2016-17 Playoff Race: Lightning miss playoffs by one win

[RDTBay4]

One thing is for sure, losing in the playoffs stings far worse than not making it at all. That loss in the finals and in game 7 vs Boston and Pittsburgh was rough.

That sweep by Montreal a few years back made games vs them a slug fest from that point onward.

 

[TeslaCoilFan]

Please, sing also for me that I live very far from Amalie Arena

I most certainly will! Gotta make a good fan sign too for during warm ups.

It's also Fan Appreciation Night.

 

[RDTBay4]

Hopefully the guys will start next season guns blazing and FINALLY get a healthy season.

 

[Fabiobest]

I most certainly will! Gotta make a good fan sign too for during warm ups.

It's also Fan Appreciation Night.

Thank you
I know that it's the Fan Night: in fact, with my mind and my eyes I'll be near the carpet and then inside the Arena!!
These guys deserves it

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

It's amazing to me that you guys STILL scared me, despite having ridiculous injury issues all year long.

I expect the Leafs to be in the wild card race again next year... I know for a fact you guys won't be there, you'll be busy trying to stay ahead of Montreal for the Atlantic division lead.

You guys have a terrific organization. You'll definitely have a cup coming soon IMO.

 

[JoVel]

What a waste of a season.

 

[JedYzerman]

Hopefully, the guys will start next season guns blazing and FINALLY get a healthy season.

That is absolutely crazy and actually, makes me feel pretty damn good about this season. The lightning played the majority of the season without their top players and still managed to get close to the point they were last year. Maybe the house isn't on fire after all.

 

[RDTBay4]

 

[albator71]

**** you senators

It's not our fault that you guys did not make it, the blame us

 

[RDTBay4]

That is absolutely crazy and actually, makes me feel pretty damn good about this season. The lightning played the majority of the season without their top players and still managed to get close to the point they were last year. Maybe the house isn't on fire after all.

Going into this run we knew we had to win I think 71% of our games to have a chance? We can win at most 69%. Just 1 key game off.

 

[JedYzerman]

What a waste of a season.

I don't think it was a waste at all. Look at all the youngsters who showed a promising future. Tampa's depth is strong. Strong enough to where their AHL team (for the most part) was beating teams with zero injured players.

Yes, Tampa did not make the playoffs, but they still played really strong at the end. As a fan since inception, I remember the days when a season like this would be considered a win (arguably not with the talent we have now). Tampa is building a place for themselves in the league to be perennial contenders. Sometimes you just miss the show by inches. If the bottom teams accumulated more points this year, I think Tampa would have made it in. It's my opinion that are teams in the playoffs this year that their placement does not reflect how strong they are as a team. Especially overperforming teams that are going to fall in the first round.

 

[MattM92]

Team will have all of the same expectations and none of the excuses next season. Everyone will have plenty of time to rest and heal. No reason we shouldn't have a strong start to the season, right?

 

[RDTBay4]

Team will have all of the same expectations and none of the excuses next season. Everyone will have plenty of time to rest and heal. No reason we shouldn't have a strong start to the season, right?

Well if we fire Cooper and dump a bunch of players then who knows.

Get ready to experience the Yzerplan...after we watch another team hoist the cup.

 

[JoVel]

I don't think it was a waste at all. Look at all the youngsters who showed a promising future. Tampa's depth is strong. Strong enough to where their AHL team (for the most part) was beating teams with zero injured players.

Yes, Tampa did not make the playoffs, but they still played really strong at the end. As a fan since inception, I remember the days when a season like this would be considered a win (arguably not with the talent we have now). Tampa is building a place for themselves in the league to be perennial contenders. Sometimes you just miss the show by inches. If the bottom teams accumulated more points this year, I think Tampa would have made it in. It's my opinion that are teams in the playoffs this year that their placement does not reflect how strong they are as a team. Especially overperforming teams that are going to fall in the first round.

While that is true, we still wasted one year of our cup window. It's not going to be open forever. Guys like Stamkos are in their prime right now and we have to go for the cup now.

 

[Hoek]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

 

[Todd1a]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

i have no idea i thought they would win our divison again

 

[BoltzManConstant]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

On March 5 they were a point ahead of us. Today they trail us by 13 points.

