Speculation: Offseason changes. You are the GM.

[txpd]

What's the point of posting things that aren't true?

Stamkos scored 60 in the 2011/2012 season. Boucher was coach of the Lightning from 2010-2013

2010–11 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 45 46 91 74 18 6 7 13 6
2011–12 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 60 37 97 66 — — — — —
2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 48 29 28 57 32 — — — — —

well...dang. read it wrong.

 

[usiel]

Yeah, for whatever reason, our top guys think they have to cheat on D in order to succeed at O. They view offense and defense as a zero-sum game. It's hard to believe that our coaches have not pointed out how wrong this is.

Most successful teams recognize that being defensively responsible can translate into scoring chances - and that doesn't mean or require playing a trap. The Ducks, Sharks, Hawks, Bruins and Canadiens all play responsible defensively while still generating offense.

But there's real doubt about whether Ovie, Nick and Green buy into it, because the contrast between their commitment and effort when they have the puck versus when they don't seems pretty plain to my eyes.

And opponents have figured it out - they put their top line out against Ovie an Nick because rather than backing off them, they learned that the best way to defend against Ovie and Nick is to attack them.

They also attack the first line because our craptastic 3rd D pairing was out there with the Caps top line. Seemed like it happened this season far too much.

 

[txpd]

They also attack the first line because our craptastic 3rd D pairing was out there with the Caps top line. Seemed like it happened this season far too much.

yea...I noticed that a lot. I am not sure why oates wanted that.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They also attack the first line because our craptastic 3rd D pairing was out there with the Caps top line. Seemed like it happened this season far too much.

#Oatesknowshockey
#ifyouwereinthegame

It happened seemingly so often it was a head scratcher.

 

[OldHat]

No one is talking about trading 8/19 except you and TXPD. Whoever is in charge needs to surround them with a ******** of talent no matter what the system is going to be.

If you want to play a Shark's style possession game, I'm comfortable with Ovechkin and Kuznetzov in the top 6. If Backstrom finds his game, he's capable as well. That's it.

As for D, Carlson-Alzner is an excellent second pair in any scheme. They still need two players to push them down the depth chart.

So, 19,8,92 - re-sign Grabovski and that leaves two spots.
Ideally those spots add toughness.

And the top pairing brings toughness as well.

You guys make valid points and I'd rather see a possession/aggressive style, but whatever system is employed, it has to be powered by testes - not fluff.

I'd love to see a line of OV-Latta-Wilson

 

[usiel]

yea...I noticed that a lot. I am not sure why oates wanted that.

#Oatesknowshockey
#ifyouwereinthegame

It happened seemingly so often it was a head scratcher.

Glad I wasn't the only one. Seemed like 5v5 play for the D pairing rotation in conjunction with the forwards lines were just wacky.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

I'd love to see a line of OV-Latta-Wilson

hope you love seeing ovi score 20 goals a year, thats what he would get

 

[OldHat]

hope you love seeing ovi score 20 goals a year, thats what he would get

That remains to be seen. It gives you a bruising line that creates a lot of space and separates the opposition from the puck. How tall would OV feel skating with those two guys? Yeah...

 

[txpd]

who passes the puck to ov? ov? backy and Wilson I could see. latta isn't the right guy at all

 

[txpd]

Glad I wasn't the only one. Seemed like 5v5 play for the D pairing rotation in conjunction with the forwards lines were just wacky.

if you assume that carlzner were assigned shutdown on the opposing 1 line, and assume oates wouldn't let green play with ovechkin because he didn't want green to do anything offensive. then it stands that ov would get the 3rd pairing a lot. on the road with the last change the opp coach would see the 3rd pair with ov and send out his 1 line.

 

[RandyHolt]

The same that have passed it to him his entire career. Outside of the PP, pretty much no one / our scrub Dmen trying to hit homers as he circles at the far blue.

He has done just fine without Nick and we all know it.

 

[txpd]

huh? backstrom doesn't pass to ov? kozzie didn't pass to ov? knuble didn't pass to ov? fedorov didn't pass to ov? hell...zubrus and clark and even Halpern passed to ov and green loaded up many an assist passing to ov.

ov's signature is shooting a one timer. cant shoot a one timer without a pass.

 

[RandyHolt]

Wrong.

ov's signature is rushing down LW and cutting inside and throwing a wrister through the RD

PP? Sure shooting a one timer. But wrong again. Its Carlson and Green that feed him.

 

[g00n]

Wrong.

ov's signature is rushing down LW and cutting inside and throwing a wrister through the RD

PP? Sure shooting a one timer. But wrong again. Its Carlson and Green that feed him.

I have to agree here. By and large the assists to Ovechkin at even strength have mostly been "get him the puck so he can do his thing" efforts rather than fancy setups. His lines are always one-dimensional.

That said I haven't seen enough Latta to plug him on the top line any time soon, and Wilson needs some seasoning at more than 8-11min a night as a 4th liner before betting the farm on him.

Ovie needs 2-way linemates. They have to at least be AVERAGE scoring threats and AVERAGE defensively. We saw that early in his career with guys like Clark, Zubrus, Knuble, pre-injury Backstrom, etc. This crap with The Swedish Disconnection has got to end.

 

[BobRouse]

So, 19,8,92 - re-sign Grabovski and that leaves two spots.
Ideally those spots add toughness.

And the top pairing brings toughness as well.

You guys make valid points and I'd rather see a possession/aggressive style, but whatever system is employed, it has to be powered by testes - not fluff.

I'd love to see a line of OV-Latta-Wilson

If Ovechkin is double shifted that would be fine to chuck him on that line.

Bruce double shifted Ovechkin a bunch. I just don't see Oates doing it and Hunter if anything cut him down.

Maybe its b/c Ovie has less energy now but I'd like to see him put on a couple lines when he is in the groove. Maybe I missed that these last couple years but sure hasn't seemed as prevelant.

 

[RandyHolt]

Ovie needs 2-way linemates. They have to at least be AVERAGE scoring threats and AVERAGE defensively. We saw that early in his career with guys like Clark, Zubrus, Knuble, pre-injury Backstrom, etc. This crap with The Swedish Disconnection has got to end.

Agreed right back. Ovi doesn't need fancy passes to score. While he may be reinventing his game, his MVP game is via brute force, skating as fast as possible and firing wristers as hard as possible.

I think I can count on one hand the number of ES one timers that TSD fed to Ovi for goals this year. I can only remember 1. The problem is, there weren't even many attempted.

As Peter Bondra used to tell us at the end of games, you need to make a shot to make a goal. And Nick simply is not setting up Ovi for one timers at ES. In part probably related to Oates, but who knows anymore. Our stars shine dimmed long before Adam came to be.

There has to be someone in between Beagle and Backstrom that can play with Ovi. I have long thought one Joel Ward earn a shift or 2 with him. Nope.

Ovi Fehr Ward

 

[marcel snapshot]

There has to be someone in between Beagle and Backstrom that can play with Ovi.

In theory, Grabovski should be that guy - he's faster than Nick and more defensively responsible, but still a pretty good play-maker. But for whatever reason, we didn't see Ovie and Grabo together that much this year, and when they were it didn't seem to work quite as readily as it should have.

 

[RandyHolt]

In theory, Grabovski should be that guy - he's faster than Nick and more defensively responsible, but still a pretty good play-maker. But for whatever reason, we didn't see Ovie and Grabo together that much this year, and when they were it didn't seem to work quite as readily as it should have.

I bet it was MJ as the 1LW.

But I have to remind myself that Oates's system was so bizarre that its tough to grade players and lines.

Oates moved Grabo to LW, naturally. He probably got more games there than as Ovi's center. Oates was praised for this move. That's how bad he was and our top line was. We got ~5 games of meh play from a 20M line once the season was over.

I hope we can retain Grabs. He was the only player in our top 6 that played like he gave a ****.

 

[BobRouse]

Agreed right back. Ovi doesn't need fancy passes to score. While he may be reinventing his game, his MVP game is via brute force, skating as fast as possible and firing wristers as hard as possible.

I think I can count on one hand the number of ES one timers that TSD fed to Ovi for goals this year. I can only remember 1. The problem is, there weren't even many attempted.

As Peter Bondra used to tell us at the end of games, you need to make a shot to make a goal. And Nick simply is not setting up Ovi for one timers at ES. In part probably related to Oates, but who knows anymore. Our stars shine dimmed long before Adam came to be.

There has to be someone in between Beagle and Backstrom that can play with Ovi. I have long thought one Joel Ward earn a shift or 2 with him. Nope.

Ovi Fehr Ward

I agree with both you guys.

Ovechkin needs STEVE LARMER!!! Well ...someone like that.

Keenan always used to say that there are only a few people that can play and keep up with Gretzky. Larmer was one of them. Larmer was a Keenan favorite and could play with anyone and provide strong O and completely cover for them defensively (Dennis Savard, Roenick)

A winger that has some finishing touch that can play a two way game is essential on our NEED list.

2 top 6 forwards (assuming we resign Grabo) and a top 4 and 5/6 vet dman.

Upgrades to MJ and Brouwer would make us a threat again if the D is addressed as well.

 

[txpd]

rh, I think you need to see where the launch for ov's rushes come from. deep in the defensive zone. that is often a pass from the center. often its a pass from backstrom. he was certainly not getting those passes from the caps 3rd pair defensemen.

interesting to see how far backstrom has fallen in your eyes

 

[g00n]

rh, I think you need to see where the launch for ov's rushes come from. deep in the defensive zone. that is often a pass from the center. often its a pass from backstrom. he was certainly not getting those passes from the caps 3rd pair defensemen.

interesting to see how far backstrom has fallen in your eyes

Whoever has the puck is looking to do that. And who that is has been a matter of luck or the system. It's not like playmakers are creating space in the o-zone and then finding Ovechkin who himself has found more created space in a scoring area (other than the PP). They just get him the puck ASAP anywhere on the ice and if he can skate close enough to shoot that's what he does. That's why he floats in the d-zone.

 

[BobRouse]

rh, I think you need to see where the launch for ov's rushes come from. deep in the defensive zone. that is often a pass from the center. often its a pass from backstrom. he was certainly not getting those passes from the caps 3rd pair defensemen.

interesting to see how far backstrom has fallen in your eyes

Yeah Backstrom is FAR from a problem. He's a top 10 center (or close to it) in most people's books. Let's not put too much on the shoulders of Atlas (Ovechkin/Backstrom) here. There are too many guys who aren't even pulling their weight but rather are an anchor right now.

To me it has more to deal with the wing riding shotgun with them. We need a different kind of player than MJ there.

 

[g00n]

Yeah Backstrom is FAR from a problem. He's a top 10 center (or close to it) in most people's books. Let's not put too much on the shoulders of Atlas (Ovechkin/Backstrom) here. There are too many guys who aren't even pulling their weight but rather are an anchor right now.

To me it has more to deal with the wing riding shotgun with them. We need a different kind of player than MJ there.

Backstrom has the ability but I think his give-a-damn broke a few years ago.

 

[BobRouse]

Backstrom has the ability but I think his give-a-damn broke a few years ago.

I think he had a terrible year in 10-11 (still put up 65 pts)

The next year he was a PPG under a trap and got a concussion.

Last year he was good. PPG. Not as dominant as 09-10.

I thought this year he was better than last. He had a rough stretch there for 15 or so games but was otherwise pretty darn good (top 10 NHL scorer)

Again..our WHOLE team looked bad at even strength. Either everyone is regressing OR we have an idiot coach and an incomplete roster.

 

[RandyHolt]

interesting to see how far backstrom has fallen in your eyes

He hasn't fallen anywhere. He looks lazy to me. Does he to you?

I think its interesting how Ovi and Green get pummeled on the boards yet no one dares to say anything negative about him. Why are certain players immune to criticism?

Maybe the injuries have made him care about self preservation as priority number 1. I don't blame him if so. But I am not going to turn a blind eye to grading out our 2nd highest paid player anymore. He is no spring chicken.

Look at his play. Healthy all year. Would you say he looked cut from the mold to lead a team to a cup, or not?

Simply answer those 3 questions, or do not reply. No spinning requested.