2018-2019 General Lightning Discussion

[DFC]

Erne is a weird one. He has the prototypical play style of someone on the bottom 6. His stats say that he should be bottom six, then randomly he will pull off a move that is incredibly highly skilled that causes your jaw drop and wonder "Where the hell did that come from?" Honestly, I don't know what he is. I wouldn't be apposed to trying him out on the top 6 though. See if he can channel that into a productive manner.

His stats are on the verge of playing his way off the bottom line though. Scoring .5 ppg or better down there is pretty impressive, really, even with the occasional couple of PP2 shifts. His whole M.O. coming up was a physical player with some finesse/hands.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

His stats are on the verge of playing his way off the bottom line though. Scoring .5 ppg or better down there is pretty impressive, really, even with the occasional couple of PP2 shifts. His whole M.O. coming up was a physical player with some finesse/hands.

You can really see how much work he put into his skating over the last few years.

 

[Bolt32]

His stats are on the verge of playing his way off the bottom line though. Scoring .5 ppg or better down there is pretty impressive, really, even with the occasional couple of PP2 shifts. His whole M.O. coming up was a physical player with some finesse/hands.

He reminds me of a younger Ryan Callahan. Not the Tampa Bay lightning version, but the New York version. Obviously a poor version, but still a Ryan Callahan none the less.

 

[These Are The Days]

He reminds me of a younger Ryan Callahan. Not the Tampa Bay lightning version, but the New York version. Obviously a poor version, but still a Ryan Callahan none the less.

NYR Callahan was a friggin hoss. Had he not gotten so banged up and sustained his 20-20-40 play til this day on top of his defensive play he'd have like the best contract in the league. I gotta give him credit... at times (especially on the PKP K) can still take over a game defensively

It's gonna take time and there's no guarantee to reach it but I think Mathieu Joseph's potential peak is not dissimilar to Callahan's. The skills are there but it's gonna boil down to willingness to sacrifice and the overall crazy factor. Callahan's the kind of dude that you hear about that knew right away broke a bone in his hand blocking a shot but finished his shift first after blocking another shot

 

[LightningStrikes]

He reminds me of a younger Ryan Callahan. Not the Tampa Bay lightning version, but the New York version. Obviously a poor version, but still a Ryan Callahan none the less.

First year Lightning version of Callahan was a boss too. With 24 goals and 54 points he was a pivotal piece on the 1st line and all special teams.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Confirmed - Cooper reads HFB:

 

[DFC]

NYR Callahan was a friggin hoss. Had he not gotten so banged up and sustained his 20-20-40 play til this day on top of his defensive play he'd have like the best contract in the league. I gotta give him credit... at times (especially on the PKP K) can still take over a game defensively

It's gonna take time and there's no guarantee to reach it but I think Mathieu Joseph's potential peak is not dissimilar to Callahan's. The skills are there but it's gonna boil down to willingness to sacrifice and the overall crazy factor. Callahan's the kind of dude that you hear about that knew right away broke a bone in his hand blocking a shot but finished his shift first after blocking another shot

Joseph's really not that guy.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Joseph's really not that guy.

Agree, Katchouk and Stephens are the closest to that put your body on the line, get to the dirty areas and not afraid to take a beating to get the job done types. Fortier has a bit of that in him too, still early in his development to know what type he's going to become as he has more offense to his game that he hasn't tapped into yet.

 

[These Are The Days]

Joseph's really not that guy.

He's not but that was meant more to reflect Jospeh's abilities. Maybe I am overrating Joseph compared to the rest of our prospects but we've got a ton of hard nosed guys who could play Callahan's style but I'm not entirely sure if they'll be consistent 20-20-40 players. Joseph on the other hand I think could pick up on it and be successful kind of like how someone who plays a different sport is proficient at another he never played.

Like I said maybe I am just overrating him and yeah we're probably not going to ask him to play that way but Joseph just seems to have a little extra on him in terms of skill and I think he could do it if he tried.

 

[Werewolf]

Joseph is a faster Pallat. He can play that same role. Pallat came into the league older but I see the same kind of game. He isn't Callahan.

 

[DFC]

He's not but that was meant more to reflect Jospeh's abilities. Maybe I am overrating Joseph compared to the rest of our prospects but we've got a ton of hard nosed guys who could play Callahan's style but I'm not entirely sure if they'll be consistent 20-20-40 players. Joseph on the other hand I think could pick up on it and be successful kind of like how someone who plays a different sport is proficient at another he never played.

Like I said maybe I am just overrating him and yeah we're probably not going to ask him to play that way but Joseph just seems to have a little extra on him in terms of skill and I think he could do it if he tried.

You're thinking he's a lot grittier than he is. He'll win some battles, usually by speed, but he's not the guy who's gonna block 4 shots or throw a momentum-shifting hit. That's more Mitchell Stephens. Joseph came to the NHL close to fully formed. He'll learn to cash in on his chances a little better and whatnot, and hopefully get stronger, but the skillset is the skillset. He's not going to drastically reshape his game. It's simple but effective.

 

[Boltswin]

You're thinking he's a lot grittier than he is. He'll win some battles, usually by speed, but he's not the guy who's gonna block 4 shots or throw a momentum-shifting hit. That's more Mitchell Stephens. Joseph came to the NHL close to fully formed. He'll learn to cash in on his chances a little better and whatnot, and hopefully get stronger, but the skillset is the skillset. He's not going to drastically reshape his game. It's simple but effective.

I think his most physical game was against Edmonton and Lucic may have scared him away from playing like that.

 

[RANKKA]

who comes out of the lineup when stralman comes back?

 

[The Macho King]

who comes out of the lineup when stralman comes back?

Will be Cernak. Should be Girardi. So it goes.

