It's unfortunate, I think the CBJ played 2 really good games in the entirety of the TB series, and they lost both. We completely dominated the Lightning in G5, but our goaltending let us down. which is pretty poetic, since our goaltending is the only reason why we were there in the first place, and the only reason we won a game in the series.
A game like that is the reason why we need to be patient when picking between Korpi and Elvis. I have no dog in the fight, and Korpi had a fantastic season with all things considered, but man he was really bad in game 5. I hope to see them both back next year, ready to battle it out again for the #1 job (unless of course someone blows you away with an offer for one...)
I'm proud of the team and all they accomplished this year. We were counted out by almost everybody and left for dead at various points of the season. They did nothing but push their way through and make the season very enjoyable, which is something I didn't think would happen this time last year once the big 3 left. Kudos to Torts, Jarmo, and the players for getting it done. I trust them to have a good summer and keep us in the hunt, or better yet, be better than in the hunt.
There are a lot of bright spots on the team that I am sure people have pointed out and discussed at length in the GDT and in here, so rather than echoing those thoughts I'm going to be different and do unsung heroes of the season/postseason.
Riley Nash, after his first year I thought he was pretty disappointing. I thought he was going to be Sammy Pahlsson V2,but I thought by and large he had a good season this year, and was one of our most consistent players in the playoffs. I won't have any issues if he's brought back as the 4C.
Dean Kukan, I thought his growth this year was huge for the team. Admittedly in the past I was not very high on him, I thought of him as a call up guy at best who only looked like he belonged due to low exposure and a small sample size. I was wrong, I think he's a solid bottom pairing defenseman with room to grow. A great find by Jarmo and company.
The AHL call up crew, this includes (but not limited to) Nathan Gerbe, Kevin Stenlund, Ryan MacInnis, Matiss Kivlenieks, Stefan Matteau, and Andrew Peeke. Without these guys and the run they went on in December-January, this playoff run wouldn't have been possible. Its a true testament to the overall coaching we have in the organization from top to bottom, and the eye for depth that Jarmo and Siren/Zito have.
Nick Foligno, Look, I know everyone is going to rip him up due to his contract, his ice time, and lack of offensive production. I think that is fair to an extent, but also overly harsh. Foligno is not the offensive player he was when he signed that contract. However, he has made major strides in the defensive part of the game and is a prime example of what a good captain looks like. I think he has a very good pulse of the locker room, is a great ambassador for the team, and still a quality player to play. Yes, ideally he would just be getting 3rd/4th line ice time with PK minutes, and hopefully that can happen, even if it is an awful lot of money for that type of player, I still think he's worth having around, and is good enough in his own end to warrant another (but much much reduced) contract.
