Speculation: Now what do we do?

[MattM92]

Team can't win a single series without a healthy Ben Bishop, equally concerning.

Well, to be fair, both times we lost to the Stanley Cup champions. It's not like we got beat by a team that got bounced the next round. Even when the Habs swept us, they made it to the ECF, beating the President's Trophy winning Bruins on the way.

 

[AimForTopCheddar]

Yep got to buyout carle first. Try and move or
Bury condra in the minors. Trade flipper back to Detroit and trade garrison for some kids restock the system a bit. Pretty much stuck with Callahan can't really do anything with him.

I hope you mean trade Coburn for some kids because Garrison is great as our #3.

Yep. We're basically the Canadiens, except we aren't complete crap without our goalie - we just aren't quite good enough.

Exactly more the reason we should move Bish. We have a very good replacement for him and it could dramatically improve our scoring depth. We can't rely on only Bish.

 

[tjs*]

I hope you mean trade Coburn for some kids because Garrison is great as our #3.

He certainly is, but we're going to need the cap space to resign our young core and we also need to reload with some high level talent in Syracuse. Garrison not only gives us more space to resign our key players but unlike Coburn he's valuable enough to give us a quality return.

Thanks to the cap going flat we're unfortunately going to have to take a step back before we can move forward again. Considering that Garrison will be almost 34 when his contract is up it's very unlikely that we'd resign him at that point; moving him a year or two early to bring back some quality picks/prospects and keep as many of our young forwards around as possible is just the sort of move we have to make.

 

[DFC]

So basically what you're saying is that you're too lazy to actually think the situation through before forming your opinion. Good to know.

By the way if you'd actually taken the time to see what our potential roster looks like with and without Bishop you'd have seen that we're probably losing Killorn as well. So I guess you're fine with Kucherov, Drouin, and Johnson having to do all our scoring.

No, I'm saying Bishop is the single most important player to the team (outside of maybe Hedman) so I'd be willing to lose any single player in place of him. If Bishop and Palat's contracts are basically equal, I'll take Bishop with the same team.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

No, I'm saying Bishop is the single most important player to the team (outside of maybe Hedman) so I'd be willing to lose any single player in place of him. If Bishop and Palat's contracts are basically equal, I'll take Bishop with the same team.

i wouldnt but have faith in the russian

 

[DFC]

i wouldnt but have faith in the russian

I have faith in Vasilevskiy long-term. But it's hard to say what our team will look like long-term. I think it's a mistake to be making massive decisions based on what the team MIGHT look like two years from now, when, as recent history proves, our attitudes on certain players change drastically from year to year. In the here and now, we know Bishop is an MVP caliber goalie. We know he makes us a much, much better team. If we had a center who made us a much, much better team, we wouldn't be planning to move him because we "rely too much on him."

If we want to be the Penguins, we have to start a rebuild today, and we have to hope we get a couple of #1 picks that pan out like Crosby and Malkin. We're never going to be the Penguins. We have to build on the assets we have, one of which is a top-3 goalie.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

I have faith in Vasilevskiy long-term. But it's hard to say what our team will look like long-term. I think it's a mistake to be making massive decisions based on what the team MIGHT look like two years from now, when, as recent history proves, our attitudes on certain players change drastically from year to year. In the here and now, we know Bishop is an MVP caliber goalie. We know he makes us a much, much better team. If we had a center who made us a much, much better team, we wouldn't be planning to move him because we "rely too much on him."

If we want to be the Penguins, we have to start a rebuild today, and we have to hope we get a couple of #1 picks that pan out like Crosby and Malkin. We're never going to be the Penguins. We have to build on the assets we have, one of which is a top-3 goalie.

i'm all the way on the bishop being moved train before expansion. I just feel that is in our best interest moving forward.

Am also on the train of letting stamkos walk though. I want the other guys and have never said anything against the guys I consider core that a lot of people put down.

Is just simple to me i want johnson kucherov hedman stralman drouin vasy and palat moving forward its a good start

if got 7 3 1

its johnson kucherov drouin palat this is where gets harder but stralman hedman vasy and koekkoek im into keeping
the other 3 forwards I got a mixed bag. I really want to make a trade for shattenkirk and if we lost vladdy killorn brown draft choices ok etc..

but right now the three forwards would be in this order boyle brown vladdy

than would come killorn and is only money holding me back i think we got to move these contracts
carle bishop garrison coburn callahan filppula and guy id most like to keep is flipper next is garrison than would be bishop

the rest im really for moving

i want the rh d solution over everything we honestly saw this season during the run for playoffs when our d steps up and out and helps the bottom and top lines we are a MUCH better team. I know we could use some depth scoring but if we could tie the d up get the power play going? I really think we are close enough with a couple of right bottom guys or vets looking for cup who will play the right roles to get the cup.

The D is priority we are soooooooo close dont want wholesale changes but the cap and expansion is going to dictate certain realities id rather get a start on it as quickly as possible.

just my belief shore up what needs shoring up as we run for the cup again

 

[Todd1a]

i'm all the way on the bishop being moved train before expansion. I just feel that is in our best interest moving forward.

Am also on the train of letting stamkos walk though. I want the other guys and have never said anything against the guys I consider core that a lot of people put down.

Is just simple to me i want johnson kucherov hedman stralman drouin vasy and palat moving forward its a good start

if got 7 3 1

its johnson kucherov drouin palat this is where gets harder but stralman hedman vasy and koekkoek im into keeping
the other 3 forwards I got a mixed bag. I really want to make a trade for shattenkirk and if we lost vladdy killorn brown draft choices ok etc..

but right now the three forwards would be in this order boyle brown vladdy

than would come killorn and is only money holding me back i think we got to move these contracts
carle bishop garrison coburn callahan filppula and guy id most like to keep is flipper next is garrison than would be bishop

the rest im really for moving

i want the rh d solution over everything we honestly saw this season during the run for playoffs when our d steps up and out and helps the bottom and top lines we are a MUCH better team. I know we could use some depth scoring but if we could tie the d up get the power play going? I really think we are close enough with a couple of right bottom guys or vets looking for cup who will play the right roles to get the cup.

The D is priority we are soooooooo close dont want wholesale changes but the cap and expansion is going to dictate certain realities id rather get a start on it as quickly as possible.

just my belief shore up what needs shoring up as we run for the cup again

Johnson is not a number one center we can't move forward with him at number on center. I'd let bishop and Johnson go they are always hurt and as they get older they will keep getting hurt. Johnson just may be to small to be a top flight nhl center. I'd sign Stamkos and trade Johnson for a rhd and move bishop for our depth scoring needs sign vasy a good back up goalie in FA that can play.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Johnson is not a number one center we can't move forward with him at number on center. I'd let bishop and Johnson go they are always hurt and as they get older they will keep getting hurt. Johnson just may be to small to be a top flight nhl center.

72 in 77 games and nearly 30 goals seems like a 1C to me.

He played a full 82 two years ago, missed only 5 last year, this was his first season he missed much time due to injuries. I wouldn't say he's always hurt.

 

[Todd1a]

72 in 77 games and nearly 30 goals seems like a 1C to me.

He played a full 82 two years ago, missed only 5 last year, this was his first season he missed much time due to injuries. I wouldn't say he's always hurt.

I don't have faith Johnson and bishop can have a whole healthy season and playoffs ever plus we could land a great defenseman for Tyler Johnson and Johnson plays hurt all the time. Other then the broken leg and blood clot when has Stamkos missed time hose ? I'd have more faith with Stamkos and vladdy going forward then Johnson and vladdy .

 

[tjs*]

You know what Chicago last year and Pittsburgh this year have in common? Scoring depth. You know what neither team had? Ridiculous blue line depth. Trading Killorn or Johnson (two of our top playoff scorers the past two years) for Shattenkirk is absurd.

 

[Todd1a]

72 in 77 games and nearly 30 goals seems like a 1C to me.

He played a full 82 two years ago, missed only 5 last year, this was his first season he missed much time due to injuries. I wouldn't say he's always hurt.

What is Johnson year one 50 points 82 games . Year 2 77 games 72 points. Year 3 69 games 39 points. Number one centers should be 1 point per game players!

 

[Todd1a]

You know what Chicago last year and Pittsburgh this year have in common? Scoring depth. You know what neither team had? Ridiculous blue line depth. Trading Killorn or Johnson (two of our top playoff scorers the past two years) for Shattenkirk is absurd.

Yep I'd agree

 

[tjs*]

I don't have faith Johnson and bishop can have a whole healthy season and playoffs ever plus we could land a great defenseman for Tyler Johnson and Johnson plays hurt all the time. Other then the broken leg and blood clot when has Stamkos missed time hose ? I'd have more faith with Stamkos and vladdy going forward then Johnson and vladdy .

That's a lot of faith in a guy who has historically been a massive underperformer in the playoffs and who just had major shoulder surgery. The one thing he brings to the table is his shot, and we don't even know if he has that anymore. You really want to give that guy an enormous contract and lose multiple players who outperform him when it counts?

 

[Todd1a]

That's a lot of faith in a guy who has historically been a massive underperformer in the playoffs and who just had major shoulder surgery. The one thing he brings to the table is his shot, and we don't even know if he has that anymore. You really want to give that guy an enormous contract and lose multiple players who outperform him when it counts?

Stamkos and Johnson are the same age and no I'm not concerned with Stamkos shoulder at all he did not have shoulder surgery had that for a vein for the blood clot. My core would be Stamkos, drouin, palat, kucherov, hedman, stralman and vasy. Sure I'd love to keep Johnson also but I think Brayden point has a good chance to replace Johnson over Stamkos. Just think the Lightning will regret it letting Stamkos walk but I'm a fan no matter what.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I don't have faith Johnson and bishop can have a whole healthy season and playoffs ever plus we could land a great defenseman for Tyler Johnson and Johnson plays hurt all the time. Other then the broken leg and blood clot when has Stamkos missed time hose ? I'd have more faith with Stamkos and vladdy going forward then Johnson and vladdy .

So I mention Johnson played all 82 games 2 years ago and you're first sentence is I like to see him play a whole season, what? Then I mention this is the first season Johnson missed much time with injury and than you mention two significant Stamkos injuries and say he's never hurt, what?

Why do we need to trade Johnson for a defenseman we are good on defense we need centers.

 

[tjs*]

Stamkos and Johnson are the same age and no I'm not concerned with Stamkos shoulder at all he did not have shoulder surgery had that for a vein for the blood clot. My core would be Stamkos, drouin, palat, kucherov, hedman, stralman and vasy. Sure I'd love to keep Johnson also but I think Brayden point has a good chance to replace Johnson over Stamkos. Just think the Lightning will regret it letting Stamkos walk but I'm a fan no matter what.

Look up the surgery he had - it involved cutting through shoulder muscle. Doctors were talking about him having to re-learn how to do a slap shot and to compensate for the loss in shoulder strength by relying more on core movement. It is far from a given that Stamkos will be the same player even if the clotting issue doesn't return. And remember even that "same player" was a shell of the one before the leg injury.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Look up the surgery he had - it involved cutting through shoulder muscle. Doctors were talking about him having to re-learn how to do a slap shot and to compensate for the loss in shoulder strength by relying more on core movement. It is far from a given that Stamkos will be the same player even if the clotting issue doesn't return. And remember even that "same player" was a shell of the one before the leg injury.

Agree it's a risk to sign him. If we sign him to a decent number I would be ok with it but I don't see it unless he wants to take less and finish what he started here.

Even with Johnsons injuries

Johnson > Stamkos when games truly matter.

 

[HoseEmDown]

What is Johnson year one 50 points 82 games . Year 2 77 games 72 points. Year 3 69 games 39 points. Number one centers should be 1 point per game players!

So why do you want Stamkos?

 

[Todd1a]

So I mention Johnson played all 82 games 2 years ago and you're first sentence is I like to see him play a whole season, what? Then I mention this is the first season Johnson missed much time with injury and than you mention two significant Stamkos injuries and say he's never hurt, what?

Why do we need to trade Johnson for a defenseman we are good on defense we need centers.

Stamkos injury"s are things that are major that you can't play with I'm saying Johnson seems to have nagging injuries all the time and he is 25 he is not old yet.

 

[Todd1a]

So why do you want Stamkos?

I want core players with the highest upside with youth! Stamkos, drouin, kucherov, palat, hedman, vasy and stralman. I think Stamkos numbers will go back up playing with drouin.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

What is Johnson year one 50 points 82 games . Year 2 77 games 72 points. Year 3 69 games 39 points. Number one centers should be 1 point per game players!

So why do you want Stamkos?

we had a very high scoring year actually in the nhl the top 30 players NOT top 30 centers lmfao at this statement 30th was 63 points for the year. Was 5 ppg players in the NHL genius seriously

I know you love stamkos but this is going way overboard brother 95 points in a 103 game season the year before is all i need to see to call a guy a number one center jeezus even crazy talk


ohhh yes he played with a broken hand his last four games so think he didnt score in those last four smdh

 

[HoseEmDown]

Stamkos injury"s are things that are major that you can't play with I'm saying Johnson seems to have nagging injuries all the time and he is 25 he is not old yet.

I'd rather go with the guy with nagging injuries that can play through them than the guy with serious ones who misses significant time. I also wouldn't invest big money on the guy with the major career threatening ones.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I want core players with the highest upside with youth! Stamkos, drouin, kucherov, palat, hedman, vasy and stralman. I think Stamkos numbers will go back up playing with drouin.

Highest upside? Seems like Stamkos hit his years ago and is on the decline while now being a serious injury risk. Johnson may have hit his too but will be much cheaper, plays through injuries and has great chemistry with your other core players. You are relying on hope Stamkos and Drouin click when Stamkos has shown he has hardly any chemistry with anybody.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Todd what has Stamkos done in the playoffs?? Nonexistent. Johnson has been an MVP to this team at times in the playoffs. Besides maybe Kucherov there hasn't been any more clutch player on the team than Johnson. Maybe he would be better with Drouin but we know Johnson has chemistry with Kucherov and Palat.