Post-Game Talk: Analysis of What Went Wrong and How To Improve It

[Steve Yzerman]

So the series is done. What went wrong?

1. Defense
2. Zone entries
3. Goaltending

Defense

Unbelievable. Other than Hedman (Game 2 and onwards), this defense corps was terrible. Let's break it down.

• Gudas-Carle pairing
• Kostka on the third pairing
• Aulie seems to be out of the Lightning's plans
• Choose between Barbeiro and Kostka
• Upgrades are definitely needed

Gudas has been pushed in too quickly, that Gudas-Carle pair was terrible the entire playoffs and wasn't that solid in the regular season either. Put Gudas back on the third pairing, preferably with Brewer. Carle needs to get his game together because that was a terrible playoff performance from him. Kostka needs to be used as a 7th defenceman, putting him on the 3rd pairing is unacceptable. It shows a clear lack of depth, a solid defensive third pairing of Brewer-Gudas shows good depth. Aulie does not seem to be in the Lightning's plan and will probably not get extended. Unfortunate, because I thought he was improving every season. Barbeiro cannot be kept on the bench the entire season. Cooper and Yzerman have to choose between Kostka and Barbeiro (and you choose Barbeiro 9 times out of 10). This core was young but it showed some promise. In the meantime, upgrades are definitely needed.

Hedman-X
Carle-X
Brewer-Gudas
Barbs/Kostka

A top pairing defenceman will be extremely expensive, so until we can hopefully develop a top pairing defenceman, the best option will be to go with:

Hedman-Sustr
Carle-X
Brewer-Gudas
Barbs/Kostka

That X needs to be filled by Yzerman in this offseason. There are options via FA or Yzerman can pull a trade with so many expendable assets.

Zone Entries
This was just disgusting. I don't want to see such sloppy play from this team again. You have an entire offseason, develop proper zone entry strategies - perhaps where Purcell can carry the puck in (he surprisingly can still do this) and immediately pass it to Stamkos or whoever his line mates are. But then, maybe Purcell will be gone or will remain on the 4th line. Either way, they need a better strategy.

Goaltending
This one is the easiest of them all to fix. Lindback has got to go. He's a young kid, he's got potential and works hard but his technical game still needs work. We can't afford to be grooming him if he's going to cost us games. I'm going back to the regular season where we lost games because of him. In other games, he was never the reason we won. It's been way too long since he has stolen a game (if ever). The Lindback experiment has to end. Best of luck to Linds, I hope he can get his game together with another NHL team.

Who comes in to replace him? Put in Gudlevskis, he's shown through such a small sample size that he deserves a chance. He was the last one to be cut from the training camp as well. He deserves a chance to show he is the backup, we gave Lindback a chance so we can give Gudlevskis one as well.

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[2MinutesforGiraffing]

The goalie thing is a bit tricky. If Vasi comes over to NA, I can see tandeming him and Gudlevskis in the AHL next season and bringing in a short-term vet backup for Bishop. The problem becomes if Vasi doesn't come over or Bishop is plagued with injuries again. In that scenario, I could see Gudlevskis coming in as a backup to Bishop and getting more games. Alternately, if Vasi demands NHL minutes (and they given him that), well I guess we have him as backup.

All the above are fairly promising. Goaltending in Tampa Bay is looking brighter than it has in ages.

I don't really see a scenario where we keep Lindback. That ship has sailed.

 

[MattM92]

Defense

I'm not so sure that Sustr is a top 2 defenseman. If we force him there, we may run into the same issue we had with putting Gudas on the 2nd pairing.

Hedman - X Where Hedman is the offensive catalyst and X is a RH defensive-oriented player

Carle - Sustr Where Carle is able to do more offensively since Sustr should be fine in a 2nd pairing defensive role

Brewer - Gudas Virtually no scoring but should prove to keep the opponents off the board for ~16 minutes per game.

Barberio as the 7th. Get rid of Aulie and Kostka

Our #1 priority this offseason should be finding a #2 defenseman to get paired with Hedman. Preferably he is RH and defensively-oriented.

Goaltending

As you said, goaltending is the easiest fix. Get rid of Lindback. He may succeed on another team, but this team has no confidence in him and I don't see any way to repair that. Best case scenario we get a solid vet for a couple million to play 25-30 games next year. Worst case scenario we have to give it to Gudlevski or Vasilevski. I'd rather they both play in Syracuse, but we may not have that option.

Offense

I don't think our zone entries were the issue as much as resistance to adjustment. Montreal did a good job scouting us and had a very good game plan to shut down our offense. They clogged the middle, stacked the blue line, and kept sticks in lanes.

If our attack wasn't so predictable, we are a lot harder to shut down. Use the boards, dump the puck, attack the net. We played far too much perimeter hockey to have success in the playoffs. It's no coincidence that we started seeing Lightning surges in games 3 and 4 when we started getting the puck deep and crashing the net.

