GDT: 4/7/13 - 7:00PM EDT - Tampa Bay @ Washington

[The Wyzerhood]

The kids are fine, Bishop was solid. It's the veterans that need to step up: Stamkos, Teddy, Marty etc. were just not good enough today. They skated hard but were not creating or finishing their chances. This game would have looked much different with Hedman in the line-up...

 

[CC321]

Too little, too late. We almost beat their backup goalie, yippee. Misc. grumble, grumble.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

I can't remember, was there ever a period where Stamkos scored meaningful goals? The guy only seems to show up on the score sheet when it's already 2-0 Lightning.

Or when we're already down a couple goals. He's been noticeably poor this season in almost every aspect of the game.

 

[Coopers Gum]

I can't remember, was there ever a period where Stamkos scored meaningful goals? The guy only seems to show up on the score sheet when it's already 2-0 Lightning.

I disagree with almost everything you've said lately, except this. Stamkos needs to show up when it matters. He's supposed to be our best player. He set an OT goal record last season ffs.

Also, just seeing that Ovechkin topic on the main board disgusts me, because Stamkos is so much better. The thing is... He's not. It's hard to explain.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Hedman and Palat make this game look different. Ah well, at least we can look towards next season now - Palat needs to spend his summer bulking up, as well as Johnson. Barberio needs to prepare for an extended look, as well as Sustr.

Then you really need to take a long hard look at the elephant in the room which is buying Lecavalier out.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

This game also would have been much different if Vinny put away one of those two chances he had all alone in front of the net.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

Hedman and Palat make this game look different. Ah well, at least we can look towards next season now - Palat needs to spend his summer bulking up, as well as Johnson. Barberio needs to prepare for an extended look, as well as Sustr.

Then you really need to take a long hard look at the elephant in the room which is buying Lecavalier out.

It happens in 2014 offseason. Need cap space for that Stamkos extension which will be coming in a few years.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

It happens in 2014 offseason. Need cap space for that Stamkos extension which will be coming in a few years.

I seriously think it happens this offseason. Either he, or Malone.

 

[Icelevel]

Heh... Bishop with the godly saves.

glad to hear this. too bad you couldn't pull out a couple Ws these last 2 but at least bishop is looking like he'll help you going forward. Seen enough of cory now, i think the deal was pretty fair. (so far anyway)

 

[Sky04]

The kids are fine, Bishop was solid. It's the veterans that need to step up: Stamkos, Teddy, Marty etc. were just not good enough today. They skated hard but were not creating or finishing their chances. This game would have looked much different with Hedman in the line-up...

You have to be kidding, what kind of game were you watching?

St.louis was all over the ice today, amazing defensive and offensive effort from the little guy today, he created a ton of chances also.

 

[Sky04]

Connolly goes into Perimeter-Mode in this league. Needs to go to the spots he goes to in the AHL, until he does, he won't score much.

But he has size and Cooper likes him more.

Seriously though, if he played with half of Conachers grit he'd be a surefire star.

 

[Pointerspoint]

I meant after the end of that season, we said next season would be fun to watch. And then after that one, we said this one would be fun to watch. And now after this one, we're saying next one will be fun to watch.

But we really mean it this time.

 

[2 Weekes Notice]

It happens in 2014 offseason. Need cap space for that Stamkos extension which will be coming in a few years.

It's use 'em or lose 'em for the amnesty this offseason, so if we're going to buy Vinny out, it's this summer or never, pretty much.

Non-amnesty buyouts are a disaster. Vinny Prospal is still hampering our cap situation to this day.

 

[Butchered]

I seriously think it happens this offseason. Either he, or Malone.

Thank you. I don't think you'll see a Malone buyout because his actual money will be minimal for what a guy like him brings when he's healthy. Lecavalier HAS to be bought out though. His deal has handcuffed the Lightning since it was signed. You can pickup two top 4 defensemen for what he costs the team and will be infinitely more valuable than Lecavalier. Can a team resign a guy after a buyout? I'd be all about bringing him back in for 3-4 mil after the buyout.

 

[MattM92]

/season. Stamkos has been miserable this season. If only he didn't loaf for 30 of the 38 games he's played this season, imagine how many goals he'd have. And is it just me or does he seem to always take the puck with speed up the right boards, protect the puck, circle behind the net and then give it away? He must do that 4 or 5 times a game. His puck control this year is awful, no strength on the puck in the O-zone and no clue in the D-zone. At least Vinny is making plays in both zones, so I'd take him over Stammer right now.

 

[MattM92]

Thank you. I don't think you'll see a Malone buyout because his actual money will be minimal for what a guy like him brings when he's healthy. Lecavalier HAS to be bought out though. His deal has handcuffed the Lightning since it was signed. You can pickup two top 4 defensemen for what he costs the team and will be infinitely more valuable than Lecavalier. Can a team resign a guy after a buyout? I'd be all about bringing him back in for 3-4 mil after the buyout.

Nope

 

[str8shooter]

/season. Stamkos has been miserable this season. If only he didn't loaf for 30 of the 38 games he's played this season, imagine how many goals he'd have. And is it just me or does he seem to always take the puck with speed up the right boards, protect the puck, circle behind the net and then give it away? He must do that 4 or 5 times a game. His puck control this year is awful, no strength on the puck in the O-zone and no clue in the D-zone. At least Vinny is making plays in both zones, so I'd take him over Stammer right now.

100% agree. Sad.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

It's use 'em or lose 'em for the amnesty this offseason, so if we're going to buy Vinny out, it's this summer or never, pretty much.

Non-amnesty buyouts are a disaster. Vinny Prospal is still hampering our cap situation to this day.

No, they can do an amnesty buyout even in the 2014 offseason.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

Thank you. I don't think you'll see a Malone buyout because his actual money will be minimal for what a guy like him brings when he's healthy. Lecavalier HAS to be bought out though. His deal has handcuffed the Lightning since it was signed. You can pickup two top 4 defensemen for what he costs the team and will be infinitely more valuable than Lecavalier. Can a team resign a guy after a buyout? I'd be all about bringing him back in for 3-4 mil after the buyout.

After they wait for one year.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

You have to be kidding, what kind of game were you watching?

St.louis was all over the ice today, amazing defensive and offensive effort from the little guy today, he created a ton of chances also.

I was referring to more in general over the past few games. The veterans are not stepping up when we need them to with timely goals. Marty's effort was admirable tonight, I was just hoping for more offensively from his line.

 

[MattM92]

To help everyone realize just how hard it now is to make the playoffs, here's some stats. According to http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Southeast/TampaBay.html, even if we go 10-0 we still aren't guaranteed to make the playoffs. To be fair, we'd have a 99.8% chance of making it, but that isn't guaranteed.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

To help everyone realize just how hard it now is to make the playoffs, here's some stats. According to http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Southeast/TampaBay.html, even if we go 10-0 we still aren't guaranteed to make the playoffs. To be fair, we'd have a 99.8% chance of making it, but that isn't guaranteed.

Worth a try in my opinion.

 

[nhljohnson]

I seriously think it happens this offseason. Either he, or Malone.

Let's see:

Pissing away $30 million to have Lecavalier not play for your club so you can free up $7.7 million in cap space OR spending a fraction of that ($3.3 million) to clear up a good chunk of cap space ($4.5 million) by buying out Malone?

Yeah, that's a pretty easy call. So much more bang for your buck when you do a real dollars spent to cap space dollars freed up analysis. Especially when you consider that wing is the position TB is deepest at in terms of NHL-ready talent.

 

[MattM92]

I really don't see how people can try to justify keeping Malone over Vinny. "When he's healthy he brings a lot to the team"...Malone is healthy like 20 games a year. He gets 2-3 injuries each year without fail. He's the most expensive China doll ever.

Vinny may miss time too but he brings far more than Malone does. That's not debatable.

 

[IdealisticSniper]

Let's see:

Pissing away $30 million to have Lecavalier not play for your club so you can free up $7.7 million in cap space OR spending a fraction of that ($3.3 million) to clear up a good chunk of cap space ($4.5 million) by buying out Malone?

Yeah, that's a pretty easy call. So much more bang for your buck when you do a real dollars spent to cap space dollars freed up analysis. Especially when you consider that wing is the position TB is deepest at in terms of NHL-ready talent.

Agreed but I also don't see them buying him out. They will trade Malone. His NMC becomes a limited NTC and opens up a lot of options. There aren many teams that wouldn't give up a least a 3rd for him I would bet.