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

[dechire]

So Scott Cullen has all the triplets regressing, Palat with the least regression. I mean that is really bold to think all will take a step back.

Crap, might need Stamkos to be our best player again if that happens.

I thought that was last year's prediction

 

[DFC]

I thought that was last year's prediction

It was. It'll be next year's prediction too.

 

[Coopers Gum]

So Scott Cullen has all the triplets regressing, Palat with the least regression. I mean that is really bold to think all will take a step back.

Crap, might need Stamkos to be our best player again if that happens.

Not too bold. Can only take one step forward. Can take 29 back.

Not that I agree with him at all. As others have noted, we're always the team that's underestimated. Love that. Can't say many teams will do that this year though. Gotta bring the A-game every game.

 

[DFC]

They also never seem to take into account PP considerations. TKO did all their damage at even strength last year. There SHOULD be more PP opportunities this year.

 

[2016cupwinners]

How I would make the lineup today, for what that's worth.

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Callahan-Stamkos-Drouin
Killorn-Filppula-Condra
Brown-Boyle-Paquette
Namestnikov

Marchessault or Peca might be able to beat out Brown or Namestnikov in TC, causing a trade. Dipsy doodle Dru should be able to play either wing with his style. Filp is more of a 3rd liner to me.

Hedman-Stralman
Nesterov-Garrison
Coburn- Sustr
Carle-Witkowski

Carle, Sustr and Coburn did not look good to me last season. Coburn may have just been injury issues, not sure yet. Sustr is young enough to still get better. Carle I would probably just trade when our AHLers look ready. My take.

 

[These Are The Days]

How I would make the lineup today, for what that's worth.

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Callahan-Stamkos-Drouin
Killorn-Filppula-Condra
Brown-Boyle-Paquette
Namestnikov

Marchessault or Peca might be able to beat out Brown or Namestnikov in TC, causing a trade. Dipsy doodle Dru should be able to play either wing with his style. Filp is more of a 3rd liner to me.

Hedman-Stralman
Nesterov-Garrison
Coburn- Sustr
Carle-Witkowski

Carle, Sustr and Coburn did not look good to me last season. Coburn may have just been injury issues, not sure yet. Sustr is young enough to still get better. Carle I would probably just trade when our AHLers look ready. My take.

I agree with most of this but Callahan is RW all day long and Coburn-Garrison were put together right off the bat by Cooper and I think he's gonna keep with it.

I think Namestnikov makes the team and the last of the forward carnage is duked out between Brown, Patch and March. I think Witkowski is going to be the 7th defenseman moreso than Nesterov because I think Yzerman would rather him have more minutes in Syracuse and further his development. Witkowski is unfortunately the "more expendable asset" and will probably see a lot of nights from the press box.

It's probably a safe bet that Koekkoek joins us full time next year and is first on the call up list. Personally, I don't know of how much more Andrej Sustr I can take. Please Yzerman and Cooper give Koekkoek a fair shake. Most of Slater's defensive peers from the 2012 draft are entering either their 2nd full NHL seasons by now. It's freaking ridiculous how long we are taking to develop this kid.

 

[42]

How I would make the lineup today, for what that's worth.

Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Callahan-Stamkos-Drouin
Killorn-Filppula-Condra
Brown-Boyle-Paquette
Namestnikov

Marchessault or Peca might be able to beat out Brown or Namestnikov in TC, causing a trade. Dipsy doodle Dru should be able to play either wing with his style. Filp is more of a 3rd liner to me.

Hedman-Stralman
Nesterov-Garrison
Coburn- Sustr
Carle-Witkowski

Carle, Sustr and Coburn did not look good to me last season. Coburn may have just been injury issues, not sure yet. Sustr is young enough to still get better. Carle I would probably just trade when our AHLers look ready. My take.

I wonder if Witkowski can grab the 6th spot with a strong pre-season.

 

[These Are The Days]

To finish my thoughts, send Sustr back to Syracuse and I'm serious. If the "great potential" is there then it needs to be worked on full time. If you're gonna do it to Koekkoek for a 4th year of development then do it to Sustr. I seriously don't see the logic in it. We're honestly keeping a defenseman in Koekkoek who skates like the wind, showed flashy instinct and was physical when given the chance in favor of a guy who skates like a baby giraffe learning to walk, only occasionally uses his amazing reach and watches 5'10-6'0 players ACTUALLY skate circles around him in the corner while he clumsily lumbers about looking for where the puck is.

I'm asking from the bottom of my heart. WTF are we actually keeping him around here for? Because he's tall and you can't teach size?

I'll say it again, many of Koekkoek's fellow draft mates on defense from the class of 2012 are now prepping for their 2nd full NHL seasons the very last of them are going to be rookies this year. The class of 2013 has more experience than him! A few THEM are about to make the jump to the NHL full time and we're STILL waiting on management to give Koekkoek a full time job.

It's frustrating to know I was screaming my heart out for Filip Forsberg and physically jumping in "uncontainable" excitement like we just won the Cup and Yzerman calmly strolls up and announces a prospect that we wouldn't see for 4 years.

 

[These Are The Days]

I wonder if Witkowski can crap the 6th spot with a strong pre-season.

He'd be my pick for the #6. Luke's 25 years old and is about as ready as he ever will be.

 

[42]

I wonder if Witkowski can crap the 6th spot with a strong pre-season.

He'd be my pick for the #6. Luke's 25 years old and is about as ready as he ever will be.

Haha, not sure what kind of keyboard mishap made me type "crap" instead of grab.

 

[These Are The Days]

Haha, not sure what kind of keyboard mishap made me type "crap" instead of grab.

lol I just now noticed it. I must've read it how you intended it.

 

[HoseEmDown]

To finish my thoughts, send Sustr back to Syracuse and I'm serious. If the "great potential" is there then it needs to be worked on full time. If you're gonna do it to Koekkoek for a 4th year of development then do it to Sustr. I seriously don't see the logic in it. We're honestly keeping a defenseman in Koekkoek who skates like the wind, showed flashy instinct and was physical when given the chance in favor of a guy who skates like a baby giraffe learning to walk, only occasionally uses his amazing reach and watches 5'10-6'0 players ACTUALLY skate circles around him in the corner while he clumsily lumbers about looking for where the puck is.

I'm asking from the bottom of my heart. WTF are we actually keeping him around here for? Because he's tall and you can't teach size?

I'll say it again, many of Koekkoek's fellow draft mates on defense from the class of 2012 are now prepping for their 2nd full NHL seasons the very last of them are going to be rookies this year. The class of 2013 has more experience than him! A few THEM are about to make the jump to the NHL full time and we're STILL waiting on management to give Koekkoek a full time job.

It's frustrating to know I was screaming my heart out for Filip Forsberg and physically jumping in "uncontainable" excitement like we just won the Cup and Yzerman calmly strolls up and announces a prospect that we wouldn't see for 4 years.

There's a thing called waivers. Sustr is eligible while Koekkoek is not, same with Nesterov.

 

[These Are The Days]

There's a thing called waivers. Sustr is eligible while Koekkoek is not, same with Nesterov.

Yeah I know. Do you really think someone's gonna come along and snatch Sustr up if they took the time to watch him like we have? What exactly has he done that's so amazing? Taking a TERRIBLE delay of game penalty with about 7 minutes go to in Game 2 of the SCF right after Garrison scored to take the lead? How about how the likes of Kane, Max Pac and every Red Wing forward legitimately skating circles around him? Do you think even someone like Edmonton is gonna come along and say "hot damn look what I found!" if they see him on the waiver wire?

I can go on and on, Hose. The kid has played 117 games. After that much you'd think he would look more comfortable than he does.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Yeah I know. Do you really think someone's gonna come along and snatch Sustr up if they took the time to watch him like we have? What exactly has he done that's so amazing? Taking a TERRIBLE delay of game penalty with about 7 minutes go to in Game 2 of the SCF right after Garrison scored to take the lead? How about how the likes of Kane, Max Pac and every Red Wing forward legitimately skating circles around him? Do you think even someone like Edmonton is gonna come along and say "hot damn look what I found!" if they see him on the waiver wire?

I can go on and on, Hose. The kid has played 117 games. After that much you'd think he would look more comfortable than he does.

Yes they would. There aren't many defenseman at his size, age, and RH shot growing on trees. No he hasn't been good but he's still young enough to get better. You keep a player like him.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Yeah I know. Do you really think someone's gonna come along and snatch Sustr up if they took the time to watch him like we have? What exactly has he done that's so amazing? Taking a TERRIBLE delay of game penalty with about 7 minutes go to in Game 2 of the SCF right after Garrison scored to take the lead? How about how the likes of Kane, Max Pac and every Red Wing forward legitimately skating circles around him? Do you think even someone like Edmonton is gonna come along and say "hot damn look what I found!" if they see him on the waiver wire?

I can go on and on, Hose. The kid has played 117 games. After that much you'd think he would look more comfortable than he does.

When did I say he was amazing? It's called potential, he still has some but hasn't reached it yet. So you argument is that he took a bad penalty, nice one. Kane and Pacioretty skate around almost all defenders in the league, Sustr was also really good in the Detroit series so not sure what you watched.

Zdeno Chara played 231 games for the Islanders and had 29 points in those games. They didn't want to wait around for him to develop and added him to the Yashin trade. He got to Ottawa around the same age Sustr is now and began to flourish since he had filled out and was able to work on his weaknesses those years in NY. He will never be Chara but he could be a solid NHL player and a key piece due to size and handidness. No sense in giving up on him when there aren't any better RH defenders ready for a spot. Koekkoek and Nesterov are LD, you need to argue about Carle and his 5.5 on the 3rd pair who's blocking both of them rather then Sustr.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Agree Carle needs to go. Wish some team was dumb enough to trade a bag of pucks for him.

 

[Leonardo87]

This is F'ing Sweet..

 

[Look Up]

May be getting some new executive talent in Syracuse this year if Trump joins Crunch as cfo.

Fun to see the Crunch riding the publicity gravy train and drawing attention to the team.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=779613&navid=nhl:topheads

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

May be getting some new executive talent in Syracuse this year if Trump joins Crunch as cfo.

Fun to see the Crunch riding the publicity gravy train and drawing attention to the team.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=779613&navid=nhl:topheads

Eh, I don't like it. The Crunch should stay out of the political world and not try to piggyback off the attention that presidential candidates can amass, especially with those who are as polarizing as Trump. A move like this will have a lot of people happy and a lot of people upset, and will create the wrong kind of attention around the team.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm sure several of us went to fan fest and saw the same thing I did but I just have to say Namestnikov looked damn good in those scrimmages. He still has that amazing chemistry with Kucherov. It's nothing to be seriously impressed with but Vladdy looked like the best player on the ice that day. I'm really excited to see what he can do.

 

[HoseEmDown]

I'm sure several of us went to fan fest and saw the same thing I did but I just have to say Namestnikov looked damn good in those scrimmages. He still has that amazing chemistry with Kucherov. It's nothing to be seriously impressed with but Vladdy looked like the best player on the ice that day. I'm really excited to see what he can do.

He was really good late in the season when taking Johnson's spot in a scoring role. He sucked in the playoffs when asked to be a 4th line grinder. In the right role he can be useful, him and Paquette are on the wrong lines.

 

[Bolt32]

He was really good late in the season when taking Johnson's spot in a scoring role. He sucked in the playoffs when asked to be a 4th line grinder. In the right role he can be useful, him and Paquette are on the wrong lines.

Paquette in my mind is this. A solid to very good fourth liner. He can kill penalties if asked and other than that, that is it. I don't know why we try and force him to do more? Look I love the guy, I want him on the team. I love what he adds to the team. He just isn't going to be a scorer...Ever. So lets stop trying to force it.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Paquette in my mind is this. A solid to very good fourth liner. He can kill penalties if asked and other than that, that is it. I don't know why we try and force him to do more? Look I love the guy, I want him on the team. I love what he adds to the team. He just isn't going to be a scorer...Ever. So lets stop trying to force it.

He's a great scorer, 5 games of the season.

 

[DFC]

If Drouin and Stamkos click at all, our top-six is going to be so, so, so sick.

 

[Bolt32]

He's a great scorer, 5 games of the season.

Touche!