Player Discussion: Vladislav Namestnikov

[CupsOverCash]

Vladdy's talent is being wasted on the the 4th line. Prefer to see him on the 2nd or 3rd line. Because he is a two way forward he would more than fine on the 3rd line if needed to shutdown.

I don't disagree but Filpulla had a good game the other night. Especially in the face off circle. I can see why Coop has the lines the way he does. I also think Callahan and Paquette together was disruptive. For the playoffs those two together are kryptonite for another teams offense.

 

[berlin]

Best gif. Ever.

He's climbing my favorite players list with this. Freaking hilarious.

 

[LordZapp]

If vladdy starts to really come into his game and gain some consistency..Oh boy, i think he has 2c potential easy. The depth on this team will be crazy in a few years with deangelo/masin/gusev and point.

 

[Stamper]

Names has been the disappointment of the playoffs so far, really hoped he would come into his own this year and handle that 2C, and knock Flip down to 3rd.

What do you guys think, he needs more muscle or is his playstyle just not suited for playoffs?

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Names has been the disappointment of the playoffs so far, really hoped he would come into his own this year and handle that 2C, and knock Flip down to 3rd.

What do you guys think, he needs more muscle or is his playstyle just not suited for playoffs?

It's more complicated than that. He plays 9 minutes per game on the 4th line. He's gotten a short amount of shifts with the top six though and that's when he managed to score his 2 points. He missed a massive opportunity in the 1st game against New York when he was handed the driving seat of the 2nd line though... After scoring that beautiful goal the whole line thought the game was already over. Big mistake, and as a center Vladdy should've done better but it's also true Coop has the kid on a very short leash.

The only time he sniffed top 6 minutes again was when Drouin went down in game 2, he scored a huge goal in the 3rd period and played very well overall, even on the 4th line with Marchessault. After that, New York gave us a run for our money in game 3 and 4. Game 5, our best players took over and that's it. Also, Flip stepped up big time, Boyle too. Those two are having a real nice playoffs campaign. I wished Coop played him on Boyle's wing though.

So in general we could've expected better from him but putting things in perspective he's nowhere as bad as he was last year. He can still be a useful depth player that can keep up with our skilled top 6 when needed. I've seen worse.

Paquette, now that's the real disappointment to me.

 

[Leonardo87]

I think Vladdy's fate will be decided by Stamkos fate. Cooper could move him to the 3rd line to generate more offense. I just hate seeing these skilled guys get like 9 mins on a 4th line.

As per Paquette not looking good for him. He is not even on the PK anymore and although he had a good game last time the overall playoffs have not been good for him. He also takes too many penalties stopping any momentum that line generates.

 

[DFC]

It goes both ways. On one hand, Vladdy hasn't really done much, has occasionally looked as weak as ever, overwhelmed, etc etc, but, on the other hand, he's definitely had his moments.

He just seems like the odd man out right now, at least as far as these playoffs are concerned. Everyone's kind of locked into their role and job, but he doesn't really have a defined role/job. That might change next year IF we move Filppula, but I don't think anyone's willing to give Vladdy the keys to the second line just yet.

I'm still not convinced he has a future with us. He's too good for the role he's in, but hasn't proven he's ready for a larger role either.

 

[LightningStrikes]

It goes both ways. On one hand, Vladdy hasn't really done much, has occasionally looked as weak as ever, overwhelmed, etc etc, but, on the other hand, he's definitely had his moments.

He just seems like the odd man out right now, at least as far as these playoffs are concerned. Everyone's kind of locked into their role and job, but he doesn't really have a defined role/job. That might change next year IF we move Filppula, but I don't think anyone's willing to give Vladdy the keys to the second line just yet.

I'm still not convinced he has a future with us. He's too good for the role he's in, but hasn't proven he's ready for a larger role either.

That was the case for him in the entire regular season as well. From 1st line duty to 3rd line to 4th line 6 minutes a night he's done it all. He's no Johnson, no Filppula and no Brown. He couldn't find his spot / role in 82 games and he cannot these playoffs. How much of a factor Cooper is here I can't tell. But that's #90's situation in a nutshell. And ultimately it's not good.

 

[DFC]

That was the case for him in the entire regular season as well. From 1st line duty to 3rd line to 4th line 6 minutes a night he's done it all. He's no Johnson, no Filppula and no Brown. He couldn't find his spot / role in 82 games and he cannot these playoffs. How much of a factor Cooper is here I can't tell. But that's #90's situation in a nutshell. And ultimately it's not good.

Yeah, that's the thing. And, again, it could change if we move Filppula. It just seems like Vladdy's not the best option for any role right now. And if that doesn't change soon, I can see us moving him to be a 2b somewhere.

Over and over again, he feels like the odd man out.

 

[Leonardo87]

Yeah, that's the thing. And, again, it could change if we move Filppula. It just seems like Vladdy's not the best option for any role right now. And if that doesn't change soon, I can see us moving him to be a 2b somewhere.

Over and over again, he feels like the odd man out.

I don't think Vladdy is ready to take Flip's spot. Will he still be around to be ready, that is the question. He had good chemistry with Kucherov(Who doesn't) but do you see him penetrating our Top 6? I dunno. Not with this team's depth.