If we start to develop these strategies, which we are certainly capable of with our speedy forwards, we won't have so much trouble with zone entries.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Defense:
We desperately need upgrades on defense. It was tough to see guys like Hedman, Carle, Salo or Gudas get outhustled so many times this series. I don't know what was wrong with them. Salo is done, Gudas is too young/inexperienced - possibly valid points. Either way our defensive corps was overwhelmed by the Habs quick zone entries and crisp outlet passing. I've never seen us give up so many breakaways and semi-breakaways since the Boucher era. Too slow, not reading plays well, pinching at the wrong time and so on.

Brewer is fine on the 3rd pairing as he provides leadership and the occasional big hit or offensive pinch. Gudas could return to his early regular season self with limited TOI (not 20+ minutes a night). Kostka should never play more than a bottom paring role. Barbs and Sustr can't be trusted in a top-4 role yet.

Gudas, Barbs, Sustr they're all still young and should get better over time and grow into bigger roles though. Salo needs to be replaced badly. Carle needs to figure it out soon. Hedman - while brilliant offensively IMO - needs to improve and re-focus on the defensive side of his game.


Goaltending:
Bishop was probably our MVP this season and we needed him badly in this series.

I've been very reluctant to join the Lindback bashing but he was just not enough. The worrying part is that a lot of his mistakes seem like things you either do right instinctively or you'll never learn them. He's out of position so many times, his rebound control is worrisome. When he was on his hot streak shortly before the playoffs began I was so happy for him, thought he finally figured it out. And he did make some key saves in the playoffs only to let in a heart-crushing softie or get caught out of position a minute later. I really wish that he'll have success in this league but at this point in time I don't believe it's with this organization.

With Gudlevskis and Vasilevskiy knocking on the door Lindback could make a solid #3/#4 option in case of an injury and help Syracuse. Not sure he'd want that though. Europe seems like a solid alternative.

Either way I could see us ride with Gudlevskis as Bishop's backup with Vasya as our #1 in Syracuse. Or vice versa. After a long long time goaltending is finally not the position I'm worried about.


Offense:
This all starts and ends with defense. Most of the time our offense was dead tired once we finally got out of our own end so they had to play it deep and go for the change. Meanwhile Montreal got the puck and our next unit was stuck in our own end for their whole shift. Repeat.

We couldn't sustain any consistent pressure. We got outhustled and outworked in the offensive zone. I loved our hitting game but more than half of them were on players that just made their pass. Yes, it sends a message but does nothing for our offensive game. Instead our players get tired because they finish meaningless hits while the Habs are already rushing the puck up ice and catch our D pinching and/or sleeping.

 

[Leonardo87]

Offense was fine, should of been ahead in Game 3. Likely the worse call of the entire year. But then again Montreal is still in the playoffs, so I expect more Biased calls from their refs, yup "their" refs who are likely on their payroll, lol. I kid.

Goal-tending, Lindback is not good, I've watched Bishop at the end of this season hit a rough patch but even in his worse is better than Lindback at his best. When you watch a guy like Lundqvist for so many years, you know elite goal tending. Bishop was amazing this season, so the series without him was not expecting to go far.

Defense, I'm confused as a newly acquired Tampa fan in the trade deadline, lol. Who are Tampa's Top 4 defense?

 

[BoltSTH]

I think SFY will be active this off season. IMO:

Gone: Malone, Purcell, Lindback, Salo, Lee, Aulie, Pyatt (?) =~ $15m cap hit cleared

There 8 RFA (Kunyk, Killorn, Brown, Johnson, Panik, Palat, Sustr, Barberio). They will get increases but not a lot (except maybe for Palat, and Johnson who may get long term deals, burning UFA years)

There are 2 UFA: Callahan and Kostka. Callahan will get no more than a 1.5m raise offer ($5.75m) or leave.

Connolly and Drouin will be with the big club next year, but we should still have the cap space to sign something significant.

Needs: #2 D to replace Salo. (Hedman-X, Carle-Sustr, Brewer-Gudas +Kostka/Barberio).

If SFY gets #2 RH D without overpaying he will truly deserve the F.

 

[The Macho King]

Honestly - other than Game 1, Hedman was great defensively. It was the second and third pairings where it all went to ****. Sustr is a guy that I think will excel in the #4 role next season - solid defenseman who is a pretty good skater - he can make up for Carle's mistakes. Brewer-Gudas as a bottom pairing could be one of the best bottom pairings in the league.

We need that #2. I think one of the FAs could fit in decently into that role - hopefully Y can drag one of them here.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

I agree with everyone saying that it should be Hedman - X and Carle - Sustr. That was my initial thought as well, but top pairing defenceman are very costly. Who could realistically be had?

