Pre-Game Talk: Game 1: Panthers @ Lightning-Hockey's back Friday

[MintyFresh88]

I was just reading the 10-yr rewind thread on the main boards. 2007-2008. We sucked then too.

Why does it feel like we are living through a 30-Yr rebuild we should be a stanley cup contender by now for how long we have sucked. How many more top 5 picks do we need? What did Edmonton and Toronto do differently that we didn't do?

They didn't go crazy in one off-season and basically blow up the roster. The Panthers were clearly on the right path. You have to be patient which Edmonton and especially Toronto have been.

I understand cap management and the business side of things, but what happened last off-season set us back, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I realize we had significant injuries and we were able to make some decent moves, but a lot of what happened was completely unnecessary.

Despite that, I think we are going to be better than a lot of people think. The guys seem motivated and focused right now. It's going to be an up and down season while things come together regarding new coaching staff, systems, chemistry, etc. but I think we'll be in the thick of it come the last month or so.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

my thoughts

Should be a good one.

Point<Huberdeau yeah but its p close
Stamkos>Barkov yup ez
Kucherov>Dadonov AINERC

Palat>McGinn AINEC
Johnson<Trocheck nope. =
Killorn<Vrbata nah, killorn

Kunitz>Brickley yeet
Namestnikov>McCann yup easily
Callahan>Bjugstad yep

Brown=Haley eh I prefer jt but whatevs
Gourde<MacKenzie nope nope nope nope
Paquette<Sceviour debatable

Hedman>Yandle EZPZ
Dotchin<Ekblad yeah but its closer than u think
Stralman>Matheson yes
Sergachev<Pysyk naw fam
Coburn>McCoshen yeet easily
Girardi=Petrovic nah petro

Vasilevskiy<Luongo nahhhhh

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

my thoughts

My thoughts on your thoughts is that your thoughts are no surprise.

 

[Depch]

My take:

Point < Huberdeau || Not much of a contest
Stamkos < Barkov || In most days Barkov will probably hold Stamkos well on hold while providing points himself.
Kucherov > Dadonov || This is pretty easy, Kucherov is proven in NHL on high level and Dadonov must prove himself

Palat?McGinn || Depends on which McGinn we get, is it the 20 goal pace close to 0.5ppg or what.
Johnson<Trochek || It's probably quite close though
Killorn?Vrbata || Depends on the Vrbata, in pre-season looked like we'll have the Arizona version which would mean <

Kunitz>Brickley ||
Nametsnikov>McCann || McCann has a lot to prove
Callahan?Bjugstad || Depends on which Bjugstad we get on regular season, if he rebounds it's pretty close

Brown?Haley || Can't say, don't know the players too well
Courde?MacKenzie || Don't know Courde
Paquette=Sceviour ||

Hedman>Yandle || Easily
Dotchin<Ekblad ||
Stralman>Matheson || Expecting a jump from Matheson, might change to =
Sergachev<Pysyk || Pysyk very stable and Sergachev has to prove himself
Coburn>McCoshen || McCoshen will jump over Coburn maybe later in the season or in future seasons, can't put a rookie over anyone here yet
Girardi<Petrovic ||

Vasilevsky=Luongo || Depends on the game day too much to judge

My conclusion: Tampa with a more stable defense and possible overrun at mid 6. Top line is a very even matchup but Barkov defense I'd expect to win that matchup more often than not. Tampa depth scoring will overrun the Panthers more often than Panthers can damage the Tampa defense. Florida relies much on the top line and a question on what Panthers get from the mid 6 players outside of Trochek. But it's a rival matchup so intensity might go high and anything can happen those games. Here's to a good season for both!

 

[batting1k]

People upset that Bjugstad is on the 3rd line when he's done absolutely nothing to show that he deserves anything more than that. Let's be honest...how many linemates has he had over the past 2 years that he's actually looked good with? And who is Bjugstad to have 11-16 handed to him as linemates?

 

[Gentle Man]

People upset that Bjugstad is on the 3rd line when he's done absolutely nothing to show that he deserves anything more than that. Let's be honest...how many linemates has he had over the past 2 years that he's actually looked good with? And who is Bjugstad to have 11-16 handed to him as linemates?

Smith and Jokinen

 

[Android 16]

I was just reading the 10-yr rewind thread on the main boards. 2007-2008. We sucked then too.

Why does it feel like we are living through a 30-Yr rebuild we should be a stanley cup contender by now for how long we have sucked. How many more top 5 picks do we need? What did Edmonton and Toronto do differently that we didn't do?

Edmonton drafted a generational talent that can make a cellar dweller compete for the division all by himself.

Toronto had everything go right last year. Let's see how it goes this year.

 

[batting1k]

Smith and Jokinen

I don't recall that working last year. how many points did they have together?

 

[Gentle Man]

I don't recall that working last year. how many points did they have together?

You said past 2 years.

That includes the season prior. March to April

Wanna check how many points they got?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Found the 2018 Govenor's Cup

 

[batting1k]

You said past 2 years.

That includes the season prior. March to April

Wanna check how many points they got?

Regardless, I don't think a month of decent hockey gives him a pass for the last 2 years

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Bjugstad is going to be another Bolland situation

-We don't have the money to buy him out
-The current GM who will be here for the foreseeable future will not move him

Like Bolland, the quicker you accept he's staying the quicker you can try and figure out ways to build around that issue.

edit: I know Bolland was moved but Bjugstad doesn't seem like he's playing through a career ending injury and no one will take that salary.

