Speculation: The 2015-16 Lightning: Our team next year

[Leonardo87]

I think we have too many better options than Callahan on the PP right now to justify giving him 1st unit time. The best our PP looked all year was with TKO on the first unit.

Filppula should probably be removed from the PP altogether, sadly. Drouin+Callahan+Shooter on the second unit. Maybe we should be playing Stamkos the full 2 minutes.

I disagree with that. Callahan's numbers alone are enough to keep him on the top unit, plus his intangibles and his physical presense are key to making the PP work. The PP had been up and down all season because of carrying the puck and getting set up in the zone, and the lack of shooting from the points or circles, two things that are not Cally's primary job responsibilties on the PP, so he was not the issue. He is there waiting for the shots to deflect or pot the rebounds which he is excellent with and to get the loose pucks on missed or deflected shots that go into the corners to keep pressure in the zone.

You look at the goal totals, Stamkos - 13 , Callahan - 10, Johnson - 8 , and the next player has 3 goals. Cally should not be getting reduced PP time. The PP is his bread and butter and if Coop reduces his PP time he is a ****ing idiot.

I understand some people want to see him on the 3rd line and it makes sense but when he is one of our best PP specialists, and people want him on the 2nd unit I just cannot agree with that.

I also think Coop needs to keep Palat and Callahan together on the same unit.

Just to add posted this the other day...

All PP situations for Forwards...

Points/60min

Johnson - 6.02
Kucherov - 5.04
Stamkos - 4.84
Callahan - 4.17
Palat - 3.82
Filppula - 3.52
Drouin - 2.69
Killorn - 1.28


Goals/60 mins

Johnson - 2.83
Callahan - 2.60
Stamkos - 2.31
Drouin - 1.34
Palat - 1.04
Kucherov - 0.67
Filppula - 0.44
Killorn - 0.43

http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/rat...27&type=individual&sort=igoals60&sortdir=DESC

 

[Sky04]

Wtf 2 full mins of Callahan over TKO? No thanks, first unit should be TKO and Stamkos with Callahan on the 2nd unit.

 

[Leonardo87]

Wtf 2 full mins of Callahan over TKO? No thanks, first unit should be TKO and Stamkos with Callahan on the 2nd unit.

Why? I presented a whole arguement and posted numbers showing how Callahan does compared to the triplets and rest of the forwards. What is your reason? Because the triplets are great 5 on 5? It's a different game dude, Callahan's specialty is the PP, he does his job excellent on it, and the reason why we don't have a rock bottom PP.

It would make more sense to throw him on the 3rd line, while giving him reduced ES mins, but more PP time. Also some PK time.

I mean someone said Killorn was a better option than Callahan on the PP. I mean I could hate Callahan with a passion and would not agree with that, and think it's crazy, lol.

 

[Rschmitz]

Why? I presented a whole arguement and posted numbers showing how Callahan does compared to the triplets and rest of the forwards. What is your reason? Because the triplets are great 5 on 5? It's a different game dude, Callahan's specialty is the PP, he does his job excellent on it, and the reason why we don't have a rock bottom PP.

It would make more sense to throw him on the 3rd line, while giving him reduced ES mins, but more PP time. Also some PK time.

I mean someone said Killorn was a better option than Callahan on the PP. I mean I could hate Callahan with a passion and would not agree with that, and think it's crazy, lol.

In the playoffs Callahan didnt do anything on the PP it was the triplets, Hedman, and Stammer. I am sure there will be some trial periods to see what works and what doesn't with this new coach coming in.

 

[These Are The Days]

I've done a lot of looking up and down the roster and I think the addition of Erik Condra hasn't so much been overlook by us. I think it hasn't sunk in with just how good he is because we've been so spoiled with the talent on the rest of the roster. We added a true blue collar. He's a very good penalty killer, a guy who is usually right where he needs to be, makes smart plays, is as suicidal as Boyle with his shot blocking and moreover, a bottom 6 player who will chip in between 5 and 10 much needed goals. Hardly an impressive skillset but he's the guy who can barely skate while holding that Stanley Cup over his head. Every champion has an Erik Condra on their team.

Through no fault of his own, Brendan Morrow's tank was riding on "E" since the day he signed with us. Every great player slows down. Condra on the other hand is going to fit in the lineup EVERY night and do more than Morrow ever could've hoped for.

I'm excited to see what he's gonna do out there. At the very least we're gonna have a better PK than last year.

 

[Brie]

In the playoffs Callahan didnt do anything on the PP it was the triplets, Hedman, and Stammer. I am sure there will be some trial periods to see what works and what doesn't with this new coach coming in.

Cally did a good job on the PP in the PO since he did his job infront of the net and man goals were scored because he was there. It was also that great goal against the rangers where he was out there with the TKO line and because the rangers PK was som focused on them that Cally was all free in their zone, but it's hard to figure out our PP situation since we do have the players that we should be able to create two great units, just need to figure it all out, like no matter how great the TKO+Stammer were is it a good idea to have our two best overall goalscorers (Stammer and Kuch) on the same unit as an example, guess we'll see.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Why? I presented a whole arguement and posted numbers showing how Callahan does compared to the triplets and rest of the forwards. What is your reason? Because the triplets are great 5 on 5? It's a different game dude, Callahan's specialty is the PP, he does his job excellent on it, and the reason why we don't have a rock bottom PP.

It would make more sense to throw him on the 3rd line, while giving him reduced ES mins, but more PP time. Also some PK time.

I mean someone said Killorn was a better option than Callahan on the PP. I mean I could hate Callahan with a passion and would not agree with that, and think it's crazy, lol.

I agree with you here. Callahan is great on the PP. He gets the dirty goals that many of our forwards aren't great at. His bread and butter is putting home those kinds of goals, and that's something we need on the PP.

As for his total role on the team, I also agree with sticking him on the third line and expanding his special teams roles. He's a good penalty killer as well, which is something we really haven't utilized in his time in Tampa yet.

 

[DFC]

Why? I presented a whole arguement and posted numbers showing how Callahan does compared to the triplets and rest of the forwards. What is your reason? Because the triplets are great 5 on 5? It's a different game dude, Callahan's specialty is the PP, he does his job excellent on it, and the reason why we don't have a rock bottom PP.

It would make more sense to throw him on the 3rd line, while giving him reduced ES mins, but more PP time. Also some PK time.

I mean someone said Killorn was a better option than Callahan on the PP. I mean I could hate Callahan with a passion and would not agree with that, and think it's crazy, lol.

The numbers don't mean a lot when guys like Kucherov and Palat had scrap minutes for a large part of the season. The only times our PP got really hot, TKO was driving the bus. You can't look at a guy like Kucherov and think he should be on the bench in favor of Callahan. Same with Palat, who can do some of what Callahan does in front of the net while bringing a lot more to the table elsewhere.

You say a lot "Callahan wasn't the problem." And yet there seem to be a lot of problems happening around him when we play him over his head. One of those problems was the dismal PP. We have better weapons. Callahan does one thing better than they do, but I don't think that's enough to justify disbanding the hottest line in the league, simply because it's a PP and one guy is good at standing in front of the net.

Those three are just too good and Stamkos is Stamkos. Callahan is a good player. But sooner or later he's going to have to start taking a backseat to better players, regardless of his salary.

 

[Leonardo87]

The numbers don't mean a lot when guys like Kucherov and Palat had scrap minutes for a large part of the season. The only times our PP got really hot, TKO was driving the bus. You can't look at a guy like Kucherov and think he should be on the bench in favor of Callahan. Same with Palat, who can do some of what Callahan does in front of the net while bringing a lot more to the table elsewhere.

You say a lot "Callahan wasn't the problem." And yet there seem to be a lot of problems happening around him when we play him over his head. One of those problems was the dismal PP. We have better weapons. Callahan does one thing better than they do, but I don't think that's enough to justify disbanding the hottest line in the league, simply because it's a PP and one guy is good at standing in front of the net.

Those three are just too good and Stamkos is Stamkos. Callahan is a good player. But sooner or later he's going to have to start taking a backseat to better players, regardless of his salary.

It is not that time yet for him to take a backseat. Those numbers I posted are averages which takes into consideration the time on the PP. Callahan is better than most of the triplets on the PP, that is a fact. ES is a different beast. It's not just about the goals or points but what he brings to the PP which is very important. You talk about Palat, the key is to have both Palat and Cally on the same unit.

Also, the Stamkos, TKO PP saw its ups and downs. Was also changed up again in the regular season because it was not scoring. People talk about the playoffs, our last two PP goals, Callahan was part of it, had the beautiful goal and then assisted on the one against Chicago. TKOSS went dead the last 10 games of the playoffs. Our hottest PP was when we had Stamkos, Hedman, Palat, Flip, and Callahan on it. I would swap Flip with Johnson, and then you have your best PP specialists on the 1st unit. You look at those numbers for Flip and they are not good at all, same as Killorn.

You know people here can talk about moving him to the 3rd line, but you are not going to reduce his PP time. You are going to tell me a guy who was 2nd in goals on the PP, 15th in the league, should not be getting top PP time? Also, he does more than one thing better on the PP, but one of those things is crucial to having a successful PP that scores.

 

[Rschmitz]

Maybe I'm imagining things but it seemed like the only times our PP had success during the playoffs was when the fav 5 were out there. The regular season is a different beast, but I can't recall the triplets getting significant time together during the regular season with the man advantage. Johnson and Kucherov did get some time but Palat usually off of it.

Anyways, with this new PP coach I'd just throw everything last season out of the window.

 

[DFC]

Maybe I'm imagining things but it seemed like the only times our PP had success during the playoffs was when the fav 5 were out there. The regular season is a different beast, but I can't recall the triplets getting significant time together during the regular season with the man advantage. Johnson and Kucherov did get some time but Palat usually off of it.

Anyways, with this new PP coach I'd just throw everything last season out of the window.

This.

TKO got scrap PP time all year. That's going to affect anyone's average. But when we actually pay attention to which units looked effective, and which ones actually heated up from time to time and looked dangerous, it was just about always TKO+.

 

[Brie]

Who are the fav 5? I'm asking since Stralman was the 'd' when TKO+Stammer was the PP unit and I for one think that Hedman is another player other than Cally who should get a lot of PP time, however if they do keep TKO+Stammer then I at least hope that they will even out the PP time more between the two units. I did like some of the PP's when TKO+Stammer but we also run the risk of having all weapons on the same PP, at least goal scoring-vise, however a lot of how a 2nd unit would look would depend on what kind of year Drouin and Fil has, top years from them and finding two working units shouldn't be a problem no matter who is on them but if Fil has another year like last and Drouin isn't ready to be the playmaker on a PP unit (if the 2nd PP unit is Cally, Hedman, Killorn, ? + Fil/Drouin), but hopefully everything works out and we can really build two great units and we can split time between them so it will be almost equal, that would be ideal.

 

[Werewolf]

Maybe try Stamkos at the blue line. Johnson and Kucherov at the Dots. Stamkos up top...Palat in the middle and Callahan down low/behind the net. Pretty unstoppable...defense wouldn't be able to cheat at all. Kind of a defensive nightmare having Stammer up top...but Stammer on 4v3 up top seems to work excellently.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Maybe try Stamkos at the blue line. Johnson and Kucherov at the Dots. Stamkos up top...Palat in the middle and Callahan down low/behind the net. Pretty unstoppable...defense wouldn't be able to cheat at all. Kind of a defensive nightmare having Stammer up top...but Stammer on 4v3 up top seems to work excellently.

Stamkos doesn't have the shot to be anymore effective on the blueline then most defenseman. His shot is all about the quick release from in close, it's not heavy like a Weber or Chara. His vision and playmaking also aren't a strong point to be up there, Johnson would be much better there. Stamkos is a circle in player, outside of that you take away his strengths.

 

[Todd1a]

Stamkos doesn't have the shot to be anymore effective on the blueline then most defenseman. His shot is all about the quick release from in close, it's not heavy like a Weber or Chara. His vision and playmaking also aren't a strong point to be up there, Johnson would be much better there. Stamkos is a circle in player, outside of that you take away his strengths.

Garrison is the best shot on our blue line if he can hit the net.

 

[Sky04]

Maybe I'm imagining things but it seemed like the only times our PP had success during the playoffs was when the fav 5 were out there. The regular season is a different beast, but I can't recall the triplets getting significant time together during the regular season with the man advantage. Johnson and Kucherov did get some time but Palat usually off of it.

Anyways, with this new PP coach I'd just throw everything last season out of the window.

First unit usually goes on for 1:20mins and then TKO gets scrap time with most of it spent trying to enter the zone.

 

[Rschmitz]

Who are the fav 5? I'm asking since Stralman was the 'd' when TKO+Stammer was the PP unit and I for one think that Hedman is another player other than Cally who should get a lot of PP time, however if they do keep TKO+Stammer then I at least hope that they will even out the PP time more between the two units. I did like some of the PP's when TKO+Stammer but we also run the risk of having all weapons on the same PP, at least goal scoring-vise, however a lot of how a 2nd unit would look would depend on what kind of year Drouin and Fil has, top years from them and finding two working units shouldn't be a problem no matter who is on them but if Fil has another year like last and Drouin isn't ready to be the playmaker on a PP unit (if the 2nd PP unit is Cally, Hedman, Killorn, ? + Fil/Drouin), but hopefully everything works out and we can really build two great units and we can split time between them so it will be almost equal, that would be ideal.

Perhaps I'm forgetting about Stralman, the playoffs are becoming a bit hazy for me now. Seemed like Hedman and the Triplets were always magical together so I guess I just assumed he was there with them once Cooper finally combined Stammer and the Triplets.

