Player Discussion: Brayden Point

[HoseEmDown]

5 goals, 8 points in his last 9 games.

Trade value.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

He's a skilled 2-way speedster.

Am I the only one thinking discount Mitch Marner?

 

[DFC]

I'm convinced Pierre Lebrun is a closet TB fan. This is a piece mainly about Point. Some good stuff in here, I thought: http://www.tsn.ca/point-central-to-lightning-s-playoff-hopes-1.693295

As the story goes, Al Murray, the director of amateur scouting for the Lightning, and Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman were at a Moose Jaw Warriors playoff game in the spring of 2012, mainly to see highly touted prospect Morgan Rielly, when they found that they couldn't take their eyes off a little center. Bolts WHL scout Brad Whelen had also seen Point play a lot, so Tampa Bay drafted that five-foot-10, 166-pound center two years later with the 79th overall pick.

 

[Sky04]

Imagine if he hits the gym with MSL every off-season for thr next couple years.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

I'm convinced Pierre Lebrun is a closet TB fan. This is a piece mainly about Point. Some good stuff in here, I thought: http://www.tsn.ca/point-central-to-lightning-s-playoff-hopes-1.693295

My guess is that he venerates Steve Yzerman.

 

[Stephen]

The next Tyler Johnson I assume.

 

[MattM92]

Point's shot sucks.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Point's shot sucks.

I thought the same...

 

[JoVel]

I said it in one of my first posts in this forum. I think Point would be fine as our 2nd line center next year so we could move Johnson for defense. The guy is only 21 and only getting better. He has hit a new gear since coming back from his injury.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Point arguably makes Johnson expendable.

 

[MattM92]

I thought the same...

16 goals with such a terrible shot, imagine how many he would score with a shot that doesn't look like his wrists are made of wet noodles. 17? 18?!

 

[Rschmitz]

His goals last night caught be by surprise. His style has definitely evolved a bit over the course of the season. He is playing much different as a member of the triplets, and I'm not just talking about as a winger versus center.

Would still like to keep Johnson, but he's answered any doubts over his ability to take over the #2 center position.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

It will definitely take the sting out of a potential TJ trade.

We need a lefty D who can score, IMO. And can skate. Looking at you, Ekman-Larsson. (Just imagine that though. If we traded Johnson+ for OEL).

 

[JoVel]

It will definitely take the sting out of a potential TJ trade.

We need a lefty D who can score, IMO. And can skate. Looking at you, Ekman-Larsson. (Just imagine that though. If we traded Johnson+ for OEL).

We would need to give up a lot more than Johnson for OEL.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

anyone on here smugging about his shot now has to be kidding, his wrister is night and day different than the beginning of the season. it's great to see young guys adapt to the NHL.

 

[MattM92]

anyone on here smugging about his shot now has to be kidding, his wrister is night and day different than the beginning of the season. it's great to see young guys adapt to the NHL.

@ me next time

The only thing that has changed about his shot is his timing and comfort level in this league. He never had a "bad" shot, he just wasn't used to the suffocating defense of the NHL.

 

[MattM92]

And to be clear, he still doesn't have a "great" shot. It's always been good enough to beat NHL goalies though.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

We would need to give up a lot more than Johnson for OEL.

I was being semi-sarcastic. He'd be a perfect fit, just we wouldn't be able to get him.

As for other lefties we could want, I can't think of any now, but a scoring 2nd pair LHD who can skate is our need, and Johnson could go the other way.

 

[The Macho King]

The puck isn't staying on his stick very long anymore. He doesn't have a great shot, but his release is getting quicker and he's placing it better.

He's never going to rocket one-timers from the circle or anything like that, but he is figuring out that he doesn't have much time or space to beat goalies in this league, and is adapting pretty well to that.

He's a really smart player, and he has been adapting well to cover the flaws in his game. Same reason he's good on the boards despite being a midget - he's smart with his stick.

Faceoffs have GOT to get better though.

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

The next Tyler Johnson I assume.

Point arguably makes Johnson expendable.

Why not keep both? I mean having guys like that on the team is a good thing to have more right?

Also I have to wonder is Point like Johnson or is it actually Johnson is like Point?

Because I kind of hope it's the latter, I would like if we were getting 2 Points every game

 

[The Macho King]

I'm fine with keeping them both. I'm also fine moving Johnson for a Top 4 D upgrade. Those two outcomes are both acceptable to me.

 

[MattM92]

The puck isn't staying on his stick very long anymore. He doesn't have a great shot, but his release is getting quicker and he's placing it better.

He's never going to rocket one-timers from the circle or anything like that, but he is figuring out that he doesn't have much time or space to beat goalies in this league, and is adapting pretty well to that.

He's a really smart player, and he has been adapting well to cover the flaws in his game. Same reason he's good on the boards despite being a midget - he's smart with his stick.

Faceoffs have GOT to get better though.

Bolded is true and a team wide issue.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'd rather just keep Johnson and Point behind Stamkos. Namestnikov is verging on the point of useless and if we're going to move a forward to upgrade the defense he's tops on my list. You can never have enough center depth but I'll be darned if that isn't lousy depth.

 

[MattM92]

I'd rather just keep Johnson and Point behind Stamkos. Namestnikov is verging on the point of useless and if we're going to move a forward to upgrade the defense he's tops on my list. You can never have enough center depth but I'll be darned if that isn't lousy depth.

Yeah, but the problem with that is Namestnikov isn't very high on other GM's lists. He won't get us much.

 

[These Are The Days]

Yeah, but the problem with that is Namestnikov isn't very high on other GM's lists. He won't get us much.

Oh I'm sure he won't. But Yzerman managed to turn Steve Downie into Andrei Vasilevskiy and I'm optimistic that whatever we get for Namestnikov can be used to help us. For all we know someone will say, "We'll give you a 3rd for him." But at this point I just want to see us move on from Vladdy because he has the wrong kind of hockey IQ. He's good defensively but offensively he's terrible in open space, decision making and on-ice awareness.

I'm just ready to move on