 

[Todd1a]

I don't think Vladdy is ready to take Flip's spot. Will he still be around to be ready, that is the question. He had good chemistry with Kucherov(Who doesn't) but do you see him penetrating our Top 6? I dunno. Not with this team's depth.

Flip only had 31 points I think yes vladdy is ready to take flippers spot

 

[DFC]

Flip only had 31 points I think yes vladdy is ready to take flippers spot

Flip's spot in the regular season was 3C. No one's debating Vladdy can handle that. It's the 2C spot that Vladdy probably can't handle.

 

[Leonardo87]

Flip only had 31 points I think yes vladdy is ready to take flippers spot

It was a down season for him and most of the top 9 really. Flip is still capable of putting up 40 to 50 points. Imo.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Names has been the disappointment of the playoffs so far, really hoped he would come into his own this year and handle that 2C, and knock Flip down to 3rd.

What do you guys think, he needs more muscle or is his playstyle just not suited for playoffs?

he needs another season at the weights for sure. He is a lot better staying on his feet but can take some more improvement

i disagree with the thinking he is odd man out cause only guy up next that would make him that imho is point who needs awhile yet

and yes i think he can take filppulas role 100%


i think people forget the entire picture? kucherov and him lit up ahl like no ones business before kucherov broke out lol before kucherov dominated the nhl he was benched in playoffs that year yep happened

but bigger than that connolly is in all world funk who comes to rescue? yep that was namestnikov

same thing for panik major funk before worlds who dug him out of that yep was vladdy

give him richards over paquette with brown and you would get some solid third line points imho

i dont want to get too down on pac man love the kid and the heart just think hes hit the wall as his ceiling not like vladdy and others

also i like boyle with blunden moving forward myself like the bigger line as our fourth line so maybe those guys boyle callahan blunden are our third line and we make brown richard vladdy the fourth use less with leads etc..

is a way to make this work

also think callahan might make way up to top six even though seems unlikely right now which would allow pac man on bottom also

filppula is becoming the odd man out to me

 

[dbieon12]

he needs another season at the weights for sure. He is a lot better staying on his feet but can take some more improvement

i disagree with the thinking he is odd man out cause only guy up next that would make him that imho is point who needs awhile yet

and yes i think he can take filppulas role 100%


i think people forget the entire picture? kucherov and him lit up ahl like no ones business before kucherov broke out lol before kucherov dominated the nhl he was benched in playoffs that year yep happened

but bigger than that connolly is in all world funk who comes to rescue? yep that was namestnikov

same thing for panik major funk before worlds who dug him out of that yep was vladdy

give him richards over paquette with brown and you would get some solid third line points imho

i dont want to get too down on pac man love the kid and the heart just think hes hit the wall as his ceiling not like vladdy and others

also i like boyle with blunden moving forward myself like the bigger line as our fourth line so maybe those guys boyle callahan blunden are our third line and we make brown richard vladdy the fourth use less with leads etc..

is a way to make this work

also think callahan might make way up to top six even though seems unlikely right now which would allow pac man on bottom also

filppula is becoming the odd man out to me

Blunden should not be on the Lightning next season. He is highly replaceable.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Blunden should not be on the Lightning next season. He is highly replaceable.

sure blunden is just a bruiser like pouliot bottom guy who gives you size and some puck possession ocassional goal etc..

we got better options just not as big i like the big guys in that role

 

[xteesy]

I don't think Vladdy is ready to take Flip's spot. Will he still be around to be ready, that is the question. He had good chemistry with Kucherov(Who doesn't) but do you see him penetrating our Top 6? I dunno. Not with this team's depth.

Half the NHL would have trouble penetrating this team's top 6.

Stamkos, Drouin, Killorn, Palat, Kucherov, and Johnson...

Good f*#&ing luck...

 

[MattM92]

sure blunden is just a bruiser like pouliot bottom guy who gives you size and some puck possession ocassional goal etc..

we got better options just not as big i like the big guys in that role

Blunden couldn't hold Pouliot's jock. Pouliot has skill and speed. He was a top pick for a reason.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Blunden couldn't hold Pouliot's jock. Pouliot has skill and speed. He was a top pick for a reason.

blundens numbers impressed me he reminds me a lot of pouliot now pouliot had like 40 this year? missed a bunch of games? so his high end is higher but blunden is no plug he should be in the nhl for a few years at least imho

 

[LightningStrikes]

Goals in 3 straight games. Who'da thunk it!

 

[VoluntaryDom]

blundens numbers impressed me he reminds me a lot of pouliot now pouliot had like 40 this year? missed a bunch of games? so his high end is higher but blunden is no plug he should be in the nhl for a few years at least imho

Dude, Blunden's a plug.

Goals in 3 straight games. Who'da thunk it!

He's streaky. Now is a hot streak.

If you give him competent line mates, he thrives.

 

[The Macho King]

Goals in 3 straight games. Who'da thunk it!

He still sucks.

 

[Sky04]

Dude, Blunden's a plug.


He's streaky. Now is a hot streak.

If you give him competent line mates, he thrives.

Not even

 

[Coopers Gum]

Yeah, he ain't great. Had high hopes for him, but it's looking like this is pretty much his ceiling. 3rd liner. Was projected to be just that if I recall correctly -- Great 3C, competent 2C. Looking like 3C is about it.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

I had big expectations but he's been a massive disappointment. Namestnikov plays like a man who wished he wasn't there, he's shying away from his responsibilities.