Tampa's Most Important Player?

[User9992]

Who is Tampa Bay Lightning's 'Best & Most Important Player'?

Vasy
Hedman
Kuch
Point
Stamkos
Or someone else?

Click to read more...

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Black Coleman

 

[WarriorofTime]

Who is Tampa Bay Lightning's 'Best & Most Important Player'?

Vasy
Hedman
Kuch
Point
Stamkos
Or someone else?

Like all of the great Hockey teams across eras, they have an elite core, squabbling about the precise ranking of the core doesn't matter that much and it's not really relevant which particular one is the " best and most important" as the core as a whole is what really matters. Back when my Hawks were awesome and winning Cups, people had these kind of talks (occasionally from opposing fans to try and discredit whichever individual player was being discussed in an ever recurring X v. Y Player discussion), and it ultimately doesn't matter.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Best player = most important player.

That's clearly Kucherov.

 

[M88K]

It's vasilevskiy.

 

[Machinehead]

I went with Point.

Vasi shouldn't be winning this. Goalies are fake and bad.

 

[Krewe]

Based on the difference in offence with him vs without him, has to be Kuch to me.

Him or Vasi.

Last year it would have been Hedman, but we are rolling now without him being near his best

 

[EdJovanovski]

Kucherov

 

[WarriorofTime]

I went with Point.

Vasi shouldn't be winning this. Goalies are fake and bad.

Goalie most important position on a single game basis but easiest position to replace longterm. Every year it seems like we hear about some random Waiver acquisition that goes on a crazy tear at the end of the season.

 

[Machinehead]

Goalie most important position on a single game basis but easiest position to replace longterm. Every year it seems like we hear about some random Waiver acquisition that goes on a crazy tear at the end of the season.

Exactly

 

[slapKing]

all I can say is that Stamkos is lucky. the captain at most is the 5th best player on that team. how often can you say that?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Kucherov is the best player on the team.

 

[Foppberg]

Hedman or Vasi

 

[Cup or Bust]

Tough to say, you can take any one forward off of Tampa Bay and they are still a cup contender. They would probably be weakened more as a team missing Hedman or Vasilevsky. If their defense or goaltending was weaker it would likely hurt the team more than losing any forward and that is no disrespect to their forwards, it just shows what a great team they are.

 

[EichHart]

easily vasi. It isnt kuch look at what they did all season without him and stamkos...

 

[Hockeyholic]

Without a legit goalie, you can't win a cup. So...

 

[WarriorofTime]

easily vasi. It isnt kuch look at what they did all season without him and stamkos...

Finished 3rd in the division?

 

[Koivu11]

Hedman.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Goalie most important position on a single game basis but easiest position to replace longterm. Every year it seems like we hear about some random Waiver acquisition that goes on a crazy tear at the end of the season.

Yeah but to do it consistently year in and year out like Vasi has is extremely rare. Sure could Tampa have lucked into a Binnington type run one season and won without Vasi? Yes. But could they have this level of sustained elite play and success without Vasi? I'd say no. Vasi is easily their most important player. Hedman 2nd but losing Vasi would sink them. They'd still compete without Hedman.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Other: Longterm Injuredreserve

 

[bobholly39]

Best player = most important player.

That's clearly Kucherov.

In general i'd agree with bolded, but I think this is an exception

Best player = Kucherov

Most important = Hedman

Tampa has so much offense. They can actually still do quite good at offense without Kucherov (see this past season). Remove Hedman and it creates a bigger hole.

 

[Ace of Hades]

Hedman
Kucherov
Vasilevsky
Point
Stamkos

In that order.

 

[JoVel]

Right now it's Vasi because McBackup f***ing stinks. But replacing Hedman with an average 1D would hurt more than replacing Vasi with an average starter.

 

[jetsforever]

Hedman because they have a bunch of star forwards so can shuffle them around, and goalies are more replaceable
Just this season they proved they can be successful without Kucherov, and last season without Stamkos

 

[95snipes]

I went with Point.

Vasi shouldn't be winning this. Goalies are fake and bad.

Normally I would agree with you, but Vasi is the exception to that.

Voted Hedman though.