Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion II: New year, same Cooper shell

[These Are The Days]

Who's out there to switch to coaching wise? Do we just promote from Syracuse again?

I think maybe just go with Halpern if we moved on from Coop. But even then... I don't think Gallant is a great idea anymore either

 

[OffBy1]

Took Sheary 5 games to outscore Groshev on the season already

He has vindicated your faith in him after all? As another pointed out, Groshev has value beyond his point totals - winning puck battles, playing physical. I do think he might actually be more successful on a checking line here than Sheary.

Sheary is where he belongs now. If he helps our young guys get into the playoffs, then he's actually being of some use.

 

[Sky04]

You still need to produce in a checking line role and a guy struggling to put up 30 point pace in the AHL is nowhere NHL material. Right now they are both where they belong.

 

[These Are The Days]

One dude is shy 600 games and won 2 Stanley Cups. The other turns 23 in a month. We really shouldn't be surprised

 

[Peacefool]

He has vindicated your faith in him after all? As another pointed out, Groshev has value beyond his point totals - winning puck battles, playing physical. I do think he might actually be more successful on a checking line here than Sheary.

Sheary is where he belongs now. If he helps our young guys get into the playoffs, then he's actually being of some use.

And Groshev looked good at exhibition games for 2 years at row I think even better than Goncalves

 

[LordStanlersCup]

Puckpedia added in-season cap hits to the website so now it is easier to see how much capspace the Bolts are accruing/would have accrued by the TDL. Honestly we should be able to build a pretty good team by the TDL. IMO the main issues with the team right now are the 3rd pair D and forward depth but those should be easily fixed at the deadline with the plethora of options they have. What is more worrying to me is what will happen to the left side on the powerplay, I think the current powerplay will be okay but not a strength and to make it a strength either Huuhtanen has to step it up in the AHL (he had his first 1-timer goal of the season recently), or hope that Laine is off to a slow start in MTL and they are willing to trade him considering they were paid to take on his contract and the team will not be contending this year or next. Regardless this team should look pretty good and the success will depend on Cooper.

 

[These Are The Days]

Puckpedia added in-season cap hits to the website so now it is easier to see how much capspace the Bolts are accruing/would have accrued by the TDL. Honestly we should be able to build a pretty good team by the TDL. IMO the main issues with the team right now are the 3rd pair D and forward depth but those should be easily fixed at the deadline with the plethora of options they have. What is more worrying to me is what will happen to the left side on the powerplay, I think the current powerplay will be okay but not a strength and to make it a strength either Huuhtanen has to step it up in the AHL (he had his first 1-timer goal of the season recently), or hope that Laine is off to a slow start in MTL and they are willing to trade him considering they were paid to take on his contract and the team will not be contending this year or next. Regardless this team should look pretty good and the success will depend on Cooper.

View attachment 931412

Pass on Laine. I'd rather have Stamkos at 50% shooting onesys all night. He'd at least get 20 goals that way. Laine? I don't know man. Only way I take him is dirt cheap

 

[LordStanlersCup]

Pass on Laine. I'd rather have Stamkos at 50% shooting onesys all night. He'd at least get 20 goals that way. Laine? I don't know man. Only way I take him is dirt cheap

I would also rather have Stammer but theres no way they trade him on year 1 of his deal, Trotz already said that he wasn't trading any of the core players and there isn't really any other players that are remotely available that are right shot with a decent 1T.

 

[bov]

Adam Klapka would be an interesting project to take on. Might not be impactful this season but he's still pretty young and has put up some decent numbers at the pro level.

Another guy that I don't mind is Kartye on Seattle.

 

[Peacefool]

If Logan Borwn is healthy and does well at SYR, can we get him to twam this season? I mean should we sign him on one way conbtract or we can sign him on 2 way, or we cant do anything cuz he has contract with SYR? Cuz at preseasson he looked great and maybe he is what we need at 3rd 4th line, big body, plays good can score goals.

 

[Felonious Python]

If Logan Borwn is healthy and does well at SYR, can we get him to twam this season? I mean should we sign him on one way conbtract or we can sign him on 2 way, or we cant do anything cuz he has contract with SYR? Cuz at preseasson he looked great and maybe he is what we need at 3rd 4th line, big body, plays good can score goals.

