Speculation: 2019 Off-Season Thread

[ccman68]

Report: The Tampa Bay Lightning are interested in Russian defenceman Artyom Sergeyev

 

[Felonious Python]

Yeah. You don't have to be big and hulking. Look at Blake Coleman in NJ. Plays that same kind of game.

Thinking about the Wings of the late 90's, they had that element. McCarty, Draper, Maltby, Holmstrom, Lapointe, etc. to complement the two-way games of Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Shanahan, and Larionov.

There's more of a premium on skating now, but the DRW had playoff grit.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

If I was the coach and failed 6 times in a row with this group to win the cup I’d walk off and quit because I’d realize I can’t get the job done!

Cup final, Conf final, 62 win season, big extension... yes, i'm sure he'll step down. Most guys would kill for his kind of success and I don't know how much you think a coach does but there is this idea that one coach can make any players win, and it just isn't true.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

im concerned of not being ready to play the first game of a series still we have absolutely sucked in that situation i mean unimaginably bad imho.... this is the culture that cooper has allowed and what we see and all we can go by.... something is missing its not all on players at that point you got to look at the culture and question it. The rest 4 games sweeps ive seen in past im more concerened every round how we start... That needs to be addressed maybe someone on staff younger hungry who yells a bit lights a fire etc.... we kinda stuck with the team so to speak at least imho most guys will stay... but this losing off the bat? unacceptable in professional sports....

 

[Felonious Python]

The interpretation some of us have right now of the dynamic between SY and JBB. Big Guy, Little Guy - TV Tropes

 

[Volodya Krutov]

These f*ckers just broke my heart. What a disappointment. Next year is gonna be so hard to get cheered up. We need some big change.

 

[Todd1a]

Cup final, Conf final, 62 win season, big extension... yes, i'm sure he'll step down. Most guys would kill for his kind of success and I don't know how much you think a coach does but there is this idea that one coach can make any players win, and it just isn't true.

How many more chances do you give this guy ? When is the end ?

 

[Its a Bolts Life]

How many more chances do you give this guy ? When is the end ?

I personally think that this season hes on the hot seat regardless of how good we do in the regular season. He is a proven coach in the regular season, but need to get his shit together in the playoffs.

 

[Lightning1995]

These f*ckers just broke my heart. What a disappointment. Next year is gonna be so hard to get cheered up. We need some big change.

Very difficult indeed. Who care about seeding and positioning? Who cares about winning the Atlantic. Just get in, pray you are healthy and get hot.

That’s today’s dumb downer NHL. And none of works if Vassy is trash again. I’ve lost lots of confidence in him.

 

[Steazy Doo]

Very difficult indeed. Who care about seeding and positioning? Who cares about winning the Atlantic. Just get in, pray you are healthy and get hot.

That’s today’s dumb downer NHL. And none of works if Vassy is trash again. I’ve lost lots of confidence in him.

Not many people will care, at least until we're in a battle for them in 11 months. It'll be a long season next year.

 

[Lightning1995]

My core....Heddy, Cernek, Cirelli, Vassy. The rest are all expendable but most have limitations on movement.

I wouldn’t want to get rid of Stammer, Point AND Kuch. But any one of them are expendable for right return because all are or will be expensive. Stammer just doesn’t produce in the playoffs, Kuch has stopped producing in the postseason, and I’m shocked at how little Point impacted the Columbus series.

 

[ccman68]

My core....Heddy, Cernek, Cirelli, Vassy. The rest are all expendable but most have limitations on movement.

I wouldn’t want to get rid of Stammer, Point AND Kuch. But any one of them are expendable for right return because all are or will be expensive. Stammer just doesn’t produce in the playoffs, Kuch has stopped producing in the postseason, and I’m shocked at how little Point impacted the Columbus series.

You sure are using big sample sizes to give up on Kuch and Point.

 

[Lightning1995]

You sure are using big sample sizes to give up on Kuch and Point.

Kuch didn’t really produce against Boston or Washington last year. Point was obviously nails in the playoffs last year, but I am a bit bothered by how he stopped driving play the 2nd half of the year.

 

[J T Money]

Kuch didn’t really produce against Boston or Washington last year. Point was obviously nails in the playoffs last year, but I am a bit bothered by how he stopped driving play the 2nd half of the year.

Yea but you still need to win enough in the regular season to make the playoffs.

 

[DFC]

Thinking about the Wings of the late 90's, they had that element. McCarty, Draper, Maltby, Holmstrom, Lapointe, etc. to complement the two-way games of Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom, Shanahan, and Larionov.

