Are the Flames and Lightning's failures proof that the top 2 teams should still buy at the deadline?

[drktmplr12]

tampa should have added someone that could dump at high speed and red rover over the blue line...?

or told any one of their players to do that?

 

[Spirit of 67]

Impressive sample size.

 

[quackquackquack]

What could Tampa have added that makes them better ?

Grit and Defense. That was their ultimate demise. Also, only offense doesn't win you championships

 

[YoSoyLalo]

you're missing the Bruins?

bruins added coyle and johansson, why would they be a part of this discussion?

 

[BigKing]

A lot of times, the very best team(s) in the league refrain from doing too much buying at the deadline to not disrupt chemistry. Do their failures show that these teams should still make major additions at the trade deadline?

Not really, although I am forever grateful that the 2014 Ducks didn't upgrade the 2C spot until the following season as there is no way the Kings get by them if Kesler is there instead of Koivu.

 

[DanM]

At this rate, it may take 50 years for this goddamn team to win a cup.

Nah, you guys will have a cup during the next 5 years for sure, too much talent. Maybe a few small tweaks, but you will get it.

 

[Juxtaposer]

No one player is stopping either of those train wrecks.

 

[EclecticDarkness]

What did Tampa need to add? If you replay that series ten times, they probably win nine of them.

Calgary has goaltending issues, not sure why they never addressed it.

Wait you’re blaming Calgary’s loss on goaltending?? Mike Smith was the best player on the ice for Calgary. No one else showed up

 

[Leafs87]

Grit and Defense. That was their ultimate demise. Also, only offense doesn't win you championships

They were a pretty heavy team just didn’t play that way in the playoffs. They played more “playoff” hockey for most of the season than they did in the postseason

 

[Pancakes]

The Pens tooled up with Iginla one deadline where they were a top team and they still fell well short. Loading up doesn't always work.

 

[Schred]

The Pens tooled up with Iginla one deadline where they were a top team and they still fell well short. Loading up doesn't always work.

I feel like teams that load up at the deadline never have enough time to gel. Seems like gritty role players make a better addition more often than not. However this year might be an exception.
Also think it would be pretty hard for the flames and especially the bolts to justify potentially ruining the chemistry they had all year.

 

[chauron]

They should have added in a better attitude and grit, play like your life is at stake

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I figured the Flames goaltending would be their undoing, but it was pretty much everything else.

I think it's proof you need your best players to be the best.

 

[Pancakes]

I feel like teams that load up at the deadline never have enough time to gel. Seems like gritty role players make a better addition more often than not. However this year might be an exception.
Also think it would be pretty hard for the flames and especially the bolts to justify potentially ruining the chemistry they had all year.

I don't think there's a right or wrong way to do things at the deadline other than you shouldn't overpay for assets.

It's a cheap answer by me but I feel like sometimes the play is to not disrupt the chemistry on your team. And sometimes your team needs a little something extra. In the early 90s when Craig Patrick did that big trade for Ronnie Francis the Pens were lagging and really needed to do that move. It kickstarted them into being an elite team and they rolled to the cup.

But in 2017 unless I'm forgetting the Pens barely made any significant moves. They added Streit and Hainsey iirc.

So it really depends and as a GM you have to read your room and figure out if they need a jolt or if it's better to let the chemistry be.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I don’t think this is a by product of not loading up as it is this is what can happen in the playoffs. Any team that gets in has a chance to win. Look at this post season. All the top teams that everyone picked all year are out. Get hot and gel at the right time and you can go far regardless as good as a your regular season was. Has zero importance.

 

[tfong]

Wait you’re blaming Calgary’s loss on goaltending?? Mike Smith was the best player on the ice for Calgary. No one else showed up

Yeah its almost like the poster didn't watch the games....

 

[Slyfox]

Ppl think Tampa adding Simmonds would have changed the result?

 

[KevinRedkey]

If you go back far enough in my post history, you'll see that I told Tampa fans they would regret not trading Sergachev for Erik Karlsson near the 2017 NHL trade deadline. Maybe things would have worked out... maybe not. Point is I think you need to go all-in when you're at the top.

I like what Columbus did this year. If a team like Tampa had done that instead - there's no damn way they lose 1st round.

 

[acor]

IMO Tampa lost the battle mentally (after all that praise, they wxpected a cakewalk... Then they saw Columbus is putting a fight and didn't knew how to respond...), and Calgary probably weren't that good as they record suggest (didn't they had like multiple players with career year???) No need to draw general conclusions from two very specific cases...

 

[Iapyi]

What did Tampa need to add? If you replay that series ten times, they probably win nine of them.

Calgary has goaltending issues, not sure why they never addressed it.

Calgarys goaltender was the best player in the series.