 

[Mikeaveli]

I think SFY will be active this off season. IMO:

Gone: Malone, Purcell, Lindback, Salo, Lee, Aulie, Pyatt (?) =~ $15m cap hit cleared

There 8 RFA (Kunyk, Killorn, Brown, Johnson, Panik, Palat, Sustr, Barberio). They will get increases but not a lot (except maybe for Palat, and Johnson who may get long term deals, burning UFA years)

There are 2 UFA: Callahan and Kostka. Callahan will get no more than a 1.5m raise offer ($5.75m) or leave.

Connolly and Drouin will be with the big club next year, but we should still have the cap space to sign something significant.

Needs: #2 D to replace Salo. (Hedman-X, Carle-Sustr, Brewer-Gudas +Kostka/Barberio).

If SFY gets #2 RH D without overpaying he will truly deserve the F.

http://nooooooooooooooo.com

Basically this though. Rid ourselves of old, slow and bad players then get that partner for Hedman.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

Top Defencemen UFA Targets

Niskanen, Matt
Markov, Andrei
Zidlicky, Marek
Boyle, Dan
Timonen, Kimmo
Benoit, Andre
Gilbert, Tom

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I would trade big pieces for Roman Josi

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

what went wrong? Maybe take a step back than watch the four games again? In a week or so.

Just a suggestion.

My eyes told me we forgot the system players didn not play as hard or use their brains in front of lindback. This is the biggest concern I have more than any top 2 d.

Carle? I am unsure of. I was a supporter now just am clueless to what the hell he was doing this series.

Barberio? USELESS not a top four ever he is responsible as much as paquette for goals go look again. He was TERRIBLE. Forwards not getting back us over pinching both defenders.

Was sad display of hockey to me. We were not counter punching and that is what this team does well. We let things come to us and choose when to put the pressure on etc.

We threw that out the window so that is what went wrong to me.

Purcell? is 100% a liability 90% of time he makes the wrong decision when to shoot not to shoot or pass. When carrying in to send on boards or to pass lightly to a team mate etc..

90% of time bad decisions that HURT THIS TEAM. Every line he is on but 4 is a train wreck.

I really want to see a semi overhaul and carle to be addressed trade him for a stay at home for hedman a bogosian or myers and give up some picks prospect etc.. to make a deal.

Get a true stay at home first defender!! Someone proven so Carle is the guy moving.

Than go grab two kids. I would go grab Gelinas for a 1st and minor prospect? and despres for killorn plus middle pick? myself.

Bogosian can probably get for Connolly Carle and Paquette.

Short term hurts to do these three moves but long term?

We are complete now and in the future and would be balanced and a force within two years and fight for cup after cup.


All three of these guys bring very physical games all are large and fast and gelinas and despres are good at power play and gelinas is excellent actually.

I know the righty thing but we need to develop our own or go get a power play specialist in time.

I do not think this righty guy is available have looked but just doenst make sense for teams to let theirs go and is way more than us as suitors for those guys.

I think all three of these deals would be pretty easily done.


might be best off just to get a 7th d guy who is rh power play specialist? for a draft choice or something.

 

[DFC]

I'm willing to wait on Barberio. It's easy to forget he's a rookie, and also that his transition to the AHL wasn't seamless. I don't mind him as a 6/7 next season. He showed some flashes this year, which is what most rookies do. I'd like to give him some time to add some strength and to adapt to the NHL. That said, I wouldn't be opposed to moving him in the right deal.

I just wish Andrei Markov was a RHD. Whatever #2 we bring in, I'd rather him be a little bit older, because we have to remember Salo is leaving this year and Brewer's not far behind, which leaves us pretty young. We need a #2 and we need legit veteran leadership. Ideally, we could kill both birds with one stone.

By the end of the year, I was honestly beginning to believe we were playing Purcell in order to retain some trade value. Yzerman, Cooper, et all, are smart guys, and I don't think they missed what was so obvious to all of us. I think they were trying to pad Purcell's stats to get a return. It didn't work.

And I REALLY believed that after Malone was put in the pressbox as soon as the trade deadline passed. It became clear that they were playing him in hopes of dealing him, but once the deadline passed, the buyout became unavoidable. I really think something similar was going on with Teddy, except they're hoping to move him at draft day.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

Matt Niskanen makes a ton of sense you would think but there's something that seems to obvious about "top FA D, pay the money" kind of logic. I think Yzerman's going to try and fortify the blueline with a bit more efficiency than going after the big fish.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

I'm willing to wait on Barberio. It's easy to forget he's a rookie, and also that his transition to the AHL wasn't seamless. I don't mind him as a 6/7 next season. He showed some flashes this year, which is what most rookies do. I'd like to give him some time to add some strength and to adapt to the NHL. That said, I wouldn't be opposed to moving him in the right deal.