 

[Ciao]

He should have to forfeit his rocket richard. How does this years top goal scorer miss that.

You do have the right username. A gong goes off and the hook to pull you off the stage comes out every time you say something utterly ridiculous like this.

That a lot of gongs.

 

[RegularSznAllStars]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

They had some huge injuries to start the year and still managed to hang around 500. But they fired gallant and put Rowe in charge, and Rowe is apparently a ****ing awful coach.

 

[Maelmoor]

Frustrating since we could have done some damage in the playoffs..

 

[letsgrowcactus]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

Panthers fan here:
It was a combination of things. Changes in the organisation left the players uncertain, plus we've had injuries of our own, but unlike Tampa we didn't have the depth to compensate. Still, somehow they managed to hang on despite that, until the players quit on Rowe (the GM-turned-coach) about 20 games ago and simply stopped playing/caring.

Still trying to figure out why they quit on him, but:
- Gallant was their favorite, so him getting fired was unpopular with the players, especially since the media blew it out of proportions (the whole "waiting-for-a-cab" story)
-Rowe is not a good coach
- (speculation, but) MacKenzie is not a good captain
-Rowe kept "calling out" players to the point where he allienated the whole team (such as publically criticizing Smith for "losing them a game", when everyone could see the guy worked his ass off at ES and on the PK but struggled to score the whole year) - but at the same time refused to accept a shred of responsibility himself.

...so now we're hoping this is a fluke year and next year is much better again with a new coach.

Anyway, I just wanted to say how amazing your organisation is, and how epic it was to watch your team rise despite all the adversity this year (even though they ultimately fell short of the playoffs). Hopefully you have better luck next year and finally win the Cup

 

[Hoek]

Panthers fan here:
It was a combination of things. Changes in the organisation left the players uncertain, plus we've had injuries of our own, but unlike Tampa we didn't have the depth to compensate. Still, somehow they managed to hang on despite that, until the players quit on Rowe (the GM-turned-coach) about 20 games ago and simply stopped playing/caring.

Still trying to figure out why they quit on him, but:
- Gallant was their favorite, so him getting fired was unpopular with the players, especially since the media blew it out of proportions (the whole "waiting-for-a-cab" story)
-Rowe is not a good coach
- (speculation, but) MacKenzie is not a good captain
-Rowe kept "calling out" players to the point where he allienated the whole team (such as publically criticizing Smith for "losing them a game", when everyone could see the guy worked his ass off at ES and on the PK but struggled to score the whole year) - but at the same time refused to accept a shred of responsibility himself.

...so now we're hoping this is a fluke year and next year is much better again with a new coach.

Anyway, I just wanted to say how amazing your organisation is, and how epic it was to watch your team rise despite all the adversity this year (even though they ultimately fell short of the playoffs). Hopefully you have better luck next year and finally win the Cup

Thanks! Hope you sort out your coaching situation. Always sucks when you lose but it's worse when it's an outright circus like that. We know how that is.

 

[Stephen]

As bad as our season was, WTF happened to the Panthers? First in the division to double digit points out of a playoff spot, almost last place. Now that's a wasted season.

Tampa Bay has every reason for slipping out of the playoffs what with the huge injuries to key personnel on a regular basis this season. Florida's a bit of an enigma the way they re-vamped their entire program after their team came to life last season...

On a macro scale though, I find it's been pretty strange how the two Florida teams have been unable to string together consistently great seasons for five years in a row throughout their existence. Tampa was one of the more successful expansion teams to start out of the blocks in the 90s, but fell on hard times. Rebounded with the 2004 Cup win, only to be wrecked by the 2005 lockout, then up and down seasons allowing them to acquire Stamkos and Hedman, make that deep run with Roloson, bottom out again that shortened season, make it deep a few times and run into crazy injury problems this year. Florida's been even stranger. Just some real up and down seasons.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

That losses vs Coyotes and Avalanche killed Lightning. Toronto will get swept vs Washington and lose in six to Ottawa, they won't make it to the second round.

 

[The Gongshow]

You do have the right username. A gong goes off and the hook to pull you off the stage comes out every time you say something utterly ridiculous like this.

That a lot of gongs.

Jesus, did I need to put a for you to understand or what? Relax bud