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

[Soul Assumption]

Have you been watching Florida or Toronto? they're both teams with pretty glaring issues themselves. The east is wide open, if there's a year to try to bolster the team it's this year.

They're just bad matchups. When was the last time we played well against these teams? Florida has a deeper forward group and they have a guy who can neutralize Kuch. as for Toronto, the main problem is that Vasy can't make a save against them for whatever reason. We play so much better against Metro teams, it's crazy

 

[Rschmitz]

Kuch is not in a slump. HE has had points in every game . He is showing up. The defense and secondary scoring/bottom 6 is holding the team back not Kucherov. If you call that a slump,w hat do you call a ppg player?
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By the standard we'd like to hold Kucherov to...Ross trophy winner and MVP, he's in a slump. Not some crazy slump, but he's not passing the eye test to me, even if he still sneezes points. The thing with Kucherov is he's also a big risk taker, so when he's off he gifts momentum to the other team.

 

[Rschmitz]

And before that 2 games without points, so 9 points in 8 games in January. For a player of his caliber, it's definitely be called a slump.

yes but this is reality if Kucherov doesn't score 3 points per game then no one else can do it

I think this year he has help, our second line some nights carries us.

 

[JTBF81]

Considering that aside from a terrible power play against Florida, they'd probably be 2-0 against them, and it's been 2 games against Toronto as well this season. As others have said, every top team in the East has some flaws, and Tampa is in a good spot overall this year to once again make a run. If the '26 1st is needed to acquire a needed asset near or at the deadline, I hope JBB continues to push the chips in. Howard is likely the only prospect I wouldn't move barring an unbelievable young and proven player coming back. In any case, as long as JBB feels this team is in a contending window (which they are), he said he'll continue to go for it. I expect the '26 1st to get moved, as well as a few other picks/prospects, in order to address 2-3 spots in the middle 6 and depth on defense.

 

[These Are The Days]

Tweet not showing correctly on my page, but Pagnotta says JBB is looking to bolster our blueline

I'm gonna quote Stone Cold

EHH EHHH!!!!

I will take JBB to the woodshed myself if he does that crap. We have neglected our forward group long enough so we could have super sexy defense. Getting Jake was the bare minimum we needed to continue contending for the Cup. See if you can get Duke (and maybe) Howard ready by the playoffs and go for Marchand at 50% The B's are a bad week away from a firesale and a 37 year old pending UFA isn't going to command an arm and a leg. A 1st and Shaugabay would get it done

 

[JTBF81]

No thanks on Marchand imo. I'd be fairly happy with any of Bjorkstrand, Palmieri, Donato, Kunin, Gourde, Laughton, Foerster, Evangelista, and I'm sure there are others to consider. Until the sellers become more clear, it's still fairly difficult to figure out who will actually be available though.

 

[These Are The Days]

No thanks on Marchand imo. I'd be fairly happy with any of Bjorkstrand, Palmieri, Donato, Kunin, Gourde, Laughton, Foerster, Evangelista, and I'm sure there are others to consider. Until the sellers become more clear, it's still fairly difficult to figure out who will actually be available though.

I'll bite. Where are they playing in the lineup?

 

[Rschmitz]

I'd be happy with a 3rd liner, I'm not expecting us to make any splashy deals until this summer when we have the extra cap space.

 

[JTBF81]

I'll bite. Where are they playing in the lineup?

Preferably, one of Bjorkstrand or Palmieri would be the "big" acquisition and take over at 2RW. Then acquiring one of what will likely be a much larger pool of players to fit on the 3rd line with Paul and Geekie. A 3rd pairing depth dman wouldn't hurt either, depending on how much room they'll have left after the F trades and what kind of salary they've sent back/moved in any deals. Ideally though, I'd hope for something like:
Guentzel-Point-Kuch
Hagel-Cirelli-Bjork/Palmieri
3LW acquisition-Paul-Geekie
Ace-Glendening-Chaffee
Of course, if one of Ace ir Chaffee gets moved out in one of these trades, then you replace with Girgensons/Finley/etc. The dman could help take pressure off rolling a 3rd pairing of Lilleberg-Raddysb/Perbix, and provide needed depth in case of injury (although Crozier should also be able to help with that later in the year and during playoffs I'd guess).

