Speculation: 2023-2024 General Lightning Discussion - Part 5

[T REX]

JBB called him a top 4 Dman, right?

Can that be used in arbitration? Hey my GM called me a top 4 Dman...I should be paid like one.

Anyone know?

 

[Sombastate]

I've always wanted to ask you fine people on this board what your thoughts are on Lilleberg. I'm a big Vasi fan so watched a bunch of games last year and always thought he looked NHL ready. Is that a fair assessment?

 

[DFC]

I think that will come out higher than we want. It might be why JBB had been holding off.

 

[Felonious Python]

Most arb cases get settled before they happen.

Moser hasn't played for the Lightning, so that would probably hurt Moser's case, if they do go to arbitration.

 

[Rschmitz]

I've always wanted to ask you fine people on this board what your thoughts are on Lilleberg. I'm a big Vasi fan so watched a bunch of games last year and always thought he looked NHL ready. Is that a fair assessment?

He’s a fan fav because of his open ice hits

Moser was used like a top pairing d in Arizona….if the plan is for him to play down the lineup it would definitely be a difference of opinion at the hearing

 

[Todd1a]

I think that will come out higher than we want. It might be why JBB had been holding off.

I can’t see it being more then 3.5 AAV for 3 years bridge probably

 

[DFC]

I can’t see it being more then 3.5 AAV for 3 years bridge probably

Right but that's a million higher than our lowest estimates (2.5 -3)

 

[Todd1a]

Right but that's a million higher than our lowest estimates (2.5 -3)

If I guessed I’d say 3 AAV

 

[Sky04]

Right but that's a million higher than our lowest estimates (2.5 -3)

3 is a steal still, Cole is one of the best bottom pairing dmen in the league and he constantly gets 3m deals. I think Moser is better.

 

[JoVel]

He wasn't making a millionish then.

Depends on what we are looking for. If we need a bit of scoring, it wouldn't be the worst thing. And, again, for all the flack he caught, he scored some timely goals in his last handful of tb games.

I just don't know if we want another small, scoring forward in the bottom six. Probably looking for some size/nastiness.

I do remember liking what Johnson was doing in his last playoff run for us. That player I wouldn't mind having on the team.

But he had already lost a lot of speed at that point, which was the most effective part of his game. Not going to pretend as of I've kept attention on the Blackhawks but I can't imagine he's gotten any faster these past three years.

 

[Sky04]

Johnson would've been fine before the Atkinson add, no point now since they're similar.

 

[These Are The Days]

That Jeannot fellow in LA could probably help the Lightning with the toughness issue. Trade for him maybe?

 

[RMF5630]

I do remember liking what Johnson was doing in his last playoff run for us. That player I wouldn't mind having on the team.

But he had already lost a lot of speed at that point, which was the most effective part of his game. Not going to pretend as of I've kept attention on the Blackhawks but I can't imagine he's gotten any faster these past three years.

Johnson is not the answer. The Bolt glory days are over, time for a rebuild. We seem to be trying to do a systematic rebuild and not gut the team. Bringing back old glory days players won't rerecapture it. In four years, Kuech will have it happen. Or do an Yzerman and put staying in DET over the payday. That is rare. They take the money, even though they gave generational money already and then bitch about not being appreciated.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Wonder which forward prospect (who hasn't gotten an extended run in Tampa) is most likely to get 40+ games for us this year. Probably Goncalves, but maybe Duke breaks through.

 

[Felonious Python]

Johnson is not the answer. The Bolt glory days are over, time for a rebuild. We seem to be trying to do a systematic rebuild and not gut the team. Bringing back old glory days players won't rerecapture it. In four years, Kuech will have it happen. Or do an Yzerman and put staying in DET over the payday. That is rare. They take the money, even though they gave generational money already and then bitch about not being appreciated.

I haven't really watched much of Johnson after he left the Lightning, but we'd be taking him for what he is now.

Wonder which forward prospect (who hasn't gotten an extended run in Tampa) is most likely to get 40+ games for us this year. Probably Goncalves, but maybe Duke breaks through.

We're the Lightning. WTF is a prospect?

 

[These Are The Days]

Wonder which forward prospect (who hasn't gotten an extended run in Tampa) is most likely to get 40+ games for us this year. Probably Goncalves, but maybe Duke breaks through.

Goncalves is at that point Koekkoek was when we traded him to the Hawks. Or ABB at any point in the last 2 years. There is nothing left to prove at the AHL level. Either he cracks the team or he goes to a roster where he can. I don't think we'd even bother for just 40 games. We'd just howl about playing time.

Put him on a line with Ace and Atkinson and make the objective to raise as much hell as possible

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Goncalves is at that point Koekkoek was when we traded him to the Hawks. Or ABB at any point in the last 2 years. There is nothing left to prove at the AHL level. Either he cracks the team or he goes to a roster where he can. I don't think we'd even bother for just 40 games. We'd just howl about playing time.

Put him on a line with Ace and Atkinson and make the objective to raise as much hell as possible

While I agree with what you're saying, I disagree with the lines you posted.

 

[RMF5630]

We're the Lightning. WTF is a prospect?

Quote of the year...

Development and eval period for Lightning, 2 shifts and a PP...

They either get a longterm m contract or shipped out.

 

[These Are The Days]

Also after having looked at the lineup, I am okay with Johnson slotting in purely for cheap depth and it won't matter when he goes 14 games between goals or when he gets hurt. He would be bottom line player who sees PP2 time and nothing more. Realistically expect him to get hurt half a dozen times, score 12 goals all season, twice in the playoffs if we are lucky. Sad to say for Sheary, that's probably twice of what he's gonna do. And Johnson would probably do it for half the price at.


And not to preach the destruction of Cirelli but this needs to be is his absolute last chance to prove he is our 2C. If he spends all season f***ing around just dumping the puck to nowhere and no one AGAIN..... Then it's time to trade him for a 2C who will do better. I don't remember who mentioned Cozens (might have been Sky) and it's an ideal solution I'd say


I have a sneaking suspicion Stamkos is gonna be a lot better at even strength this year because he won't be shackled to Cirelli being clueless and Paul being lazy

While I agree with what you're saying, I disagree with the lines you posted.

Me too dude. I barfed in my mouth as I posted it. I DO NOT want Cirelli carrying a line. I would rather have a ghost at LW with Point and Kucherov than to leave Cirelli alone in the room with Hagel.

 

[ccman68]

jokiharju signed 1x3.1 playing top 4 minutes on a shit team so that’s probably a decent comparable for moser

 

[Outl4w]

That Jeannot fellow in LA could probably help the Lightning with the toughness issue. Trade for him maybe?

We dont have enough picks for him to secure back to back fiorst round exits.

 

[T REX]

Are we really gonna roll:

Jake-Point-Kuch
Hagel-Cirelli-Cam/Paul

We desperately need a playmaking 2C...not sure where we find one but that would help a lot.

Right now, we have too many guys playing a line up.

VASY just being average Vasy would help a lot. But come playoff time...we need another line that can carry some of the scoring load. Kuch will get double teamed again. First round exit again.

Not sure two guys at 35 in the back end will be good after a full season.

They will be relied on all season. The team lacks depth everywhere.

Trying to see how this team gets to contender status...having a hard time.

EDIT: Just thinking if we kept Stammer at $4 mill/yr...whatever...what would that look like?

jake-point-kuch
stammer-cirelli-hagel

Play would still die on Cirelli's stick. Cirelli at 2C is a non-starter for this team to go anywhere.

 

[Sky04]

Kuch getting double teamed like this is basketball or sum

 

[JTBF81]

There does seem to be some room for optimism. Vasy will start the year healthy, and he did look much improved in the later stages of the season. Guentzel on either the 1st or 2nd line is likely to be a large boost for the team, especially 5v5. The bottom 6 looks better this year, and the defense seems better in terms of improving ga/g with the addition of McD.

In almost any configuration of this year's line up, there was going to be one perceived "hole" in the top 6/9, so what they have now is not surprising. JBB could've potentially gone after a couple of ~5 million aav guys(no,.not Stamkos since he signed for 8, sticking to facts here) instead.of Guentzel, but it's clear that Guentzel was his priority as soon as it looked like he wasn't going to extend with Carolina. Trades can still be made or ufa's signed, and as I mentioned a while back as have others, Paul can be moved to the top 6 if needed/that combo seems to work best(provided no one else is added). It wouldn't be that big of a surprise if they run Paul with Point and Kuch and Guentzel with Hagel and Cirelli, at least at the beginning to see how it works.

It's time for Goncalves to get a shot, so him at 3C with Atkinson and Ace could be decent. It will be a bit different, but this team still has more than.enough to make a run at it, especially if JBB does find that one last addition, either over the summer or as they near the deadline perhaps.

 

[NatoGhost]

Give the young guys a shot to make the roster and wait to the TDL to pick up a middle to top 6 forward like Duclair again.


Should be a fun season.

We have 3 months to wait though...