Pre-Game Talk: The 2023-2024 Tampa Bay Lightning Training Camp

[These Are The Days]

At this point I'm pulling for Groshev to surprise everyone and make the team. The poor kid never got a chance with SKA.

 

[Rschmitz]

The ABB-Paul-Jeannot line looks like the kind of abomination that makes no sense to put together but somehow ends up working amazingly well

 

[Renopucker]

The ABB-Paul-Jeannot line looks like the kind of abomination that makes no sense to put together but somehow ends up working amazingly well

Wouldn't be the first time that the results are more than the sum of the parts, eh? We've seen alot of ABB and perhaps he'll surprise Coop, and us.

 

[Crunchrulz]

Having Jeannot on his line give ABB the chance to play the irritating game he did from time to time in Syracuse. Knowing he has that level of support will enable him to run his mouth, get in close to the goalie, and just be a regular PITA for opposing teams. Paul will be able to play that same style.

With Jeannot in front of the net, that will make ABB shooting from the dot to the goalie's left all that much more effective. That was his bread and butter for the Crunch last season, and he was most effective with a big body taking the goalie and defenseman's attention.

From Cooper's comments, it appears this may well be the last chance for ABB with the Bolts. If he has nothing left to prove at the AHL level, yet cannot crack the lineup at the NHL level, it is in the best interest for both parties to find him a new home with an organization whose NHL lineup he can find a spot on.

 

[DFC]

D Pairings are what I expected. Lines 2-4 are almost what I thought. Would prefer some swapping but this is make or break for ABB.

We've been saying that about ABB for like 3 years.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

More ABB content shooting on Jonas Johansson

 

[JFleegs]

That’s a lot of net given up by JJ, way too deep in his crease

 

[DistantThunderRep]

That’s a lot of net given up by JJ, way to deep in his crease

Might be apart of the drill.

Gotta agree. So, where and how does Groshev or Merela fit, if they make the lineup?

If ABB doesn't work. Motte moves up and slot in Merala. If ABB doesn't work, keep the lines and slot in Groshev.

 

[ccman68]

i would just have groshev in the ahl no matter what. let the man get some actual ice time and see if he can develop into a top 6 forward

 

[These Are The Days]

I'm trying guys. But I'm having a hard time finding a seat comfortable enough on the ABB hype train. I feel like if he was going to succeed he would have by now

 

[LightningStrikes]

I'm trying guys. But I'm having a hard time finding a seat comfortable enough on the ABB hype train. I feel like if he was going to succeed he would have by now

Yeah, I mean it’s not impossible (he’s 26, Gourde made his breakthrough at like 25) but it’s not like he didn’t have several shots already and blew them all.

 

[These Are The Days]

Yeah, I mean it’s not impossible (he’s 26, Gourde made his breakthrough at like 25) but it’s not like he didn’t have several shots already and blew them all.

I thought maybe Seattle would be the change he needed when he got there but nope. This really is his last chance. I'm way more interested to see what Merala, Groshev and Goncalves do

 

[ccman68]

Anyone watch syracuse last season? was ABB stronger or faster? he could score 150 points but if one of those things doesn’t improve it doesn’t really matter

 

[Crunchrulz]

Anyone watch syracuse last season? was ABB stronger or faster? he could score 150 points but if one of those things doesn’t improve it doesn’t really matter

To be honest, far more importantly for his game, he showed a lot of "hockey sense". He understood where he was strongest in the offensive zone and used that for his and his team's advantage.

Due to the number of points that he scored, his contribution on the plus/minus side has been largely overlooked. While he, like every other player in the game, has lapses from time to time, far more often than not he played a smart game in all three zones.

If he does not make the Lightning roster and he is exposed on waivers, I fully expect him to be claimed. Even if he only contributes a third of the points at the NHL level he did at the AHL level last season, that will more than justify some of the lower tier teams making the waiver claim.

 

[JoVel]

Not going to pretend as if I've watched a single game of his, but this talk of Groshev making the team is at least one, but most likely 2+ years premature. Like @ccman68 said, even if he could barely get by in the NHL, having him playing bottom 6 minutes and being healthy scratched every other game benefits no one. Let him earn the big minutes in Syracuse and let's revisit it next season.

 

[Master P]

The ABB-Paul-Jeannot line looks like the kind of abomination that makes no sense to put together but somehow ends up working amazingly well

P B & J line?

 

[These Are The Days]

Not going to pretend as if I've watched a single game of his, but this talk of Groshev making the team is at least one, but most likely 2+ years premature. Like @ccman68 said, even if he could barely get by in the NHL, having him playing bottom 6 minutes and being healthy scratched every other game benefits no one. Let him earn the big minutes in Syracuse and let's revisit it next season.

Eh that's more my fault than anyone else's around here. Even if he lights it up that that's most likely what is going to happen. If we did it to Brett Connolly after the like the biggest preseason we've ever seen we'll do it Groshev too and say "Get your minutes and develop" and we won't see him again unless he pops off like Kucherov did. And that was AFTER Connolly already had a 31 goal season in Syracuse. Honestly I think it broke him

 

[OffBy1]

I'd love to see Groshev's talent on our current "third line plus" (Stamkos - Cirelli - Sheary), but I agree he should probably start the season in Syracuse. If he tears it up down there Kucherov-style, maybe he comes up at the midway point.

I'm more hopeful for Merela making the team out of camp as a third liner, with his experience and being more physically developed at age 25. If he continues to play in preseason like he did in the rookie camp, I don't know how he couldn't at least make it as least a 4th liner.

 

[Point21]

 

[bov]

I think the hope for ABB is that he can put up enough points to earn some value at the NHL level. Put him in the right spots and maybe you have an asset to dangle at the deadline. Not saying he's the next Verhaeghe/Marchessault but maybe he can prove himself as a bit of a scoring threat.

 

[JTBF81]

I thought maybe Seattle would be the change he needed when he got there but nope. This really is his last chance. I'm way more interested to see what Merala, Groshev and Goncalves do

He only had 2 games with Seattle, so it wasn't like he had any real opportunity there. He's had 31 or 32 total games over 4 seasons, with his longest time up being around 15 games or so I believe. Not saying he's going to make it, and this is almost assuredly his last shot with Tampa, but he hasn't exactly had a lengthy and/or regular chance to succeed yet.

 

[JoVel]

We've been saying that about ABB for like 3 years.

At what point do we admit that ABB is a Conacher and not a Marchessault?

 

[Point21]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I'm trying guys. But I'm having a hard time finding a seat comfortable enough on the ABB hype train. I feel like if he was going to succeed he would have by now

You could have told me last season that a 27 year old AHL career dman was never going to be anything and that would have been more than reasonable and yet here we are with Darren Raddysh. Who knows what happens with ABB, but the books not closed til it’s closed.

 

[DFC]

At what point do we admit that ABB is a Conacher and not a Marchessault?

Two years ago for me. Doesnt have the wheels and doesnt process the fame at a high enough speed.