I just wish Andrei Markov was a RHD. Whatever #2 we bring in, I'd rather him be a little bit older, because we have to remember Salo is leaving this year and Brewer's not far behind, which leaves us pretty young. We need a #2 and we need legit veteran leadership. Ideally, we could kill both birds with one stone.

By the end of the year, I was honestly beginning to believe we were playing Purcell in order to retain some trade value. Yzerman, Cooper, et all, are smart guys, and I don't think they missed what was so obvious to all of us. I think they were trying to pad Purcell's stats to get a return. It didn't work.

And I REALLY believed that after Malone was put in the pressbox as soon as the trade deadline passed. It became clear that they were playing him in hopes of dealing him, but once the deadline passed, the buyout became unavoidable. I really think something similar was going on with Teddy, except they're hoping to move him at draft day.

Not done with barberio but him being an impact player ever?

Ya dont see it. Not good enough PMD. Not good enough as power play specialist. Not good enough own zone and no physicality.

6-7 guy. So if can get something for him? Move him lol.

Get the return he just doesnt seem to have it to me. He tries hard maybe he can hit the weights and become more of a factor. I expected a lot more from him myself and very disappointed overall in him. Also when he is not playing daily the worst he plays that is concerning cause he isnt good enough to be a staple yet.

I dont like the big swing I see with him from sitting on bench to playing like dog crap and stupidly. He had moments and a long time was playing well but when benched he went to crap.

Kinda like connolly doesnt handle adversity well enough maybe?

 

[DFC]

Not done with barberio but him being an impact player ever?

Ya dont see it. Not good enough PMD. Not good enough as power play specialist. Not good enough own zone and no physicality.

6-7 guy. So if can get something for him? Move him lol.

Get the return he just doesnt seem to have it to me. He tries hard maybe he can hit the weights and become more of a factor. I expected a lot more from him myself and very disappointed overall in him. Also when he is not playing daily the worst he plays that is concerning cause he isnt good enough to be a staple yet.

I dont like the big swing I see with him from sitting on bench to playing like dog crap and stupidly. He had moments and a long time was playing well but when benched he went to crap.

Kinda like connolly doesnt handle adversity well enough maybe?

I don't think he has a problem with adversity. I think he simply adapts slowly, but surely. Or, at least, that seemed to be his trend in the AHL.

His value is lower now than it has been in a long time, and I think it's probably lower than it will be in a year or two. If we find ourselves needing the roster space, yeah, I can see us dealing him. But I think there's still a chance he figures the NHL game out well enough to eek his way into a #4 role. Sometimes when he skates with the puck you can see he clearly has NHL skills.

I often wonder why Barberio is even a defenseman though. It seems like all the things he's good at would make him a good skilled forward, and all the things he's bad at are things defenseman need in order to be good.

 

[MattM92]

Matt Niskanen makes a ton of sense you would think but there's something that seems to obvious about "top FA D, pay the money" kind of logic. I think Yzerman's going to try and fortify the blueline with a bit more efficiency than going after the big fish.

I don't think Niskanen is a top 2 Dman. I'd like to have him, but he would just fill a spot that is already filled.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

I don't think Niskanen is a top 2 Dman. I'd like to have him, but he would just fill a spot that is already filled.

Didn't he fill as top pairing in Letang's lengthy absence?

 

[MattM92]

Didn't he fill as top pairing in Letang's lengthy absence?

He may have, but there's a difference between filling in because there's no other choice and being a legit top 2.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

I don't think Niskanen is a top-2 D myself, though I may be wrong, but what he will get this off-season will just highlight once again what the value of a top pairing D really is. There aren't 60 top-pairing D's out there IMO, but there are 60 spots that need to be filled. There's gonna be some inflation that occurs from that.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

He may have, but there's a difference between filling in because there's no other choice and being a legit top 2.

Did he not have a good year?

 

[MattM92]

Did he not have a good year?

Again, not saying he didn't do a fine job filling in (if he did in fact fill in on the top pairing), but that's not what you want on your top pairing. We need a legit top pairing guy.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

niskanen gets 5 million if signs pitt at a discount.

He has had one good year.


Fans wanted to trade him before maatta showed up this year for a third rounder or a decent not great prospect who could play at least 3rd line.

So I want everyone to think about all of that.


If he is like carle which I would bet they are gonna be similar animals at best the thought on paying those two guys 11 million might make me load a bullet

I cant drink like the rest of you


P.S. Ask detroit fans how they feel on the quincey thing? I would put this as a similar situation myself.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

not trying to be a ***** but I pretty well said that I think Niskanen is a non-top pairing guy who will get paid like one. Top pairing guys are at a true premium, probably more than any other position in the league. And when you have one, you hold onto them for dear life.

 

[ultra63]

"Eulogy: Remembering the 2013-14 Tampa Bay Lightning"

This may be the best analysis

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...95.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter