Player Discussion: Cal Foote

[DaBolts]

His Bogo without the shooting or fighting skills....yet.

A couple more years, he might get better, including his skating. No, not a Hedmonster or Serge, but better.

 

[Maelmoor]

I feel he is learning and improving his game, he will never be a great skater but I feel he is reading the game better to make up for it.

He is still making mistakes, but really been a positive surprise this season, especially in recent months!

 

[JFleegs]

I feel he is learning and improving his game, he will never be a great skater but I feel he is reading the game better to make up for it. Has great mentors in Heddy Mcd and Cernak.

He is still making mistakes, but really been a positive surprise this season, especially in recent months!

Had a solid game last night, hopefully this gains his confidence and he can turn into a steady stay at home dman with a bomb of a shot.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

He’s eliminated those errors in his game where he’d get turnstiled off the rush for a goal. It’s much easier to live with the little mistakes than the big ones.

The one thing I’ve always liked about Foote is over the past few years he’s slowly but steady gotten better. Just gotta keep improving and see where that takes him.

 

[Master P]

He still plays too passive imo. It looks like he's second guessing a lot of his decisions which leads to mistakes. Hopefully he gets some more confidence.

 

[JTBF81]

Yeah, good game from him last night given the amount of minutes/responsibilities he had. Only one large error I noticed on that one goal(which should never have happened anyway). He has shown improvement and hopefully will continue to do so as his starts continue. While I still think he could be a valuable trade piece, more games like last night should make the team more confident in using him in a larger role if needed moving ahead.

 

[MattM92]

He needs to work on his foot speed and think the game better. You don't have to be a burner like Hedman to make it in the NHL, you just have to be able to think ahead so that even though you're slower than everyone else the play is coming to you instead of having to chase it.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Zettler talking about Foote

Foote's performance on the road trip:

"First of all he's deserved the ice time. He's played really well over this stretch. Obviously it kind of happened out of necessity, but even before that his minutes were starting to creep up there. It's all based on his play. Two things. One, just a lot more assertive. Physically more assertive, down low killing plays, stopping the opponent, but also more assertive with the puck and joining rushes. That's the two things that probably stand out to me the most. Just being a part of the play more, moving his feet, staying a part of the play, staying a part of the offensive which in turn I think helps you defensively as well since you're able to end plays earlier. Credit to him. If you watch him in practice, he's putting the extra work in all the time , and it's shown. It's starting to show up in his game, so we're real happy with that."

On the 4 dmen game:

"The one thing when you play with 4, sometimes the mindset is to back off a little bit. When that starts to happen, you actually give them more time, more space, and you end up spending more time in your d zone. The message was real simple. Stay up on these guys, don't give them any time, any space. You might think it might take a little more energy, it does take a little more energy early, but it saves a lot later. Our guys I thought did a tremendous job of staying up on the play, and getting in their face, and gapping up, and not allowing them a lot of space through the neutral zone which in turn helped us transition a little easier, and not play a lot of d zone that night. Real credit to all those guys, Footer, Sergy, and Heddy."

On Foote playing with Hedman:

"The puck movement probably (has made them good together). Vic likes to have the puck on his stick, and he should have the puck on his stick. You know, you're not forcing it, but I thought he's done a good job of using each other coming up, and on breakouts. They've stuck to our structure and our process, and it's worked. I think when you're predictable that way, especially on the breakout side, it makes your life a lot easier. I think Footer's done that well with Heddy. Heddy likes to go, and I told him, that doesn't mean you're not, it just means you're aware of it, and just be prepared for it. The games that he's played with Vic so far he's done a really good job."

What's the next step:

"The improvement has come a lot with his puck movement, breakouts, d zone stuff. It's like anybody. If you ask any defenseman, of course everyone wants to score goals and add stuff offensively, so that's probably where the next progression's going to be with him. Finding those shots through on the blueline. He's got a heavy shot, and he's got a good shot, so we want him to use that more. Make that more of a weapon, and make it more of a weapon between the dots in more of the middle of the ice. That's probably the next progression for him."

Cal talking about his game

On the 4 dmen game:

"I was excited. I knew I had an opportunity to play a lot that night. Any time you're a young guy and you get to play that much, you get excited. So, I definitely was excited. I've never been in a situation where it's only been 4 guys, but it was a fun challenge, and I thought the 4 of us did a great job."

On playing with Hedman:

"It's great. Anytime you get the opportunity to play with the best defenseman in the world it's amazing. Very lucky to be able to play with Victor. You're playing against better players, you're playing against stronger, better, faster guys, so it's definitely a challenge, but it's an opportunity that's great to take."

On being more assertive:

"A lot of it comes from positioning. To be able to be in good position, I think a lot of that comes with skating, and being quick enough to close on guys, be more physical, and when you do that a lot of the time you're not playing in your own end. When it's going up the ice it's nice to try to join the rush. I think along with the work that we've been doing in practice, a lot of it's been skating. That's been the key, and that's really helped the most."

 

[Lightning1995]

Absolutely awful against Vegas. Not likely he can be trusted in the playoffs. Disappointing after a nice west coast trip.

 

[JTBF81]

Absolutely awful against Vegas. Not likely he can be trusted in the playoffs. Disappointing after a nice west coast trip.

Agreed, it's great he can suffice against average and mediocre teams, but once again is clearly outmatched against good teams. If the defense was pretty reliably healthy, I'd say no problem, but they haven't been and so thinking of him out there getting walked and blundering grade A chances and goals during the playoffs is scary. I still think moving him plus pick/prospect for a RD is a possible option.

 

[Lightning1995]

Agreed, it's great he can suffice against average and mediocre teams, but once again is clearly outmatched against good teams. If the defense was pretty reliably healthy, I'd say no problem, but they haven't been and so thinking of him out there getting walked and blundering grade A chances and goals during the playoffs is scary. I still think moving him plus pick/prospect for a RD is a possible option.

The kids were an issue last night too. Can’t plug every hole. Atleast solutions are on the roster if healthy at RHD. Add a bet bottom 6 player with some scoring ability with Colton and Joseph May give the Lightning are solid 3rd line and slot the bus line as a really good playoff 4th line.

 

[JTBF81]

The kids were an issue last night too. Can’t plug every hole. Atleast solutions are on the roster if healthy at RHD. Add a bet bottom 6 player with some scoring ability with Colton and Joseph May give the Lightning are solid 3rd line and slot the bus line as a really good playoff 4th line.

Yeah, I suppose it depends if the team is looking for a pure rental at F(if they are looking), or if they are looking for someone they could have beyond this season. If the Jets end up sellers, Copp double retained would be interesting if the team can make the cap work. Crouse, Nieto, Brassard, Jarnkrok could be other names as well to possibly look at, and I'm sure there are others. For defense, Lyubushkin, Manson, or reaching, Klingberg could be a ufa possibility, while Zub and Severson would be trickier but have term.

Just as a hypothetical, Tampa could offer their 1st+Raddysh maybe for Copp at 50%, then trade a 4th for the additional 900k, move a pick or prospect for Lyubushkin @50%, then trade Foote for picks/prospects. A lot of moving pieces but it would upgrade the offense and provide a more stable d corp for the playoffs in case one of Bogo, Rutta or Cernak are unavailable. It does sacrifice a bit of the future(assuming Foote reaches his potential, plus the additional draft capital lost; although some of that would be recouped in the Foote trade in this example ) for a better chance now, but the chance for a 3 peat likely won't be there again.

 

[PaulGG]

Bolts were fortunate to get a point. The bad passing and turnovers were the worst I have seen this season. Foote had a bad game but there were many who were also off. Vegas looked great until they got tired towards the end.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

Bolts were fortunate to get a point. The bad passing and turnovers were the worst I have seen this season. Foote had a bad game but there were many who were also off. Vegas looked great until they got tired towards the end.

They turtled. Badly. Reminded me of how the lightning used to turtle back in 18/19.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

this guy is horrible

 

[Lightning1995]

Eventually we know he‘s gonna play in the post season this year. Lightning are gonna need him.

I‘m not horrified by it. He’s making progress. But you just don’t know with it being his first post season.

 

[NatoGhost]

He's playing well lately.

 

[AHockeyFanatic]

You could probably move Foote ahead of Bogosian at this point as he is making more plays on offense and defense. Not a terrible back end option.

 

[Hoek]

Yeah he actually looks better than Bogo to me as well, but Bogo's game might translate better in the playoffs.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[These Are The Days]

Cal woke up yesterday and decided he was a grown ass man. I truly didn't think he had it in him. Thank you for making me look like an idiot

 

[Peacefool]

If he somehow can fix his skating, if he can be atleast little bit better skater, dude can be legit top 3 D.
I am really impressed by him,now he is proving I was wrong giving up on him. Hopefully he will continue to be better

 

[These Are The Days]

If he somehow can fix his skating, if he can be atleast little bit better skater, dude can be legit top 3 D.
I am really impressed by him,now he is proving I was wrong giving up on him. Hopefully he will continue to be better

All box but missing too many tools

 

[kerrabria]

As an outsider, he looked really good last night.

 

[The Gongshow]

Hes being baptized by fire right now. He's been improving the last month and a half or so.

Little flashes of offensive upside, has a mean streak in him. Incredible shot if he'd hit the net.

We all talk about his skating, if he can improve his first three strides by even 50% he'll be a quote serviceable 2nd pairing D should he continue to develop in the right direction. No complaints about him really this series