TB could sign him to either a one or two-way contract.

Likely two-way.

 

[Peacefool]

TB could sign him to either a one or two-way contract.

Likely two-way.

It would be interesting if he could stay healthy

 

[These Are The Days]

I would also rather have Stammer but theres no way they trade him on year 1 of his deal, Trotz already said that he wasn't trading any of the core players and there isn't really any other players that are remotely available that are right shot with a decent 1T.

It depends on how serious he was about blowing up the team unless they started winning. The Lightning are hell on earth to watch in terms of frustration but with even a mediocre power play we probably steal 2 games and have 10 wins on the season already.

Stamkos may only be good for power play goals anymore but funny enough that's all we really need now aside from better bottom 6 play

 

[LordStanlersCup]

It depends on how serious he was about blowing up the team unless they started winning. The Lightning are hell on earth to watch in terms of frustration but with even a mediocre power play we probably steal 2 games and have 10 wins on the season already.

Stamkos may only be good for power play goals anymore but funny enough that's all we really need now aside from better bottom 6 play

Trotz later talked about the rebuild comment and he said none of Forsberg, Josi, Saros, Stamkos, Marchessault, ROR, or Skjei are available which pretty much just means Nyquist and Lauzon. I think he just said it to try to get his team going.

Completely agree on the powerplay, kuch would probably have 30pts by now if the powerplay was clicking. It's pretty important that we get someone to fill that spot by the TDL.

 

[LordStanlersCup]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1857966867328983253

 

[Lightning1995]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1857966867328983253

Bolts could very well be in a position to add for the first time in a while

 

[OffBy1]

With Guenztel and Paul developing some chemistry these last couple games, it looks like we could have three effective pairs of forwards for three different scoring lines when Point is back:

? - Point - Kuch
Hagel - Cirelli - Geekie
Guenztel - Paul - Goncalves
Girgensons - Glendenning - Eyssimont

This would pretty much leave Chaffee skating on the top line and out of position, which I don't think he can really pull off, so maybe we try Geekie on the top line and Chaffee on the second?

Geekie - Point - Kuch
Hagel - Cirelli - Chaffee
Guenztel - Paul - Goncalves

If the chemistry between Guenztel and Paul lasts, I'd like to see Cooper try it.

 

[LordStanlersCup]

Bolts could very well be in a position to add for the first time in a while

We could but we would have to take into consideration the Kuch extension though. He is likely going to get a 5mil raise so we would have to sign a player to a 2 year deal to utilize all of it. If the cap goes up to 97 and then 100 we would have an extra 12 mil for 2 spots for 25-26 and 26-27 but then would have to cut back a bit in 27-28 after the extension kicks in

 

[DFC]

With Guenztel and Paul developing some chemistry these last couple games, it looks like we could have three effective pairs of forwards for three different scoring lines when Point is back:

? - Point - Kuch
Hagel - Cirelli - Geekie
Guenztel - Paul - Goncalves
Girgensons - Glendenning - Eyssimont

This would pretty much leave Chaffee skating on the top line and out of position, which I don't think he can really pull off, so maybe we try Geekie on the top line and Chaffee on the second?

Geekie - Point - Kuch
Hagel - Cirelli - Chaffee
Guenztel - Paul - Goncalves

If the chemistry between Guenztel and Paul lasts, I'd like to see Cooper try it.

I think something like:

Hagel - Point - Kucherov
Guentzel - Cirelli - Paul

I know Geekie has looked good, but to me, that's by far our best chance for top6 production.

 

[LordStanlersCup]

Friedman said in this morning's 32 thoughts that he has increasing conviction that the cap will rise to 95-97 mil next year and said that in the following year going by the most positive evaluation the cap could rise to 110 mil in 26-27. That Guentzel contract (and really any other) is going to age like gold but man Kuch is going to get paid. They were also talking about reducing the max term that teams can sign players to down from the 8 years its at currently. If the cap goes up by this much in such a short amount of time there will be a lot of players getting overpaid in UFA because there will be no one else to spend the money on. If we can get someone at or near the end of their deal at the TDL it would be imperative that we extend them right away.

