Pre-Game Talk: 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning Training Camp

[These Are The Days]

I don’t disagree at all. But I’m not sure how we will manage the cap. No room to carry 22 and no one on the roster is waiver exempt unless Foote makes it. Keep waiving TJ?

I thought the taxi squad didn't count against the 22?? If I'm wrong about it then cue another #TheseAreTheBlunders for me. Oh God.... can we get an adult in here who knows what's going on better than me? It can't possibly be that difficult considering I've got the IQ of a turnip when it comes to year to year changes and roster rules.

 

[Felonious Python]

I thought the taxi squad didn't count against the 22?? If I'm wrong about it then cue another #TheseAreTheBlunders for me. Oh God.... can we get an adult in here who knows what's going on better than me? It can't possibly be that difficult considering I've got the IQ of a turnip when it comes to year to year changes and roster rules.

The taxi squad doesn't count towards the active roster, but it acts like sending the guy to the AHL, meaning waivers.

So waiver exempt players are perfect, although TB isn't using the taxi squad for development.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[These Are The Days]

The taxi squad doesn't count towards the active roster, but it acts like sending the guy to the AHL, meaning waivers.

So waiver exempt players are perfect, although TB isn't using the taxi squad for development.

I saw JBB's quote on that. I think he has the right approach. I don't necessarily think guys like Foote, Raddysh, ABB and Katchouk getting 20 games in to be quote "development" because I know deep down guys are gonna get hurt and people are gonna be asked to step up. The taxi squad is gonna come in handy for sure. If JBB did define that as a developmental role my only response is that nothing teaches you like the real thing.

 

[Felonious Python]

I saw JBB's quote on that. I think he has the right approach. I don't necessarily think guys like Foote, Raddysh, ABB and Katchouk getting 20 games in to be quote "development" because I know deep down guys are gonna get hurt and people are gonna be asked to step up. The taxi squad is gonna come in handy for sure. If JBB did define that as a developmental role my only response is that nothing teaches you like the real thing.

Given how short they want the AHL season, 20 games wouldn't be a bad trade off, although the minutes would be terrible.

 

[These Are The Days]

Given how short they want the AHL season, 20 games wouldn't be a bad trade off, although the minutes would be terrible.

I actually didn't look at that. How short do they want? Less than 48 games?

 

[DFC]

I don't know. It feels like keeping good prospects on the taxi squad would be a wasted year or development. I don't know that I want a kid playing 8 games all year and just practicing the rest of the time. Feels like a better idea to keep career AHL guys there.

 

[Felonious Python]

I actually didn't look at that. How short do they want? Less than 48 games?

 

[DFC]

Gross. I guess it's a good thing that we don't have a boatload of promising prospects right now.

 

[Felonious Python]

Gross. I guess it's a good thing that we don't have a boatload of promising prospects right now.

an NCAA schedule is like 35-41 games, so it's not too far off from that.

or the US NTDP, they have two squads in the USHL. U17 plays 35 games and U18 plays 25. (they do have larger schedules with international tournaments, etc.)

 

[Byrddog]

I don't know. It feels like keeping good prospects on the taxi squad would be a wasted year or development. I don't know that I want a kid playing 8 games all year and just practicing the rest of the time. Feels like a better idea to keep career AHL guys there.

I totally agree. Even at 20 game AHL season these guys would have 300 minutes of actual competitive experience vs what maybe 60 minutes playing 8 games here. These guys have essentially went a year without competitive hockey now as it is. Another thing it will do is influence there next contract. ABB for sure will be looking for a one way which can be done replacing whomever is lost to Seattle, Foote will probably be looking for the same and Schenn does drop off so he has a spot. Kuch will be back and the cap is far from fixed in fact the situation is even worse. There will be no taxi squad in 22 and we are still at icing 20 players. The same banter will be picked up Johnson, Killorn, Palat now one will go to Seattle but there will be the same flood of UFA's looking for contracts league wide. One thing JBB could do would be expose McD and sweeten the deal there. But long term the Cap is more dangerous than signing these young guys. Having 9 players with movment restrictions is handcuffing for extending the cup window And VAsi picks up his NMC next year as well so that will make 10 All taking them to retirement. The roster is going to crash hard in a few years.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[Sky04]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[These Are The Days]

Yuck bro. The AHL is gonna have only high 20's low 30's amount of games? Yeah, the "playing time" argument just lost all its weight here. Guys who are on year 4 of waiting for their cup of coffee would probably rather play 12 NHL games than 3x that many with the Crunch. But then again I'm not in charge of such things.

 

[DFC]

Yuck bro. The AHL is gonna have only high 20's low 30's amount of games? Yeah, the "playing time" argument just lost all its weight here. Guys who are on year 4 of waiting for their cup of coffee would probably rather play 12 NHL games than 3x that many with the Crunch. But then again I'm not in charge of such things.

In a shortened season, 12 games might be a stretch. Especially when you have multiple kids vying for every spot opened by injury. It's probably better to have them play their 30 games + playoffs in the A. Neither option is good, but more games is more games, and some of these kids haven't played a competitive game in nearly a year. This is a terrible time to be developing prospects.

 

[The Gongshow]

I'm wondering if this is just because Rutta and Cernak had issues coming over the border/are in quarantine till Thursday.

Hoping Foote has a great showing and makes the team though. (not sure if he's expansion draft exempt though)

 

[These Are The Days]

This is a terrible time to be developing prospects.

Hear hear. I feel bad for these guys

 

[HoseEmDown]

Yuck bro. The AHL is gonna have only high 20's low 30's amount of games? Yeah, the "playing time" argument just lost all its weight here. Guys who are on year 4 of waiting for their cup of coffee would probably rather play 12 NHL games than 3x that many with the Crunch. But then again I'm not in charge of such things.

If you are on year 4 of development it makes sense to have them on the taxi squad, they would require waivers to be in the AHL anyway. Those 4 year guys are Volkov and Joseph who have played in the NHL so getting 12 NHL games is more than fine for them, more would obviously be better. But guys like Barre-Boulet, Katchouk, Raddysh and Foote would be going into year 3 of development, missed almost half of year 2's development and none require waivers to play in the AHL.

If our lineup is this
Palat - Point - Stamkos
Killorn - Cirelli - Johnson
Goodrow - Gourde - Coleman
Maroon - Stephens - Joseph
Volkov

Then if we get one injury Volkov is playing, two injuries and most likely Smith is next up, three injuries and maybe its Witkowski. So I'm not sure where these kids would even get 12 games next year without a lot of injuries. So while 30 or even 20 isn't ideal its better than just a few games. Since they'll be playing 20+ there rather than 10 in the NHL.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[Felonious Python]

In a shortened season, 12 games might be a stretch. Especially when you have multiple kids vying for every spot opened by injury. It's probably better to have them play their 30 games + playoffs in the A. Neither option is good, but more games is more games, and some of these kids haven't played a competitive game in nearly a year. This is a terrible time to be developing prospects.

Maybe no playoffs. All about development. Possibly a divisional playoff, but no Calder Cup. TB/SYR would seem to prefer not to have playoffs, but I think that's the wrong mentality. Pro hockey players are competitive (which we want), and I think they'd prefer to play for something.

Syracuse will likely have a second affiliate, so unless there are compelling free agents that could be developed, it'd likely behoove TB to sign taxi squad type guys. Fringe NHLers who can clear waivers.

 

[DFC]

I'm wondering if this is just because Rutta and Cernak had issues coming over the border/are in quarantine till Thursday.

Hoping Foote has a great showing and makes the team though. (not sure if he's expansion draft exempt though)

It would solve a lot of problems if he could make the team. It was disappointing that he didn't make more of a push last year.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Giving the new baby giraffe the old baby giraffes number was a coincidence right?

 

[These Are The Days]

Giving the new baby giraffe the old baby giraffes number was a coincidence right?

I thought Sosunov was the new giraffe?

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I thought Sosunov was the new giraffe?

He was, but he’s not in the organization anymore. Now Finley is the new baby giraffe, as dubbed by Craig Button.