Confirmed with Link: [TBL/MIN] Lightning trade Pat Maroon (20% Retained) and Maxim Cajkovic to Minnesota for a 2024 7th Round Pick

[Stammertime91]

Faster doesn't mean anything if they're ineffective, our 4th line has been excellent in every single run. JBB definitely taking a a gamble here because there's not much he can do to help the top6.

They have been very good, but how long do we keep running a 35+ year old 4th line? We all knew it was time to re-tool the roster. Probably should have been done after the loss to Colorado, but we were riding the high of 3 deep runs.

I think you're both right. While they weren't a problem and did the job, it's also time to get faster. They weren't going to get any faster and maybe the wheels were going to come off this year (or not) and JBB thought it's finally time. I also agree that Brisebois probably saw Maroon as a guy Cooper is not going to have ride the pine a majority of the season, even if his play warranted it. Maroon is still very good along the boards and was probably the most effective with two speedy players but given the makeup of our team, found himself stapled next to two guys marginally faster.

I really hope we are looking at a middle 6 winger.

 

[Todd1a]

Clearing room for JBB to announce Jeannot 8 years 4.5 AVV lol

 

[JTBF81]

Clearing room for JBB to announce Jeannot 8 years 4.5 AVV lol

Lol, talk about a fireable offense.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Wow didn’t expect that!

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Faster doesn't mean anything if they're ineffective, our 4th line has been excellent in every single run. JBB definitely taking a a gamble here because there's not much he can do to help the top6.

sorry but it was time.

 

[Stammertime91]

At least we got a 7th.

Bet you regret that decision now huh Al Murray?!

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Tatar isn't a playoff player.

In fairness there were several Devils forwards that weren't "playoff players".

None of them were over +40 during the regular season.

 

[Meuracas]

Don't like the move. We've lost even mkre grit and leadership. I get he's slow, but he hasn't really hurt us on the 4th line, not affraid to step up for the boys too. Jeannot is our only fighter now as well.

Interesting choice

Maroon a fighter? Sure, if you look at the fighting majors but he mostly just hugged the opponent…

 

[Byrddog]

this has nothing to do with the cap. it doesn’t really open any cap space since his roster spot is gonna be taken by someone making around the same amount of money.

he is just too old and slow for us to keep around and jbb realized that cooper was never gonna bench him so he needed to be traded

If that is the truth then Cooper will not be here long. It’s starting to look like JBB wants his own stamp on the team moving on from Yzerman. Well if so the moves since January are not impressive. Freeing up 800k does nothing but provide a little to resign Jeanott and if it is his plan to play Jeanott in Killorns place he has done nothing to help team speed as everyone bitched about with Maroon. There are formal leaders and informal leaders on every team . This weekend two of the most influential room guys have left. So now who picks up the torch to replace them?

 

[Zwui21]

Maroon will be missed for his off ice presence, but it was time to move on.

Very nice job by JBB to get rid of the whole 4th line that was old, slow, and last season wasn't performing anymore.
I see Archibald - Glendening - Eissimont as a superior 4th line, by quite a bit. Faster pace, with grit.

Now sign Jeannot (which should absolutely not get more than 2M - Miles Wood signed 2.5M x 6 in Colorado, and he's got better stats over multiple years) and then bring us Tarasenko.

I hope we don't bring Tatar, he definitely isn't a playoff performer. We already took a gamble on Sheary who isn't known to be good in the playoff, can't have 2 top9 players not performing in the playoff.

 

[Crunchrulz]

If that is the truth then Cooper will not be here long. It’s starting to look like JBB wants his own stamp on the team moving on from Yzerman. Well if so the moves since January are not impressive. Freeing up 800k does nothing but provide a little to resign Jeanott and if it is his plan to play Jeanott in Killorns place he has done nothing to help team speed as everyone bitched about with Maroon. There are formal leaders and informal leaders on every team . This weekend two of the most influential room guys have left. So now who picks up the torch to replace them?

If JBB is foolish enough to let Cooper go, Cooper will be hired by another organization before his signature is dry on his "Departure Interview" from the Lightning. There are plenty of coaches without Stanley Cup Championships getting released then rehired around the league; Cooper's resume speaks for itself.

 

[Zwui21]

Lmao Cooper isn't going anywhere, let's not get ludicrous here.

Also, the idea that JBB is doing these moves cause he "wants his stamp on the team moving on from Yzerman" is laughable.
He's been our GM for 4 years, won 2 cups by making the right adjustments (that I'm fully convinced Yzerman wouldn't have had the guts to make) and has been able to keep us competitive navigating the stagnant salary cap like a f***ing G.
Wanting his stamp on the team? Buddy this is his team

 

[Maelmoor]

I've been a huge fan of Maroon, Bellemare and Perry, great fourth line in the playoffs and I think they've been a bit underrated in general. Especially the Big Rig has been a favourite of mine, so will for sure miss him..

..but, knowing when it's time to move on is also crucial in order to keep the team competitive. Clinging onto "favourites" will only you harm you in the long run. So as much as I would've liked to keep these guys (and some others), I think it's the right time to move on.

 

[Frenchy]

It's a surprise to see him leave , i was sure that we would have find a way to keep him.
His leadership will be missed on and off the ice .