There's more of a premium on skating now, but the DRW had playoff grit.

We have plenty of Drapers and Maltbies and Holmstroms. The kind of player we lack is a Shanahan. Shanahan played a heavy game but could also lead the team in goals.

 

[DFC]

Kuch didn’t really produce against Boston or Washington last year. Point was obviously nails in the playoffs last year, but I am a bit bothered by how he stopped driving play the 2nd half of the year.

Well, Kuch has had a lot of success in the playoffs before BUT it was always with TKO. So you have to wonder how much Palat's game, back then, was helping. Because Palat used to play a game that created space via physicality, even if I wouldn't go so far as to call it "heavy."

 

[ccman68]

I think Kuch was good this series. A couple more bounces his way and he would’ve had around 5 points.

Same with the series against Washington I don’t think he was playing badly. Back then he had guys like Killorn and Palat on his line who couldn’t finish the plays he made for them. He definitely didn’t choke if you actually watch games 6 and 7.

So the Boston series is really the only one I would complain about but the Bruins are a very good defensive team so it’s not always easy to score. It’s a very small sample size anyways.

 

[Sky04]

Well, Kuch has had a lot of success in the playoffs before BUT it was always with TKO. So you have to wonder how much Palat's game, back then, was helping. Because Palat used to play a game that created space via physicality, even if I wouldn't go so far as to call it "heavy."

Kuch was the most dangerous forward on our team in game 4, he creates his own space, sometimes things don't click but he's not reliant on anyone at this point in his career. A few more games he his production would've picked up per usual, playoffs are about getting hot at the right time and having a team good enough to pick up the slack when certain players aren't hot.

 

[Lightning1995]

Kuch took himself out of game 3. A damning act

 

[Crunchrulz]

We have plenty of Drapers and Maltbies and Holmstroms. The kind of player we lack is a Shanahan. Shanahan played a heavy game but could also lead the team in goals.

I believe the organization had planned for Erne to fill this role. I also hoped he would, but after two seasons in Syracuse realized it was not to be for Erne. Ferland appears to be the closest out there as an FA, but Tampa does have the assets to look the trade route as an option as well.

 

[Sky04]

I can't wait to see these guys faces when they accept their regular season awards and the knuckleheads hosting will probably keep bringing up their regular season success.

 

[Stormbreaker]

I can't wait to see these guys faces when they accept their regular season awards and the knuckleheads hosting will probably keep bringing up their regular season success.

It's going to be tough to watch.

 

[Lightning1995]

My plan...in no particular order

1). Trade McDonough for cost controlled assets
2) sign Point to a bridge deal. Negotiate hard, I don’t believe any team is going to sign him to a mega deal AND give up the assets necessary for a RFA.
3) sign EK
4) Trade Cally with whatever draft capital it takes to move his full salary.
5) Move two forwards. Worst case move Miller and Guorde who have no protection yet. We can only hope Palat and Killer will play ball.
6) sign or acquire the rights to Ferland. Maybe while moving one or two of the above.
7) Resign Paquette

Lines
Stammer-Cirelli-Ferland
TJ-Point-Kuch
Joseph-Paquette-one of who’s left
Figure out the 4th line later

D pairings
Heddy-Cernek
Serge-EK
Not sure on 3rd pairing but something inexpensive

Vassy
Dom

 

[JoVel]

6) sign or acquire the rights to Ferland. Maybe while moving one or two of the above.

Wasn't Ferland asking for some insane money? I don't remember the exact number but I do remember going "hell no" when seeing it.

 

[These Are The Days]

My plan...in no particular order

1). Trade McDonough for cost controlled assets
2) sign Point to a bridge deal. Negotiate hard, I don’t believe any team is going to sign him to a mega deal AND give up the assets necessary for a RFA.
3) sign EK
4) Trade Cally with whatever draft capital it takes to move his full salary.
5) Move two forwards. Worst case move Miller and Guorde who have no protection yet. We can only hope Palat and Killer will play ball.
6) sign or acquire the rights to Ferland. Maybe while moving one or two of the above.
7) Resign Paquette

Lines
Stammer-Cirelli-Ferland
TJ-Point-Kuch
Joseph-Paquette-one of who’s left
Figure out the 4th line later

D pairings
Heddy-Cernek
Serge-EK
Not sure on 3rd pairing but something inexpensive

Vassy
Dom

I'm with you on like 96% of this but you're essentially taking an injured EK and Ferland over McDonagh. Don't get me wrong, that's ballsy but given that we are liable to lose 2 to 3 UFA defenders the idea makes me nervous

I don't think we can get both EK and Ferland