2019-20 General Lightning Discussion

[CupsOverCash]

So on this day last year we werent even in first place. We were behind Toronto by 1 point and Buffalo was 1 point behind us. It wasnt until December that we started to pull away. We can go on that kind of run with this team. I dont know how anybody can really make a decent read on what this team is yet as we didnt have a handle on them at this point last year. Now with 21 games played at this point we had 29 points. 8 more than we have now with 1 more game played. I gotta say that I didnt think this team would dominate the league the way they did in December and beyond. Now this years team is different but really how different?? Stralman was a big loss but he wasnt even the Stralman that we know and love last year. Girardi was good on the PK but he looked slow as a defensman. As was Callahan in the PK but those guys werent regulars in the lineup.

No reason why this team we have now cant go on a good run like last years team did at this point. I dont think the difference between this team last years team and this year comes down to not having Stralman, Girardi, and Callahan in the lineup even though they greatly helped on the PK. I think the biggest difference that Kucherov, Point, and Vasi arent playing up to the level they were last year. Also the PK hasnt been great. Those guys would help on the PK but I think the bigger issue is our best players not being our best players yet.

 

[Maelmoor]

So on this day last year we werent even in first place. We were behind Toronto by 1 point and Buffalo was 1 point behind us. It wasnt until December that we started to pull away. We can go on that kind of run with this team. I dont know how anybody can really make a decent read on what this team is yet as we didnt have a handle on them at this point last year. Now with 21 games played at this point we had 29 points. 8 more than we have now with 1 more game played. I gotta say that I didnt think this team would dominate the league the way they did in December and beyond. Now this years team is different but really how different?? Stralman was a big loss but he wasnt even the Stralman that we know and love last year. Girardi was good on the PK but he looked slow as a defensman. As was Callahan in the PK but those guys werent regulars in the lineup.

No reason why this team we have now cant go on a good run like last years team did at this point. I dont think the difference between this team last years team and this year comes down to not having Stralman, Girardi, and Callahan in the lineup even though they greatly helped on the PK. I think the biggest difference that Kucherov, Point, and Vasi arent playing up to the level they were last year. Also the PK hasnt been great. Those guys would help on the PK but I think the bigger issue is our best players not being our best players yet.

Agreed and maybe if the PK keeps struggling they can add someone at the trade deadline.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

I don’t think we’re better by any means roster wise. But if we make it to the playoffs and are healthy this year, we’ll be a better on-ice roster than last year.

Let’s not think that the caps best roster was their cup winning year.

 

[T REX]

Some of you hated me for saying we weren't good enough last year where it mattered to win a cup. We got bounced in round 1. You're really gonna hate me. This team is on life support. Yeah, the occasional burst but overall...this team is dead. We aren't winning anything this year. Blame whoever you want but there's deep deep issues that aren't going to go away. It's not bad puck luck(seriously if you find yourself saying that more than once a month...get a clue).

We have serious problems. Ignoring them or just "hoping" we are going to get it together is setting yourself up for huge disappointment. We need a major jolt. JBB, you're move buddy.

 

[Sky04]

On pace for 91 points right now, put the cup out of sight for a bit because they need to actually make the playoffs first.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Shattenkirk is garbage defensively, the team is scoring less and letting in more, top-end production is down, goaltending is significantly down but yeah better because you think so. They are on pace to barely make it in 8th seed and somehow that's better suited to win the cup? They've have the talent level to win the cup for years now, playing to that is a different story but if you're talking about best roster to win the cup it's last year by far.

Who gives a turd what our pace is? The team is in a slump.

How was the blues "pace" at the start of last year?

What about our "62 win pace?"

 

[JoVel]

Who gives a turd what our pace is? The team is in a slump.

How was the blues "pace" at the start of last year?

What about our "62 win pace?"

Just because the Blues recovered from their bad start doesn't mean we'll do so as well. Do you remember our 2016-17 season?