 

[Felonious Python]

Friedman said in this morning's 32 thoughts that he has increasing conviction that the cap will rise to 95-97 mil next year and said that in the following year going by the most positive evaluation the cap could rise to 110 mil in 26-27. That Guentzel contract (and really any other) is going to age like gold but man Kuch is going to get paid. They were also talking about reducing the max term that teams can sign players to down from the 8 years its at currently. If the cap goes up by this much in such a short amount of time there will be a lot of players getting overpaid in UFA because there will be no one else to spend the money on. If we can get someone at or near the end of their deal at the TDL it would be imperative that we extend them right away.

Guentzel is 30. Hopefully he is a Joe Pavelski, but he's an exception.

I haven't listened to the episode yet, but shortening the max contract length, and maybe lengthening drafted player rights, would need some other concession. Younger UFA age or something.

 

[LordStanlersCup]

Guentzel is 30. Hopefully he is a Joe Pavelski, but he's an exception.

I haven't listened to the episode yet, but shortening the max contract length, and maybe lengthening drafted player rights, would need some other concession. Younger UFA age or something.

Players these days seem to be playing at a high level into their mid 30's and Guentzels deal has him ending at 36, I am not expecting him to be a Pavelski and play well until hes 40 though.

The shortening the max term length was discussed at the GM's meeting and Daly spoke on it.
“It’s a matter of potentially fixing things we need to fix on our side – or want to fix – and (the players) doing the same thing on their side,” Daly said, sounding like someone who isn’t seeking a showdown in the next labor negotiations. “So, I don’t see that (revisiting contract term limits) as being necessarily an issue that’s going to be on the top of our list in negotiation. It’ll be on a list. I can’t tell you how long that list is.”

Doesn't seem like it got very far but the conversations have started. There probably would be concessions but it also seems like it was the GM's that were the ones pushing for it

 

[Felonious Python]

Players these days seem to be playing at a high level into their mid 30's and Guentzels deal has him ending at 36, I am not expecting him to be a Pavelski and play well until hes 40 though.

The shortening the max term length was discussed at the GM's meeting and Daly spoke on it.
“It’s a matter of potentially fixing things we need to fix on our side – or want to fix – and (the players) doing the same thing on their side,” Daly said, sounding like someone who isn’t seeking a showdown in the next labor negotiations. “So, I don’t see that (revisiting contract term limits) as being necessarily an issue that’s going to be on the top of our list in negotiation. It’ll be on a list. I can’t tell you how long that list is.”

Doesn't seem like it got very far but the conversations have started. There probably would be concessions but it also seems like it was the GM's that were the ones pushing for it

The GMs are the ones giving max deals to guys right off their ELCs.

Draft rights are going to matter, and it would be a bad look for the NHL to have rights expire before their college graduation. Maybe the NCAA will allow players to sign and be sent back, but we don't know yet.

 

[LordStanlersCup]

The GMs are the ones giving max deals to guys right off their ELCs.

Draft rights are going to matter, and it would be a bad look for the NHL to have rights expire before their college graduation. Maybe the NCAA will allow players to sign and be sent back, but we don't know yet.

Yeah, maybe they want less risk/responsibility which would in theory help them keep their jobs longer?

“(Term lengths are) an item (GMs have) asked us to focus on,” Daly said. “It wasn’t any more specific than (GMs) saying if we could achieve bargaining shorter contract limits, we should put that on our (negotiating) list.”

I don't think this would change the term limit of the signing rights, probably only for RFA and UFA contracts but not ELCs

 

[Hockeyville USA]

The GMs are the ones giving max deals to guys right off their ELCs.

Draft rights are going to matter, and it would be a bad look for the NHL to have rights expire before their college graduation. Maybe the NCAA will allow players to sign and be sent back, but we don't know yet.

Nope, once you sign a pro deal, you're ineligible. Unless the NCAA changes precedent, once you sign a pro contract, your NCAA eligibility is done. That's going to be the rule forever