 

[16Skippy]

People upset that Bjugstad is on the 3rd line when he's done absolutely nothing to show that he deserves anything more than that. Let's be honest...how many linemates has he had over the past 2 years that he's actually looked good with? And who is Bjugstad to have 11-16 handed to him as linemates?

I don't have a problem with him on the 3rd line, but I think most of us want to see him on the wing instead of center.

 

[Chino Oscar]

People upset that Bjugstad is on the 3rd line when he's done absolutely nothing to show that he deserves anything more than that. Let's be honest...how many linemates has he had over the past 2 years that he's actually looked good with? And who is Bjugstad to have 11-16 handed to him as linemates?

Think people are upset about protecting a slumping 3rd line center over keeping Marchy and Smith. I can see that argument. I do still have hopes for Nick to rebound this year, he was pretty good initially (weren’t we going crazy in this board calling him Buggernaut). If he does, that will elevate that 3rd line significantly. Being honest with myself now, haven’t seen anything to indicate that in the few preseason games he played.

 

[RainingRats]

Excited for hockey to be back! Keeping Smith would have made a huge difference. We have some big question marks in the middle 6.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Bjugstad is going to be another Bolland situation

-We don't have the money to buy him out
-The current GM who will be here for the foreseeable future will not move him

Like Bolland, the quicker you accept he's staying the quicker you can try and figure out ways to build around that issue.

edit: I know Bolland was moved but Bjugstad doesn't seem like he's playing through a career ending injury and no one will take that salary.

Sad but true.

I think the only way we can get rid of him is to package someone like Tippett and for that I’d rather just put Bjugstad in the bench for the rest of his contract.

 

[PanthersHockey1]

Bjugstad is going to be another Bolland situation

-We don't have the money to buy him out
-The current GM who will be here for the foreseeable future will not move him

Like Bolland, the quicker you accept he's staying the quicker you can try and figure out ways to build around that issue.

edit: I know Bolland was moved but Bjugstad doesn't seem like he's playing through a career ending injury and no one will take that salary.

We can just send him to Arizona for more 4th liner plugs. They love taking our overpaid scrubs and giving us cheaper scrubs in return.

 

[RainingRats]

We can just send him to Arizona for more 4th liner plugs. They love taking our overpaid scrubs and giving us cheaper scrubs in return.

Montreal is the perfect destination as long as we trade him before he solidifies himself as a guy whose NHL career is over.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Bjugstad is going to be another Bolland situation

Holy shit what a hyperbole. Another Bolland? lol

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

26. There were a lot of internal battles last season in Florida, and one involved the readiness of Jared McCann. McCann showed in training camp he wanted to end the debate. He made summer switches, hiring skating coach Dawn Braid and trainer Matt Nichol. “Physically, I feel way different,” he said by telephone. “I felt I was quick before at full speed, but the first three steps were a problem to get there. (The changes) helped me out.” He’s been told he will start the season as a centre, saying “he’s very excited about it.” How is it playing for Bob Boughner? “He’s an intense guy. He expects a lot.”

From the latest 31 thoughts. McCann is going to be 3C

 

[RainingRats]

Holy **** what a hyperbole. Another Bolland? lol

Not really. An injury riddled player who is not worth his contract and going to be very difficult to trade. He's still here because he's one of Tallon's guy. Pretty similar, actually.

 

[Bure1096]

I think we all need to do what the team is doing right now, hit the reset button and forget about last season. I'm going in with minimal expectations outside of the first line. What I am happy about going into this season is that Viola is really not apart of any decision making. He just has his name as owner. If ownership let's management do what they need to do we will be fine this season.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Not really. An injury riddled player who is not worth his contract and going to be very difficult to trade. He's still here because he's one of Tallon's guy. Pretty similar, actually.

Bolland probably didn't play a single game healthy here and played less than a season worth of games in total because of a career ending injury. While on a contract worth 5.5 million for five years.

Nick has had one bad year when the whole team was shit. Yeah he's had injury problems but comparing him to Bolland is a hyperbole.

 

[RainingRats]

Bolland probably didn't play a single game healthy here and played less than a season worth of games in total because of a career ending injury. While on a contract worth 5.5 million for five years.

Nick has had one bad year when the whole team was ****. Yeah he's had injury problems but comparing him to Bolland is a hyperbole.

Both have injury problems, both haven't lived up to their contracts, both got contracts they shouldn't have, both overrated by Tallon, both obviously needed to be moved.

Bjugstad's preseason was pathetic. Hopefully he'll turn it on but his play was embarrassing. But if he was competing for a roster spot, he would have gotten beat out.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Bolland probably didn't play a single game healthy here and played less than a season worth of games in total because of a career ending injury. While on a contract worth 5.5 million for five years.

Nick has had one bad year when the whole team was ****. Yeah he's had injury problems but comparing him to Bolland is a hyperbole.

2. He was 14th in p/60 in '16. He's put up worse numbers than Bolland in his last 2 years. It's cool if you think he'll bounceback (even if there's no evidence to suggest this), but call a spade a spade, he's stunk.

Sad but true.

I think the only way we can get rid of him is to package someone like Tippett and for that I’d rather just put Bjugstad in the bench for the rest of his contract.

The Bolland trade wasn't even necessary.