made the team. I was trying to make a point about Russian players within our organization.

Look let's forget it. I probably didn't do a good job of conveying it. If makes the team I'll be surprised all the same as you.

You went from saying you're not entirely surprised Volkov could make the team to you're not entirely surprised that we draft good Russians.

If you weren't saying you're not surprised that Volkov might make the team, then I apologize. But, in the context of the discussion, "about Volkov," looks like a comment about Volkov making the team.

 

[HoseEmDown]

We do need somebody to fill that 2RW slot though, and we don't have a lot of great options. So it's fun to be hopeful that he can step in there.

He stood out among a lot of kids last game. This one's a different animal. We'll see if he can keep up, and if a top-six role is in any way realistic. It might not be. But, like I said, it's fun to hope at this point in the year.

Point is our 2RW, you don't waste a talent like that on the 3rd line. And you are setting Volkov up for failure if you want him to step into a top 6 role and produce.

 

[HoseEmDown]

??? You've lost me on this one man. Are you seriously trying to say I need to be shocked that arguably the best scouting staff in the NHL found yet another great Russian player when they've already been doing this for years? So what we didn't know anything about him 4 months ago? Apparently our front office and scouting department did. The comment about a Russian being the guy to make the team on his first shot was based on percentages because most of the Russians we draft eventually make the team. That's why I went through the trouble of listing them.

I was never trying to say I wouldn't be shocked if he made the team. I was trying to make a point about Russian players within our organization.

Look let's forget it. I probably didn't do a good job of conveying it. If makes the team I'll be surprised all the same as you.

Who has this amazing scouting staff of ours found? Palat is the only legitimate one I can think of. Kucherov was a top 10 talent but fell because he was Russian, Point was a 1st round talent who fell because of his size. They really haven't found a ton of gems and haven't done too hot with their early picks.

 

[DFC]

Point is our 2RW, you don't waste a talent like that on the 3rd line. And you are setting Volkov up for failure if you want him to step into a top 6 role and produce.

I said it might not be realistic. It'll be interesting to see if he has chemistry there though.

I'm not so sure Point won't be our 1LW on opening night.

ADD: Just watched Coop's pre-game comments, and I now think odds are pretty good Point will start as our 1LW, assuming the rest of the pre-season goes well.

 

[Sky04]

There's no precedent for a drafted player to make the team on day one you're right about that. The real big point is that it just goes to show how much attention we pay to Russian prospects. Because precedent or not and unknown prospect or not, drafting the talented Russian player has been standard for our organization for 5 or 6 years now. Had Nesterov stuck around and Gusev worked out a deal to come over to the NHL it would be him, Kucherov, Namestnikov, Vasilevskiy along with Volkov and we'd be talking about potentially 6 roster players form that region of the world. Make no mistake, it's surprising to find a player who can make the team on his first shot like that. But it's ZERO surprise to me that it's a Russian. Odds felt in favor of it being one.

Like I said, if you're a talented Russian player we are going to find you and we are going to take you. Volkov might've been an unknown but it's clear we did our homework. That doesn't surprise me either

Huh? there's a reason he was traded, same reason why he's not on a single NHL roster right now.

 

[Sky04]

Point is our 2RW, you don't waste a talent like that on the 3rd line. And you are setting Volkov up for failure if you want him to step into a top 6 role and produce.

Point is a center, he played his best at center last year and made the team last pre-season being a center, I'd argue he'd be more effective as a 3C than 2RW, what does it matter anyways? Cooper plays his 3C 15-18mins a night...it's not like he'd be lacking minutes.

 

[These Are The Days]

You went from saying you're not entirely surprised Volkov could make the team to you're not entirely surprised that we draft good Russians.

If you weren't saying you're not surprised that Volkov might make the team, then I apologize. But, in the context of the discussion, "about Volkov," looks like a comment about Volkov making the team.

Nooooooo! Good God man. I know I can be a little out there sometimes but I'm not insane. What I mean is that I was not surprised that this mystery man turned out to be a good player after all because our track record of drafting Russians has been outstanding for a few years now. Thus my comments about how if you're a good Russian we are going to take you and that if anyone was gonna shock the world, it might as well be a Russian player because we hit BIG on those guys. Because of that odds seem in favor of a Russian being the guy to make the team out of his draft year.

If Volkov makes the team I'm gonna fall out of my damn chair. I think James Wright was the last guy to make the Lightning out of his draft year back when Boucher was still coach.

 

[Sky04]

Nooooooo! Good God man. I know I can be a little out there sometimes but I'm not insane. What I mean is that I was not surprised that this mystery man turned out to be a good player after all because our track record of drafting Russians has been outstanding for a few years now. Thus my comments about how if you're a good Russian we are going to take you and that if anyone was gonna shock the world, it might as well be a Russian player. We hit BIG on those guys.

If Volkov makes the team I'm gonna fall out of my damn chair. I think James Wright was the last guy to make the Lightning out of his draft year back when Boucher was still coach.

James Wright is from 2008.. same as our captain, Hedman is the last to make it straight from camp.

 

[Steazy Doo]

James Wright is from 2008.. same as our captain, Hedman is the last to make it straight from camp.

Do you think anyone will make the roster straight from camp this season?

 

[These Are The Days]

James Wright is from 2008.. same as our captain, Hedman is the last to make it straight from camp.

Good catch. I just remember being floored when he made it.

 

[These Are The Days]

Huh? there's a reason he was traded, same reason why he's not on a single NHL roster right now.

Well that's how I meant it. He wasn't able to stick around here nor anywhere else and was thus traded.

I think I need a nap