 

[Ducati Boy]

Analysis - a lot of simple or obvious passes drifting off the recipients' sticks or caught up in skates, pucks not being received cleanly when in a shooting area. Hence, a lot of shot blocks, deflections, or missed shots. Opportunities regularly squandered by stone hands and/or hesitation in high danger areas.

Reminded me of the Columbus series.

 

[Sky04]

Who gives a turd what our pace is? The team is in a slump.

How was the blues "pace" at the start of last year?

What about our "62 win pace?"

The "slump" is called the 2019-2020 season and accounts for all games played this year not some 5 games sample size but then again if I were like you trying to argue this years team was better than last years team I would probably be downplaying current results as well.

The blues did something done once in NHL history - good comparison, you think it's a winning strategy to hit last place in January and see where it goes from there?

By the way, the 62 wins was not a pace, it's an actual, completed result and even though the got swept, at least they actually made the playoffs - something this years team isn't even poised to do right now.

 

[Hoek]

You gotta be at least in the picture by Thanksgiving and well we are out of it and the holiday is around the corner. Time to panic.

 

[RegularSznAllStars]

Analysis - a lot of simple or obvious passes drifting off the recipients' sticks or caught up in skates, pucks not being received cleanly when in a shooting area. Hence, a lot of shot blocks, deflections, or missed shots. Opportunities regularly squandered by stone hands and/or hesitation in high danger areas.

Reminded me of the Columbus series.

This game reminded me a lot of Columbus. It’s the type of game where coop generally cannot make adjustments. Although, he did throw his fourth line out there a lot in crunch time, which is new for him.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

The "slump" is called the 2019-2020 season and accounts for all games played this year not some 5 games sample size but then again if I were like you trying to argue this years team was better than last years team I would probably be downplaying current results as well.

The blues did something done once in NHL history - good comparison, you think it's a winning strategy to hit last place in January and see where it goes from there?

By the way, the 62 wins was not a pace, it's an actual, completed result and even though the got swept, at least they actually made the playoffs - something this years team isn't even poised to do right now.

I don’t think it’s a winning strategy but I think the team is playing good hockey and Will turn it around in the coming days. I’m basically telling all you negative people to calm down

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Analysis - a lot of simple or obvious passes drifting off the recipients' sticks or caught up in skates, pucks not being received cleanly when in a shooting area. Hence, a lot of shot blocks, deflections, or missed shots. Opportunities regularly squandered by stone hands and/or hesitation in high danger areas.

Reminded me of the Columbus series.

we definitely don’t play these types of teams well. The blues would probably be our worst nightmare

 

[VoluntaryDom]

vasilevskiy still has the rebound control of a trampoline and we also dont know how to play after the 1st period

 

[Byrddog]

If anyone is expecting another 62 win season your just going to be disappointed. This is further not a slump either. This is one of the more higher skilled teams that I can remember even back to the 70's. This team is playing like your average middling team. We are so damn frustrated because we know they are not. The frustration boils down to the team can play defense or offence right now not both like last season. I do not care what line our starts are on they should produce SOG and last night Kuch 0 SOG Stammer 0 SOG Pointe 0 SOG the rest of the team 18 SOG. Now we have seen many games where they have less than 25 shots and win but if your big guys have 0 shots your chances for them to score.

St Louis is a good defensive team but they have their warts. Yet they lead their division without Tarasenko and Fabbri. And the Bolts just halfassed from the neutral zone into the attack zone. Three goals would have been a lock for this game and there is no reason the Bolts should have put up 3.

The team is playing .500 hockey which is not considered a slump. Wanna see a slump look at the Leafs that train ran into a ditch but they will pull out of it just like the Bolts will.

