Palat or Johnson - YOU MUST CHOOSE

[The Macho King]

Who is the better player. There is no "too close to call" option - you must pick one.

So who is it? TJ or Drej?

Click to read more...

 

[Leonardo87]

Offensively - TJ
Defensively - Palat

Just to add, I'm big on the two-way forwards and intangibles, and think Palat brings more to the table, and points are not everything, so I chose Palat.

 

[NatoGhost]

Last year Palat was better.

This year TJ is better.

 

[Coopers Gum]

If I MUST pick one, I'll go with Palat. He looks great with literally whoever he plays with. Always the straw that stirs the drink. And he only has, what, 7 less points than TJ? It's a tough call, because they're obviously both great, but I'll take Palat.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Playoffs will give us the right answer but I feel Palat has an extra gear Johnson doesn't have. I mean when he's on Palat can be a 200 feet game changer. Johnson looks more consistent in his production though.

Needless to say both are awesome players.

 

[Brie]

Tough choice, so happy to have them both but in the end I chose Palat, the guy is a beast in both ends of the ice and one of the most underated players in the NHL who makes everyone around him better while still not losing a step himself.

Love TJ though, we wouldn’t be where we are without both of them.

 

[NatoGhost]

If Palat could just get more of his shots ON goal he'd be a beast. TJ is by far a more accurate shooter. Palat is awesome too, but I've just been noticing him taking these big shots but missing the net a lot. He is so strong with the puck though and great defensively, gifted passer. We're very lucky with all the talent we've been bringing up! Remember when we never called guys up and when we did the best they brought was some energy for a few games?

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

Drej.

It's all about Draft pedigree.

Serious reason He makes ANYONE he plays with better. Love TyJo and it is a tough choice but Palat for me.

 

[Bolt32]

If I had to choose which one to keep and which one to trade. I'm keeping Johnson. Everyone Raves about Palat's defense, and rightfully so. Johnson isn't a slouch back their either is actually pretty damn good at that side of the ice. I think people really under estimate his defensive abilities.

 

[The Macho King]

The thing I notice with Palat is he is one of the best guys I've seen in a Lightning sweater in extending zone time. He interrupts breakouts so well, and gets the pucks in deep to continue the pressure. Him and TJ are both excellent on the forecheck - but when it comes to plays at the blue line, right before they get out, it always seems to be him taking the puck away.

 

[Kramerica Industries]

This is kind of the backwards ideology since general logic dictates that the center is more valuable than the winger, but I agree with the general consensus here. It's obviously not a knock on Tyler, but you look at a game like the one in Montreal last week, and out goes Johnson, in comes Namestnikov, and that line still works wonders. When Palat was out, Johnson and Kucherov were not able to keep that unit at its usual levels. Palat is such a glue player, and not in the usual way that the term is used. He fits in with anyone.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

If Palat could just get more of his shots ON goal he'd be a beast. TJ is by far a more accurate shooter. Palat is awesome too, but I've just been noticing him taking these big shots but missing the net a lot. He is so strong with the puck though and great defensively, gifted passer. We're very lucky with all the talent we've been bringing up! Remember when we never called guys up and when we did the best they brought was some energy for a few games?

Glad I'm not the only one who's seen that, his shooting percentage is inflated because it doesn't count the missed shots but Palat's been shooting quite a lot after a slow start and most of them were glorious scoring chances, if anything it's promising. That means 2 things: OP needs to improve his scoring touch and has room for improvement/luck in terms of goal production. In short Palat could be a 1 point/game player on a career/lucky year.

 

[LordZapp]

I take Palat all day.....AINEC

 

[VinikToWinIt]

I love TJ, but it's Palat. Out of anyone on our team, I'm by far the most comfortable when he's on the ice. Elite defensively and he seems to find chemistry with just about whoever he's playing with. He might just be my favorite player on our team. He'n not as electric as TJ but he does just about everything at a high level and works his *** off.

 

[The Gongshow]

Don't you make me pick between these two! Don't do it! I won't!! NO!

...picked Palat...

 

[Hoek]

TJ because centers > wingers.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Brett Connolly is better then both of them.

 

[Leonardo87]

Brett Connolly is better then both of them.

 

[Houdas]

Imagine a situation, that you can choose who stays at the team - most underrated two-way winger that people are starting to call the second incarnation of hossa or lehtinen, or you could keep incredibly fast center who can also play outsanding defense.

For bolts palat is more important as his position and skills are making him more unique that johnson's scoring - we have stammer.

But I have to say that this is a sophie's choice

 

[DFC]

How messed up is it that even after Johnson's season, I still have to go with Palat. But it's even worse. Because there are nights where I wonder if Palat is the single most important player to this team.

 

[MattM92]

How messed up is it that even after Johnson's season, I still have to go with Palat. But it's even worse. Because there are nights where I wonder if Palat is the single most important player to this team.

I want both to be here for their entire careers as I think they are both crucial to this team, but I agree with you that Palat is possibly the most important guy on the team. He is the guy that makes the best line on the team work.

 

[JS91]

It's so weird that even though Johnson is pretty much the prototype of a player I like, I'm still going with Palat. Johnson is a center, he's fast and he has a lethal shot, but there is a reason why the line Palat is on seems to always be our hottest line.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Yeah it doesn't feel right at all to vote against Tyjo after such a stellar season but I recall one of the rare times Palat played with Stamkos against the Bruins and #91 scored twice from the Drej.

[NHL]724985[/NHL]

[NHL]725164[/NHL]

 

[chasespace]

I gotta go with TJ. Not to take anything away from Palat but TJ has that extra gear that makes him extra dangerous with the puck.

They fit each others' styles really well though

 

[zeykshade]

Center vs. Winger. I pick Center all day. I love me some Palat, as anyone who has been reading since 2012 knows. I just value centers more than Wingers. TJ has every bit the intangibles that Palat does. He's got an extra gear skating, better shot and is every bit as defensively responsible as Palat.

Not taking anything away from Drej, it's just Centers > Wingers. Palat and Kucherov were good bordering on great with Namestnikov for a few games. Johnny takes that line to another level with his speed. It strikes fear in D pairings, period.