Confirmed with Link: Lightning sign Slater Koekkoek to a 1-year, one way $800,000 deal

[DFC]

Honestly, I think there is consistency and accountability in Cooper making kids earn the spot. Nothing is given to them. The more they are able to handle things responsibly the more responsibility he gives them.

Johnson, Palat, Killorn, Gudas, Panik, Conacher, Connolly, Brown, Paquette, Namestnikov, Kucherov, Drouin, JAM, Barberio, Sustr, Nesterov, Dotchin, Point, Koekkoek, Vasilevski, Gudlevskis, Vermin, Witkowski, and Gourde are all young players that were afforded opportunities by Coop to contribute. More than half of those guys have been able to earn bigger roles off those opportunities. That Drouin was held accountable isn't an indictment of Cooper as much as an example of Jo expecting more than he's earned. Kucherov makes an excellent counterpoint to Drouin as someone who worked to earn more opportunity under similar circumstances.

If Koekkoek is ready to bring it full time there is a spot there for the seizing. If he can't legitimately earn it he doesn't deserve it. I hope he is ready and can remain consistent. Slater succeeding could address some of the bigger challenges facing our D. If he fails to grab the spot it will be because Sergachev, Masin, Hajek, whoever, outworked him for it not because Cooper has a dislike for skilled players.

I'm talking about the guys who didn't actually come up with Cooper in Syracuse. And the funny thing is, the majority of the guys on your list are guys who haven't actually played a significant role for a full season under Coop, some of whom have gone on to earn large roles with other organizations.

And again: Kucherov has only been promoted when injuries have opened up space for him, despite showing at every turn that he's actually been better than the guys ahead of him on the depth chart. He couldn't get into the top-6 until Brett Connolly got injured. He couldn't get a legit chance at the 1st PP until this year, and went on to lead the league in PP goals.

It seems like all too often Cooper misuses, or just doesn't understand, the weapons at his disposal.

 

[Iceman]

Hedman-Girardi is all that matters, right?