Wow. Really? Brown is a fast, agile and very versatile player who at worst is an excellent energy player on a checking line and at best ends up playing in a top-6 role. Will he make the NHL? Will he be able to stay there and have an accomplished career? Who knows. That applies to all prospects by the way.
We are spoiled in goaltending in d and in defense when guys like JT Brown who I have zero doubt would have made the lightning last year if hadnt been injured and people like pyatt have no place in tampa it means we are truly spoiled.
I look at it like this. Right now we have tyrell think he is first to go. Think pyatt who is as valuable as a jt brown will also be gone this year by end of year. I think malone is gone at trade deadline. I also think is a good chance teddy is gone by next year.
You watch the WJC or the 3 on 3 tournament in development camp and you see kucherov taking over the games. By himself even when russia was playing like camp he is a man among boys. This is a guy I think comes into camp lights it up a bit and is still going to AHL but for how long? I dont see him being there for a full season he is Elite imo and going to prove that over and over and very quickly especially playing with the core we will wind up having in AHL. Is gonna be pretty sick honestly to watch.
Right now chicago happens to be a team that has a comparison to what Tampa has built when guys like pirri saad and morin are probably all on their third lines this year and maybe for a few years after that?
Who is not better than JT Brown? Honestly does anyone expect killorn to remain a top or second line guy when connolly and kucherov show up? Guys who need to play the top line yet are not as complete of player who can contribute on all ends of ice as a killorn? Killorn has the skill to be a good top or second line guy I have no doubts but see him being third line within two years based on that being best for this deep team. Especially if marty as I expect plays next four years?
So right now kucherov doenst make the roster at start of season because killorn has earned it and drouin will need it and for now both are probably just a little better. Drouin as playmaker and killorn for his all over play puck hound and defensive abilities. Will not expect kucherov to keep improving two way game he is learning quickly and see a TON of federov when was ELITE in this kid.
Namestnikov is coming up next year is true two way center and will prove himself worthy of shot also. Where does he fit in? Top two lines again like killorn dont see it with the talent of connolly and kucherov as scorers.
So top line this year killorn marty and stamkos second line drouin fippula and purcell. third line think we go ahl and keep malone-palat and panik and johnson and than you have crombeen thrompson labrie and for now pyatt. That is 14 barberio makes seven d and got two goalies.
Anyone who doenst believe JT Brown isnt pyatt and/or palat isnt better hasnt watched play so JT and pyatt become expendable. I get that palat being a third line to some might not be ideal cause he has shown he might become a very great scorer? Is a chance? HIS TWO WAY game his physicality is more important. Malone? Power play and lower lines so for now guess he is third line and that keeps palat down. By end of year though palat takes malones spot on the third line and I truly expect him somehow to make the team from the start.
Dont need both crombeen and labrie so think crombeen becomes expendable.
So next year you have I expect by end of season 2014-2015 kucherov marty stamkos second line of fippula drouin and connolly. third line is johnson palat killorn and/or panik and this makes purcell expendable? so fourth line is thompson labrie namestnikov again does anyone think pyatt or jt brown are better to play 3rd 4th line than namestnikov or palat in two years? Namestnikov has a great two way game which allows him to be a good bottom line player also.
So than do I see a change the year after? No Marty is still gonna be here he will be 40-41 and probably still be same old marty lmao meaning one of top players in league. So figure he has 1-2 years at that point. Will want to retire with us and go for another cup run.
After the four year run with marty I believe is panik who moves up to second line and not killorn just because think by than he will be most dangerous scorer and true type of power foward and killorn will prove to be so valuable at third energy or shut down line or grinder line whatever you want to name it. Will say this when johnson was told to shut down the top wjc players like TAVARES he did just that. Do not underrate the third line of palat johnson with a panik-killorn mixture in the future. Very dangerous type of draper maltby mccarthy thing which I think winds up better even. Within that four year period with marty still around will have ERNE ready who might not be true power forward but close in downey type of way with maybe higher upside on scoring but probably just as physical in hitting and richard who will be a total assist machine who should develop a decent two way game and hart probably chomping at the bit at that point along with guys like gusev peca etc..
Truly we are stacked. Is those of you who will say oh namestnikov is top two lines traded or bust etc.. We will see I figure your all wrong tampa is not going to be traditional team in the eyes of most of you fans cause you havent seen a team like this. But chicago is not a traditional team guess you can call it three scoring lines and one shut down grinder for chicago?
Detroit kinda had that with maltby thing but was honestly more a shut down line who could score super dangerous on down a man situations
I think because of his two way play namestnikov could play bottom line and be much more useful than a pyatt or jt brown yep he will have offensive upside that is a terrible thing.
Neat thing most of our guys will have offensive upside and most will have deep true two way games. Is gonna be pretty special honestly.
When we are on 24 and guys like Ikonen who just played brilliantly in wjc scrimmages is not even mentioned at that point? Is a pretty sick system I honestly havent seen anything this deep ever. Yet when you win a calder cup and go to final next year and win the next level down the year before your pretty dammed special.
So yes think we see a ton of movement at one point in next two years these kids are ready or going to be ready and too good to leave in waiting or bury for the next four years or when marty retires and things actually truly have a big change in tampa. Passing of the guard so to speak to mr drouin.
Is just my thoughts on all of this. Note:::::::::: Yep some guys might not make it second NOTE::::: other guys will be part of mix cause of how many people we let go trade for assets or players. Will not all be defensive moves
So is gonna be added mixture to all of this.
This is just my view of how we stand as an organization before camp for 2013-2014 season..
