Speculation: 2024-2025 General Discussion III

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
  • We're expecting server maintenance on March 3rd starting at midnight, there may be downtime during the work.
Sacrifice every future needed to get Tuch from Buffalo.
The snowball effect of being able to get him would be so profitable for our franchise.
Fixing the top-6 hole with a high quality player on a bargain contract for one more season, with the cap going up an no big UFA/RFA to re-sign this offseason... Meaning in the offseason we could aim for a quality top4D and switch some bottom six players.

This would mean ending up having the best top6 in the league, and one of the best Dcores as well. + Vasy in net.

Get Tuch done and we'll be serious Cup contenders for the next 3 years at least.
Agreed for the most part. You'd logjam anybody like Howard for instance in breaking the top 6 but ideally that's where we need to get back to. Hagel, Cirelli, and Tuch would be a hell of a line. Not to mention Tuch as a RH shot on the powerplay.

Then...

X - Paul - Howard
Girgensons - Glendening - Eyssimont/Chaffee

Still need a bottom six guy.
 
Agreed for the most part. You'd logjam anybody like Howard for instance in breaking the top 6 but ideally that's where we need to get back to. Hagel, Cirelli, and Tuch would be a hell of a line. Not to mention Tuch as a RH shot on the powerplay.

Then...

X - Paul - Howard
Girgensons - Glendening - Eyssimont/Chaffee

Still need a bottom six guy.
Your disrespect of 12-Gage will go unforgiven.
 
While I'd like to keep Geekie, we do have Point, Cirelli and Paul at center. We don't have great depth down the middle with one or two injuries, but we can make that work. Add Howard to the mix and let's say Tuch does end up here, we don't necessarily need him. We would still need a bottom six guy imo though. I don't think he's even ready for that come playoff time.
Yeah, I'm of a very similar opinion, if we have to give up one I think I'd rather trade away Geekie. I just would hope that JBB would be able to retain one of him or Howard and not have to give up both.

Realistically we need two middle six RW's, Alex Tuch would be the perfect fit but I wouldn't be upset with some of the other options as well. Reilly Smith is not a flashy name but he'd kinda be perfect for 3RW and could probably be had retained for a 2nd.
 
  • Like
Reactions: aylib
Agreed for the most part. You'd logjam anybody like Howard for instance in breaking the top 6 but ideally that's where we need to get back to. Hagel, Cirelli, and Tuch would be a hell of a line. Not to mention Tuch as a RH shot on the powerplay.

Then...

X - Paul - Howard
Girgensons - Glendening - Eyssimont/Chaffee

Still need a bottom six guy.
Counting on a guy who has never played an NHL game to be on the 3rd line is a bold expectation. Howard is having a really nice season but it's not like he stands out as an immediate NHLer even among Lightning prospects these past few years in camp/development. He may get his cup of tea next month but he's nowhere near being a regular roster player in the playoffs. Plus, he could be going the other way if Tuch is the target.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stammertime91
Counting on a guy who has never played an NHL game to be on the 3rd line is a bold expectation. Howard is having a really nice season but it's not like he stands out as an immediate NHLer even among Lightning prospects these past few years in camp/development. He may get his cup of tea next month but he's nowhere near being a regular roster player in the playoffs. Plus, he could be going the other way if Tuch is the target.

Yeah, any expectation of Howard contributing this year is unwise.

Please no on EK. I’m still recovering from Sergs “defense”. Let’s not disrupt what we have since McD came back.

Even with 50% retention, I'd want futures in return to taking him on. No thanks
 
Don't overpay for Tuch. Get Reilly and more bottom 6 depth. If Blake Coleman is available, see what the price is.
 
If he were 23/24 and not 28 and a pending UFA after next season. He's definitely worth going after but not at the cost of something insane
If he was 23/24 Buffalo wouldn't even consider trading him, obviously.


The price tag will be an overpay, I'd say let's go for it
 
Im gonna throw out my prediction and say JBB turns heads and makes a blockbuster deal or 2 and we move out the 2nds we have this year, our 1st next year, Geekie, Gauthier, and a prospect like Huuhtanen/Duke/Groshev for a couple of young guys with term
 
Odd feeling we see a mega move for Tuch and maybe another forward or dman for a huge futures package highlighted by Geekie/Gauthier
Maybe something like Geekie, Gauthier, 1st, 2nd, another small add for Tuch, Lafferty, mid pick

Just saying, this is exactly the type of contract we tend to overpay for. And the type of player we need.

Buffalo fans want roster players, but we will likely make a big offer of futures to try to get them off it.

Prepare yourselves.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DaBolts
Sacrifice every future needed to get Tuch from Buffalo.
The snowball effect of being able to get him would be so profitable for our franchise.
Fixing the top-6 hole with a high quality player on a bargain contract for one more season, with the cap going up an no big UFA/RFA to re-sign this offseason... Meaning in the offseason we could aim for a quality top4D and switch some bottom six players.

This would mean ending up having the best top6 in the league, and one of the best Dcores as well. + Vasy in net.

Get Tuch done and we'll be serious Cup contenders for the next 3 years at least.
This. Gives us a legit shot to win this year and then we just need Hedman and Mcad to not regress substantially next year in order to be even better.

Don't be surprised if we give up the farm here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stelio Kontos
Just saying, this is exactly the type of contract we tend to overpay for. And the type of player we need.

Buffalo fans want roster players, but we will likely make a big offer of futures to try to get them off it.

Prepare yourselves.

We could also just get a third team involved that wants futures...
 
I think Howard is much more likely to be traded than Geekie. BriseBois just traded for him after all, and without him our prospect base at C is probably the worst in the league. I don't think our only chance at a top line C in the system is being moved mere months after we got him.

I know JBB with his "we can't limit ourselves" comment makes it a possibility, I just don't see it even for a really good player.
 
We could also just get a third team involved that wants futures...
That's assuming Adams is insistent on pillaging one of our roster players. Otherwise yeah, that was the only way we were ever gonna make this work. But the problem is there's not a damn soul on earth or a 3rd team otherwise that Buffalo wants who would even waive to go there.
 
Counting on a guy who has never played an NHL game to be on the 3rd line is a bold expectation. Howard is having a really nice season but it's not like he stands out as an immediate NHLer even among Lightning prospects these past few years in camp/development. He may get his cup of tea next month but he's nowhere near being a regular roster player in the playoffs. Plus, he could be going the other way if Tuch is the target.
While true, others have done it in the past not with Tampa. Even if it's not Howard, it's probably not Geekie either. So then it becomes a third of Paul, Chaffee, and whoever with the Girgensons, Glendening and Eyssimont trio of doom. Add Goncalves. We'd still realistically need 2 options better than whatwe have down there.

I'm only counting on Howard because I don't think there are many players in the league worse than Girgensons offensively.
 
If Tampa doesn't involve a 3rd team, the most I'd hope JBB offers is one of Geekie/Howard, the '26 1st, a future 3rd, and a roster piece among one of Perbix/Raddysh/Ace/Goncalves. Even that is a fairly big offer from Tampa, but Tuch is a great player.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad