Pre-Game Talk: 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning Training Camp

[Byrddog]

They have more to prove. Both were supposed to be traded. Those two and Cernak are really the only regulars who came to play this one.

Agreed Point, Palat and Stammer are just going thru the motions. Day has looked good and Volkov in spurts too.

 

[DFC]

That was a well-executed play to spring Sergachev.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

This definitely feels more like a scrimmage than it does a preseason game.

On the bright side, Chicago is probably in the same position heading into Wednesday

 

[Byrddog]

Mc-Back us has looked pretty bad.

 

[DFC]

Time to see who's got moves.

 

[DFC]

Mid-season form.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Rutta!

Killer still playing like an all star

 

[DFC]

ABB might have wound up the most impressive guy who's pushing for a spot. Really good hands. We're gonna need a guy who can put in the odd goal.

 

[Felonious Python]

What do we do with Boo Nieves? He's still PTO, AFAIK.

He's from the Syracuse area, and will turn 28 this month.

There's also 31 guys on waivers right now, and loads more coming tomorrow, so that could be a means of addressing the taxi squad.

 

[AndreRoy]

There's also 31 guys on waivers right now, and loads more coming tomorrow, so that could be a means of addressing the taxi squad.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the taxi squad is treated like the AHL as far as waivers are concerned. In other words we can’t claim players and put them on our taxi squad - we’d have to keep them on the NHL roster. Is that the case or did I miss something?

 

[Felonious Python]

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the taxi squad is treated like the AHL as far as waivers are concerned. In other words we can’t claim players and put them on our taxi squad - we’d have to keep them on the NHL roster. Is that the case or did I miss something?

We'd have to waive them ourselves.

But, we're also last in the waiver order, so everyone would have passed on that player anyway.

 

[AndreRoy]

We'd have to waive them ourselves.

But, we're also last in the waiver order, so everyone would have passed on that player anyway.

Good point.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I thought Joseph really locked up his spot. Going back to last year, he got sent down to Syracuse and Stephens and Volkov got the call ups and then into the bubble, got into the playoff games over Joseph. But I thought Joseph had the strongest game of the 3 tonight, with Volkov behind him. Stephens was invisible at times, but he's the centerman of the group and probably the best pker too. So I still think the 4th line will look like Maroon-Stephens-Joseph.

ABB's performance made me much more confident that he can have a nhl career. He looked good, but it was stealing the puck clean away from McDonagh or chipping the puck into the corner and trying to retrieve it himself, that were louder than any goal or assist he could of had. We know he's really good with the puck on his stick already, so seeing these other things were assuring that he's becoming more NHL ready. If this were the New Jersey Devils or the Sabres, he'd be making the opening night lineup, but here on the Lightning, I think he'll have to wait a little longer.

This was my first time seeing Alex Green. I thought he looked good. It'll be interesting to follow his development over the next few seasons. Engblom seemed to like his partner Sean Day too, but for those who followed him as a super high profile teenager, his skating ability has always been his biggest strength. Rangers didn't want him & he's on a 1 year contract with us, so this is a prove yourself kinda year for him.

Andreas Borgman looked like our 6th or 7th dman. He's 25 years old and has some AHL, NHL, SHL, and Liiga experience. It was just 1 scrimmage, but I think we found another Rutta. I'd give him the 3rd pair spot over Foote. Cal's troubles in his own zone down low, which are not a problem for Borgman, are his achilles heel (insert foot pun). Those kind of problems lead to getting trapped in the d zone for 2 minute shifts. He's fine in the offensive zone. He's got a NHL caliber shot, which he used to score on Vasy back in the July scrimmage. He's fine going backwards and defending open ice. He's a good shot blocker. It's the footwork (insert 2nd foot pun) along the boards that are the issue. He wears size 16 shoes and I'd guess that has to be detrimental to the quickness needed while working in small areas. He's such a big hulking figure, and quick, agile, decisive movements are not his friend right now. If he does make the team, he has to be paired with someone like McDonagh or Hedman, because Serge is not going to bail him out.

 

[AndreRoy]

Right now assuming a 21 man roster I’m seeing the following:

Palat-Point-Stamkos
Killorn-Cirelli-Johnson
Coleman-Gourde-Goodrow
Maroon-Stephens-Volkov/Joseph

Hedman-Rutta
McDonagh-Cernak
Sergachev-Schenn
Borgman

Vasy
McBackup

I’m torn on that last forward spot. Joseph we at least know is an NHL-caliber fourth liner, while Volkov could end up anywhere from a middle six winger to out of the NHL entirely. I’d prefer Joseph on the fourth line and Volkov filling in as an injury replacement on a higher line, as well as getting a bit more experience in Syracuse once their season starts. But while neither is particularly likely to be claimed off waivers, there is still a risk that one might. So do we risk the guy with the higher floor or the one with more untapped potential?

As for the blueline I think Borgman has earned a roster spot, and while I could see Foote supplanting Schenn at some point I don’t think it will be to start the season, if for no other reason than to delay passing Schenn through waivers until teams have filled out their rosters.

 

[AndreRoy]

Andreas Borgman looked like our 6th or 7th dman. He's 25 years old and has some AHL, NHL, SHL, and Liiga experience. It was just 1 scrimmage, but I think we found another Rutta. I'd give him the 3rd pair spot over Foote. Cal's troubles in his own zone down low, which are not a problem for Borgman, are his achilles heel (insert foot pun).

Another argument in favor of Borgman is that there is a very real chance we will have to move on from McDonagh after this season due to the flat cap and expansion. If that happens we will need a bottom pairing LD, and with Masin still a major question mark and league-minimum veterans always a crapshoot, if Borgman can prove himself to be a solid option for that spot it would go a long way toward simplifying the challenges facing us in the next offseason.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Hmmmm...looks like my hope for Day has come full circle.

 

[Felonious Python]

Hmmmm...looks like my hope for Day has come full circle.

The issue with really evaluating them are that they matched up with the other makeshift lines. In an actual game, Day would have to deal with the best (motivated) offensive talent. He wasn't sticking full-time with Hartford, and I figure there was at least one reason for that.

It was very much a scrimmage. Kind of useful, but not full speed enough to really get a grasp on them.

 

[BennetAintInit]

Just throwing it out there.......If Johnson is on a line with any consistency, he will produce. He has been for the last year at least, moved around incessantly. Hating on him is ridiculous. I believe he is going to be a fully integral player in the team this year.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Something we didn’t see last night, but apparently Borgman, who wore #55 for Toronto, has a little bit of Kronwall in him.

 

[DFC]

The issue with really evaluating them are that they matched up with the other makeshift lines. In an actual game, Day would have to deal with the best (motivated) offensive talent. He wasn't sticking full-time with Hartford, and I figure there was at least one reason for that.

It was very much a scrimmage. Kind of useful, but not full speed enough to really get a grasp on them.

Agreed. I think all you could really look at was specific skills. Day's skating stood out. ABB looked shifty and smart, and he's very aware of where his teammates are. Joseph looks very fast, and he went to the net hard.

Foote actually had some nice moments late in the game, but I worry that was more about the competition. We know he has an upper tier shot, and we know he thinks the game well, but man.... That skating. I just don't know that he's a guy who will ever be given big minutes. I think we will have to shelter him.

 

[DFC]

Just throwing it out there.......If Johnson is on a line with any consistency, he will produce. He has been for the last year at least, moved around incessantly. Hating on him is ridiculous. I believe he is going to be a fully integral player in the team this year.

He needs chemistry. He has always worked well with Palat, and also Point.

I don't like how often we depend on one line to score all our 5v5 goals. Last year we had two lines that could score in the regular season. I hope we get as close to that as we can without Kuch.

 

[These Are The Days]

Something we didn’t see last night, but apparently Borgman, who wore #55 for Toronto, has a little bit of Kronwall in him.

Niceeee..... if we are gonna talk about hits then for just a minute.... Please let's everyone just revel in the time Brian Campbell killed RJ Umberger





Inject this into my veins forever

 

[DFC]

leafs announced their roster. Hopefully ours isn't far off.