 

[bov]

That's a ton of character and leadership gone, it's a big blow the room. We have gotten a lot smaller and softer in a very short span. It's good that we'll have some hustle and speed in the new bottom 6 but man oh man, there's a gaping whole in this locker room. Very disappointed if JBB doesn't add some pizzazz back to this team.

 

[Rschmitz]

Cooper was interviewed by JBB for Norfolk and he heavily influenced the decision to promote him to the NHL, probably with a long term outlook even back then with replacing Yzerman.

I am very confused, how did firing Cooper become the topic for discussion

 

[These Are The Days]

This is going to sound condescending but we're worrying way too much about the loss of leadership. Between guys like Perry, Maroon, Killorn, McDonagh we lost a bunch of guys who either were captains or would be A's on other teams. And yet we still have guys like Stamkos, Hedman, Kucherov, Cirelli, and even Vasy who'd be recognized as either captains or A's on any other team


Any given room will have like 5 or 6 guys you really lean on. We're over here worrying we don't have 10. The beating heart of this team has been to either 4 or 3 Cups and won it twice. We're gonna be fine. We need dudes who can "go out there and die" for a lack of a better term

 

[Zwui21]

That's a ton of character and leadership gone, it's a big blow the room. We have gotten a lot smaller and softer in a very short span. It's good that we'll have some hustle and speed in the new bottom 6 but man oh man, there's a gaping whole in this locker room. Very disappointed if JBB doesn't add some pizzazz back to this team.

Leadership aside:

Bellemare (67 hits last season) replaced by Glendening (114 hits last season, 179 the season prior), similar weight.

Perry (48 hits last season) replaced by Archibald (195 hits last season), though Archibald weight 10kg less than Perry.

Maroon (172 hits last season) replaced by Ace (107 hits in 54 games total, 162 hits/season pace). Ace weights 20 kg less than Maroon.

Colton (188 hits last season) replaced by Sheary (57 hits last season). Sheary weights 5kg less than Colton.

Overall we can say that we lost some weight, but we definitely didn't lose on toughness (only downgrade being Sheary in the hits department).
That fourth line next season is gonna be a higher speed wrecking ball that forechecks and makes its physical presence felt on the opponents everytime it is on the ice.

On the toughness department, we gotta take into consideration that Jeannot (290 hits in 76 games last season) will further increase the sandpaper in the bottom 6. I think we'll be fine

 

[Felonious Python]

That's a ton of character and leadership gone, it's a big blow the room. We have gotten a lot smaller and softer in a very short span. It's good that we'll have some hustle and speed in the new bottom 6 but man oh man, there's a gaping whole in this locker room. Very disappointed if JBB doesn't add some pizzazz back to this team.

I think we're probably still okay in terms of fighting-type grit. Much like the cap, it'll go to Jeannot. 25 NHL fights in three years. Similar numbers to Maroon.

Bogo may also pick up the pace as he needs to find ways to stay in the lineup.

 

[DFC]

I think we're probably still okay in terms of fighting-type grit. Much like the cap, it'll go to Jeannot. 25 NHL fights in three years. Similar numbers to Maroon.

Bogo may also pick up the pace as he needs to find ways to stay in the lineup.

I think we might still move Bogo.

Agreed though. Hard to really worry about leadership and grit on the lower lines when we have a ton of it up top still. Not exactly heavy in the top-six, but you take liberties with any of those guys at risk of your life. With the exception of Hagel, but he'll learn.

Maroon is a proven winner, but I like trying to get a little faster overall. We lost a lot of speed in the years since the cup wins, for sake of toughness, and I think we might have overdone it. That's not to say I don't think there's a place for guys like Perry and Maroon. Loved them both. But this is a good time to move on.

 

[MattM92]

Maroon a fighter? Sure, if you look at the fighting majors but he mostly just hugged the opponent…

Yeah, Maroon kind of had a misleading reputation as a "fighter". He would mix it up and get fighting majors, but he was a grappler. Sergachev is far more a fighter than Maroon is.

 

[Stammertime91]

Following trade to Wild, Pat Maroon turns page on Lightning, Tampa Bay

Kind of interesting choice of words about Tampa at the end. Didn't see anything to the franchise in this article except "Tampa's done with, and I'm just going to start focusing on Minnesota." Not sure if he meant mentally or he's sour about it. Either way, sucks.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Following trade to Wild, Pat Maroon turns page on Lightning, Tampa Bay

Kind of interesting choice of words about Tampa at the end. Didn't see anything to the franchise in this article except "Tampa's done with, and I'm just going to start focusing on Minnesota." Not sure if he meant mentally or he's sour about it. Either way, sucks.

I wouldn’t read too much into it. Athletes are known for their “one game at a time”, “onto the next one” approach. We all have learned that from their refreshing and enlightening and not at all dull post-game interviews. He’s probably trying not to think too much about it and focus on what’s in front of him.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I wouldn’t read too much into it. Athletes are known for their “one game at a time”, “onto the next one” approach. We all have learned that from their refreshing and enlightening and not at all dull post-game interviews. He’s probably trying not to think too much about it and focus on what’s in front of him.

Agreed