 

[Sky04]

"We don't play those teams well" - trashed every "big" team in the league last year and beat the big bad bruins in the playoffs recently too.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Its hard to be positive right now, but I'm going to give it an attempt. At least the 3 teams in front of us right now have their own issues and its not out of this world realistic that we can jump them and get into the playoffs. Its going to be tough with Kucherov possibly being out but I think its possible. I think the thing that will drag on us all year is we wont know how the team will play if they get there. Id imagine theres not a lot of confidence in them right now there. Hope they get there and can make another attempt. A better one this time...

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

"We don't play those teams well" - trashed every "big" team in the league last year and beat the big bad bruins in the playoffs recently too.

Do you not fact check? or do you just like to argue?

Last year the big/heavy/defensive minded teams that beat us were: MIN, WPG, ANA, NYI, STL, BOS, MIN, STL.

That is 8 of our 20 losses to "heavy" teams

We lost to MIN twice, STL twice. Oh and not to mention 4 in a row to CBJ. We don't play the trap well. So yes we "Don't play Big teams well"

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Fun stat over the last two games. We have scored all 4 goals in the last 5 minutes of the respective period that the goal is scored.

Do I need to make a chart?

 

[Sky04]

Do you not fact check? or do you just like to argue?

Last year the big/heavy/defensive minded teams that beat us were: MIN, WPG, ANA, NYI, STL, BOS, MIN, STL.

That is 8 of our 20 losses to "heavy" teams

We lost to MIN twice, STL twice. Oh and not to mention 4 in a row to CBJ. We don't play the trap well. So yes we "Don't play Big teams well"

So your argument that we don't play "big teams well" is that we lose the minority of our losses against those teams? Genius, absolutely ground breaking.

By your logic, we also lost 8 other games to Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Toronto, San Jose, and Buffalo - I guess that means we don't play "skilled, small" teams well either??????

We swept Columbus in the season series 3-0 outscoring them 17-3 in 3 games, took the season series against Boston 3-1, beat NYI 3-1. If you're talking about big and heavy Washington is the best example in the league and we beat them 4/5 times last year that's after coming off a loss to them in the playoffs, but yes lets strawman 2 losses against Minnesota who wasn't even a playoff team.

 

[bov]

Take a look at any other team's forum that isn't exceeding expectations, it's the same shit. If a team underperforms they all want to fire the coach, and the GDT's become filled with complaints about how their team doesn't have what it takes and all that stuff. I'm sure you could find similar reactions to virtually every cup winner in recent memory. I remember vividly sections of Blackhawks fans for several years calling for Quenneville's firing, and think back to the likes of Bylsma and Sullivan being praised as hereos one year and villainized the next.

There's more than one problem with this team that's for sure, but reading about how much they and Cooper suck every game just comes with the territory in this place. If your team isn't doing well, GDT's are basically a dropbox for complaints. It is what it is.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

So your argument that we don't play "big teams well" is that we lose the minority of our losses against those teams? Genius, absolutely ground breaking.

By your logic, we also lost of our 8 games to Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Toronto San Jose, and Buffalo - I guess that means we don't play "skilled, small" teams well either??????

We also swept Columbus in the season series 3-0 outscoring them 17-3 in 3 games, also took the season series against Boston 3-1, beat NYI 3-1. If you're talking about big and heavy Washington is the best example in the league and we beat them 4/5 times last year that's after coming off a loss to them in the playoffs the year before, but yes lets strawman 2 losses against Minnesota who wasn't even a playoff team.

We don't play Big heavy teams well. I think its abundantly clear. If you don't see this, well I can't help that.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Can't believe Toronto pulled the trigger on Babs. Hopefully Coop felt the heat get cranked up.

 

[Master P]

inb4 we fire Cooper and hire Babcock

 

[Sky04]

We don't play Big heavy teams well. I think its abundantly clear. If you don't see this, well I can't help that.

It's not abundantly clear - you're just narrow mindlessly singling out the losses. Go count up the wins against those teams like I pointed out, you can go do that for every "big" team in the league the past 2 years and we have a winning record. So if you have a winning record against those teams you're not playing them well??? Please go do your own research next time before you make false statements then rebuttal with "If you can't see"