What's missing from Tampa?

[chasespace]

Seriously, what's missing from this team? They have a Vezina caliber goalie, one of the best young goalies in the game, a Norris caliber #1 defender, a pretty deep(when you look at it) defense, a top-9 that oozes skill and talent but they can't seem to score 5-on-5 or with a man advantage. They have a hard time controlling the tempo of the game and for long stretches of time will either look completely uninterested or outmatched.

Are they still broken over coming so close to the Cup and losing it? Did they come into the season thinking they'd stroll through? What is going on with this team?

They're so much better than this. They know it, we know it, the front office knows it, and the league knows it. And that's what the most frustrating.

Click to read more...

 

[dechire]

Goals.

 

[Todd1a]

No heart it's been lost since our cup lost

 

[Mihms06]

Seriously, what's missing from this team? They have a Vezina caliber goalie, one of the best young goalies in the game, a Norris caliber #1 defender, a pretty deep(when you look at it) defense, a top-9 that oozes skill and talent but they can't seem to score 5-on-5 or with a man advantage. They have a hard time controlling the tempo of the game and for long stretches of time will either look completely uninterested or outmatched.

Are they still broken over coming so close to the Cup and losing it? Did they come into the season thinking they'd stroll through? What is going on with this team?

They're so much better than this. They know it, we know it, the front office knows it, and the league knows it. And that's what the most frustrating.

I can tell you in one simple word what is missing from this team.

That word is Compete. Because there is none, or if we get any at all it is in very short bursts and from very few people. You don't compete you don't win, simple enough and end of story.

 

[2020 Cup Champions]

 

[MattM92]

Fire. You could tell last year that they ****ing HATED when the other team scored and they were livid when they lost. That's what made them so great, they hated losing more than they loved winning. This year things aren't going their way and they are just accepting it. I want to see frustrations boiling over. I want to see guys taking stupid frustration penalties sometimes. Show that you care.

 

[Stammertime91]

Heart and confidence. Goals will come, but right now we lack the confidence to penetrate teams and we lack the heart to do it. It's not a good sign when both of these aren't evident. When one is gone, it's alright, but when both are gone, you're sinking and it shows right now.

I still don't think we should be panicking to fire Cooper or trade players, if by January things haven't changed, something needs to happen, but to get rid of a guy like Killorn that may find consistency, could hurt us. Even offloading flip right now just to shake things up could hurt us. You never know. We aren't at that brink yet and it's not like they can't turn it around. Give it a little more time. Not saying sit there and wait til it's too late, but it's too early, rather.

 

[2MinutesforGiraffing]

I still don't think we should be panicking to fire Cooper or trade players, if by January things haven't changed, something needs to happen, but to get rid of a guy like Killorn that may find consistency, could hurt us. Even offloading flip right now just to shake things up could hurt us. You never know. We aren't at that brink yet and it's not like they can't turn it around. Give it a little more time. Not saying sit there and wait til it's too late, but it's too early, rather.

I think it's too early to hit the panic button, but I'm pretty worried it will be too late by the time we do anything. We're sinking fast. Coop repeatedly making statements that 'he doesn't know what's going on' or 'how to get back to the Finals' doesn't fill me with confidence.

I would like to see some accountability enforced right ****ing now. It's something that can, and should, be done to reinforce to the players that the current compete level and performance is unacceptable. Giving 25-62 big minutes and PK time makes no sense when they're out there for a lot of GA. If 51 or 91 or 9 aren't performing, staple their ***** to the bench for a bit. Nobody should immune and favorites should not be played. That's not Coop's style, but his style isn't working right now.

 

[Hoek]

Fire. You could tell last year that they ****ing HATED when the other team scored and they were livid when they lost. That's what made them so great, they hated losing more than they loved winning. This year things aren't going their way and they are just accepting it. I want to see frustrations boiling over. I want to see guys taking stupid frustration penalties sometimes. Show that you care.

Yeah that's the funny thing. I would kill for a big hit or a fight or something stupid like that. Some real emotion from these guys would be a start.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Relentlessness and desperation.

 

[Leonardo87]

Brenden ****ing Morrow.

 

[PaulGG]

It doesn't help that the players who look to Stamkos as their captain and leader don't know if he is going to stay. It is harder for Stamkos to be an effective leader. If his heart is not all in it then that trickles down.

 

[Iceman]

Brenden ****ing Morrow.

Fouu shooo brooo

 

[Houdas]

A tough guy like Gudas. One little fight can make a huge difference when you are down by two.

Imagine seeing Gudas on ice looking for a huge hit instead of carle trying not to suck on defense. God, I miss him so much.

 

[RegularSznAllStars]

A tough guy like Gudas. One little fight can make a huge difference when you are down by two.

Imagine seeing Gudas on ice looking for a huge hit instead of carle trying not to suck on defense. God, I miss him so much.

Didnt have Gudas for the last half of the season and we did pretty well.

 

[Bolt32]

Brenden ****ing Morrow.

Honestly, if that really is it. ****ing give him 5 million this season. I don't give a ****, bring him back. It's not, but just saying.

 

[Leonardo87]

Honestly, if that really is it. ****ing give him 5 million this season. I don't give a ****, bring him back. It's not, but just saying.

LOL! Yeah I mean if it's that simple.

 

[AlphaCatalyst]

There is just no sense of urgency. They are playing these games like they are still in the preseason and nothing is on the line.

 

[Brie]

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Problem is that there isn't any will in the team right now, they need to figure out what's wrong together as a team. I agree with what MattM92 said about how last season you could tell that the team hated losing almost more than they loved winning and it showed because they never gave up and even if they lost the game they came out stronger the next game.

-----

I was watching this today but it turns out that it was a terrible idea since it just made me sad:

 

[Leonardo87]

Same thing happened to the Rangers last season, they were a .500 team by December, even worse record in Nov, then they got red hot and went on to win the Presidents Trophy. Don't even need to get red hot, just start playing above .500 and get a playoff spot in the division. You figure if they can salvage a .500 record by the 1st quarter of the season and stay in a decent rank, they can easily climb back up since they are not that far down.

They are playing Calgary, Florida twice, and the Rangers. Most of these teams they have played very well against, so the last few games of the 1st quarter they can easily turn things around.

 

[Todd1a]

To be honest I would just trade stamkos and start rebuilding this roster. We could get draft picks for stamkos and at least a top six player and a prospect. Plus might I add would end our salary cap problems

 

[Todd1a]

Honestly, if that really is it. ****ing give him 5 million this season. I don't give a ****, bring him back. It's not, but just saying.

It's pretty simple we can't score goals bishop and vasy let it at least two goals a night. So we need to average 3 goals a game. We average 1 or 0 goals a game your not going to win in the nhl playing like that.

 

[Todd1a]

This team lost its soul after losing the cup. I knew this would go two ways this season rise up get back and win it! Or fold up and hit the draft lottery. This team has chosen to fold up this season.

 

[Sky04]

This team lost its soul after losing the cup. I knew this would go two ways this season rise up get back and win it! Or fold up and hit the draft lottery. This team has chosen to fold up this season.

Seems to be the case with TB after a deep run

 

[Houdas]

I remember reading an article in czech about palat where was also an interview with him. He said he doesn't go to facebook, twitter, etc. or doesn't read newspapers or watch any news at all because he just can't see those images of blackhawks with the cup.

That finals loss must have left some pretty bad scratches on their souls, i guess