Anyways, if it were me, I'd put Hedman and Johnson on the points, Stamkos and Palat in the circles, and Kucherov screening up front.

 

[Rschmitz]

Stamkos doesn't have the shot to be anymore effective on the blueline then most defenseman. His shot is all about the quick release from in close, it's not heavy like a Weber or Chara. His vision and playmaking also aren't a strong point to be up there, Johnson would be much better there. Stamkos is a circle in player, outside of that you take away his strengths.

I agree fully with your conclusion and explanation. Stamkos is wasted on the point, he had 24 PPG's his sophomore season in the circle. Even if the other team cheats on him, the triplets can exploit that. It's a no brainer to put him in the circle and let the Triplets feast on using Stammer as a decoy. I only wish Johnson had a harder/accurate shot. When DeAngelo arrives that becomes a reality and its just downright scary to consider.

 

[Rschmitz]

Garrison is the best shot on our blue line if he can hit the net.

If he were right handed we'd have it made. Kurtis Foster was a below average NHLer, but he had a hard+accurate right handed shot. Goalies couldn't cheat on Stamkos because of Foster and as a result they both had unbelievable seasons on the PP.

Yzerman has tried twice to recreate that killer combo with the Kubina and Salo signings. I thought the Salo signing especially was going to be a major boon, but it didn't work out. I'm giddy thinking about how DeAngelo will transform the PP.

 

[Sky04]

We had an amazing "pick your poison" type of PP in 2011, we had 3 guys in Stamkos, Lecavalier and Purcell who had deadly shots and St.louis who could get the puck to any of them, really need Drouin to develop into that role. Johnson and Kucherov have great vision but nobody has as crisp as pass as MSL did

 

[These Are The Days]

We had an amazing "pick your poison" type of PP in 2011, we had 3 guys in Stamkos, Lecavalier and Purcell who had deadly shots and St.louis who could get the puck to any of them, really need Drouin to develop into that role. Johnson and Kucherov have great vision but nobody has as crisp as pass as MSL did

Drouin was the guy who operated the point at Halifax and I think he won't have any issues getting the puck to the shooter. I think any new plans with the power play will likely include this.

At least until DeAngelo is ready

 

[These Are The Days]

If he were right handed we'd have it made. Kurtis Foster was a below average NHLer, but he had a hard+accurate right handed shot. Goalies couldn't cheat on Stamkos because of Foster and as a result they both had unbelievable seasons on the PP.

Yzerman has tried twice to recreate that killer combo with the Kubina and Salo signings. I thought the Salo signing especially was going to be a major boon, but it didn't work out. I'm giddy thinking about how DeAngelo will transform the PP.

Not gonna sugar coat it but it's gonna be ****ing amazing man. If the kid is even half as talented in the NHL as he was in junior then we are looking at the best offensive defenseman since Boyle. This is ASSUMING that he reaches his full potential. Not that he's gonna wake up and realize "I'm better than Erik Karlsson" but we are a perfect fit for someone like him. We're fast, we're creative and we will hopefully have enough skill around Anthony to where we can let him make his Coffey-esque plays. A right handed D of his skillset passing to Stamkos is going to be a massacre out there.

I think for now we may try Drouin at the point because he's more than qualified to operate there. I really hope we give Jonathan a fair shake at this because Hedman's had enough time as our trigger man and with all due respect he's had his audition. I think we can do better

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

Not that he's gonna wake up and realize "I'm better than Erik Karlsson"

What if he does, though?

 

[DFC]

Not gonna sugar coat it but it's gonna be ****ing amazing man. If the kid is even half as talented in the NHL as he was in junior then we are looking at the best offensive defenseman since Boyle. This is ASSUMING that he reaches his full potential. Not that he's gonna wake up and realize "I'm better than Erik Karlsson" but we are a perfect fit for someone like him. We're fast, we're creative and we will hopefully have enough skill around Anthony to where we can let him make his Coffey-esque plays. A right handed D of his skillset passing to Stamkos is going to be a massacre out there.

I think for now we may try Drouin at the point because he's more than qualified to operate there. I really hope we give Jonathan a fair shake at this because Hedman's had enough time as our trigger man and with all due respect he's had his audition. I think we can do better

I don't know if we'll do it immediately, but I think eventually we'll have him running the point. I think very few forwards are qualified for that role. Sakic was. But it has to be someone with elite vision. Already we've seen flashes of that kind of vision from Drouin. Put him out there with someone like Stralman and he's probably going to see angles we can't even see on television.

 

[These Are The Days]

What if he does, though?

Dang man that would be something else. I doubt he will ever reach that point but I think one day a 15 goal 50+ season will be regular for the young man. It's gonna be a lot of fun watching him and Erne raise hell in Syracuse