 

[DFC]

Will be Cernak. Should be Girardi. So it goes.

I don't know. We've given Cernak a whole lot of responsibility for somebody we're considering a #6 at the moment. I'm not sure we are. I get that the McDonagh pairing is part babysitting assignment, but Cernak has proven he doesn't really need one, if nothing else, and has held his own against the best of our opposition.

It would be kind of crazy to let him play other teams' top lines on a nightly basis and then scratch him. ...So, yeah, you're right, considering it would be "kind of crazy," it is of course the thing we're gonna do.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

I don't know. We've given Cernak a whole lot of responsibility for somebody we're considering a #6 at the moment. I'm not sure we are. I get that the McDonagh pairing is part babysitting assignment, but Cernak has proven he doesn't really need one, if nothing else, and has held his own against the best of our opposition.

It would be kind of crazy to let him play other teams' top lines on a nightly basis and then scratch him. ...So, yeah, you're right, considering it would be "kind of crazy," it is of course the thing we're gonna do.

I would scratch Girardi. But it isn't going to happen. This opportunity has confirmed, though, what we all thought about Cernak. In any event, I think he will go back down until the spring, at which point we will have to make a strategic decision on playoff deployment. I think Girardi is done. He is even slower than last year and a liability out there. I like Koekkoek over him, too.

 

[DFC]

I would scratch Girardi. But it isn't going to happen. This opportunity has confirmed, though, what we all thought about Cernak. In any event, I think he will go back down until the spring, at which point we will have to make a strategic decision on playoff deployment. I think Girardi is done. He is even slower than last year and a liability out there. I like Koekkoek over him, too.

I think Girardi's only a liability because we're playing him over his head. Cernak looks like he could handle that spot. Then it comes down to Girardi vs. Sergachev, where, between the two (and I know this will be unpopular), Girdardi would probably make fewer mistakes on a third pairing, BUT Sergachev needs the icetime, so he should get the nod. So yeah, Cernak is going to wind up in the A. I don't like it mainly because I think we should be preparing at least a little bit for next year.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

I think Girardi's only a liability because we're playing him over his head. Cernak looks like he could handle that spot. Then it comes down to Girardi vs. Sergachev, where, between the two (and I know this will be unpopular), Girdardi would probably make fewer mistakes on a third pairing, BUT Sergachev needs the icetime, so he should get the nod. So yeah, Cernak is going to wind up in the A. I don't like it mainly because I think we should be preparing at least a little bit for next year.

I hope we role Hedman/Cernak, McD/Strals, Serg/Coburn in the playoffs. Insert Cernak, Joseph and Erne in the lineup, adding improved McD, putting together better combination with Point and Kuch (which I think has higher floor, i.e., less slumping) and I think we beat the Caps last year. This adds significant size, skill and speed.

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

These are the kind of problems I don’t mind the team having. JB and JC have some decisions to make.

 

[Rschmitz]

What I would reeeeallly like to see, and I know I never get what I want, but they would weave Koekkoek into the lineup on the left side in place of Hedman, McD, and Coburn; and they would weave Cernak into the lineup in place of Stralman, Girardi, and Sergachev. Keep our vets who tend to wear down by the end of the year fresh and healthy, and simultaneously give the young guys ice time and ween them into heavier minutes.

Yeah, doesn't maximize your talent early on, but the team already is sleepwalking and overconfident. Keep the team awake and at the same times invest into the late season. This is what I would do with a ridiculously deep lineup.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

At this point, what could we get for Koekkoek? We have pretty much destroyed his value (if he had any to begin the season with), and we can't really package him with someone as a huge + to the deal. Do we just waive him and hope for the best or try to recoup a lower draft pick with him?

 

[DFC]

At this point, what could we get for Koekkoek? We have pretty much destroyed his value (if he had any to begin the season with), and we can't really package him with someone as a huge + to the deal. Do we just waive him and hope for the best or try to recoup a lower draft pick with him?

I'm kind of thinking this is the endgame, although, normally, when we're trying to trade a devalued asset, we play the holy **** out of them on the PP.

 

[Rschmitz]

Sad story, KK has more value as a healthy scratch for us than he does in a trade. Would be idiotic to trade him, as a fill in he's perfect for the team, although it's crappy for his development/NHL career.

 

[Hinterland]

I think Girardi's only a liability because we're playing him over his head. Cernak looks like he could handle that spot. Then it comes down to Girardi vs. Sergachev, where, between the two (and I know this will be unpopular), Girdardi would probably make fewer mistakes on a third pairing, BUT Sergachev needs the icetime, so he should get the nod. So yeah, Cernak is going to wind up in the A. I don't like it mainly because I think we should be preparing at least a little bit for next year.

I like to have 3 L/R pairings so Girardi and Cernak should ideally both stay in the lineup. I think Girardi has been mighty strong anyway. This is what I'd do:

McDonagh, Stralman
Hedman, Cernak
Sergachev, Girardi

If Cernak starts struggling, swap him with Girardi. For now however, reducing Girardi's minutes might be wise.
Coburn started strong but didn't like him lately. He can rotate in for Sergachev when needed.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

I like to have 3 L/R pairings so Girardi and Cernak should ideally both stay in the lineup. I think Girardi has been mighty strong anyway. This is what I'd do:

McDonagh, Stralman
Hedman, Cernak
Sergachev, Girardi

If Cernak starts struggling, swap him with Girardi. For now however, reducing Girardi's minutes might be wise.
Coburn started strong but didn't like him lately. He can rotate in for Sergachev when needed.

I have no idea what you have been watching but Coburn on most nights is our second best defenseman. Hedman has been having bad game after bad game since he has been back from injury. You want to see how bad our bottom pairings can be, pull out Coburn and watch it all crumble.