 

[RussianGuyovich]

with moser coming back soon, and howard as a potential playoff addition, i would love to see us get someone that could shut down on the third line. in my scenario, raddysh/lille is back in the third pairing and are pretty mobile offensive defensemen, but we need someone other than perbix as a shutdown imo. nobody on the crunch really excites me in this role, either

 

[TampaIceman]

Kuch is not in a slump. HE has had points in every game . He is showing up. The defense and secondary scoring/bottom 6 is holding the team back not Kucherov. If you call that a slump,w hat do you call a ppg player?
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I was going to say didn’t he just have two goals against Pittsburgh on Sunday? That is some kind of slump.

 

[Zwui21]

I can't wait to see Howard in the Bolts jersey.
Howard - Point - Kuch, what a dream.

Can't really remember, has Guentzel been tried with Cirelli and Hagel yet? Those three could be very very good together too

 

[These Are The Days]

Preferably, one of Bjorkstrand or Palmieri would be the "big" acquisition and take over at 2RW. Then acquiring one of what will likely be a much larger pool of players to fit on the 3rd line with Paul and Geekie. A 3rd pairing depth dman wouldn't hurt either, depending on how much room they'll have left after the F trades and what kind of salary they've sent back/moved in any deals. Ideally though, I'd hope for something like:
Guentzel-Point-Kuch
Hagel-Cirelli-Bjork/Palmieri
3LW acquisition-Paul-Geekie
Ace-Glendening-Chaffee
Of course, if one of Ace ir Chaffee gets moved out in one of these trades, then you replace with Girgensons/Finley/etc. The dman could help take pressure off rolling a 3rd pairing of Lilleberg-Raddysb/Perbix, and provide needed depth in case of injury (although Crozier should also be able to help with that later in the year and during playoffs I'd guess).

I can see where you're going with this but we potentially have Howard and Duke for middle 6 roles anyway. Paul, Cirelli, Atkinson, Girgensons and Glendening are probably going to be mixed and matched to shut down opposing offenses. That leaves Hagel and (maybe) Geekie with Guentzel, Point and Kucherov to do the scoring. I just don't know if that's enough.

My logic behind Marchand is we need to be able to create and finish extemporaneous offensive plays. This is pure IQ and poise under pressure. Guetnzel can do it. Hagel can (sometimes) do it. Kucherov can do it. Point is a creature of habit but can do it too. We have room for like 1 trade and I want it to be for the smartest possible player we can get who can still produce at a high level.

We always lose our playoff series because we can't buy a goal and I want that nipped in the bud

 

[JTBF81]

I can see where you're going with this but we potentially have Howard and Duke for middle 6 roles anyway. Paul, Cirelli, Atkinson, Girgensons and Glendening are probably going to be mixed and matched to shut down opposing offenses. That leaves Hagel and (maybe) Geekie with Guentzel, Point and Kucherov to do the scoring. I just don't know if that's enough.

My logic behind Marchand is we need to be able to create and finish extemporaneous offensive plays. This is pure IQ and poise under pressure. Guetnzel can do it. Hagel can (sometimes) do it. Kucherov can do it. Point is a creature of habit but can do it too. We have room for like 1 trade and I want it to be for the smartest possible player we can get who can still produce at a high level.

We always lose our playoff series because we can't buy a goal and I want that nipped in the bud

They have room for more than.one trade. They'll have around 4.6 available at the deadline because of accrual, if the numbers I've seen are right With retention and some small amount of salary going back, 2 or even 3 trades are possible. Palmieri or Bjorkstrand bring solid scoring as well as decent defense for forwards. I have serious doubts that either Duke or Howard are going to have much of an impact thks season either, with maybe Howard, should he sign after MSU's season ends, getting some limited time.

with moser coming back soon, and howard as a potential playoff addition, i would love to see us get someone that could shut down on the third line. in my scenario, raddysh/lille is back in the third pairing and are pretty mobile offensive defensemen, but we need someone other than perbix as a shutdown imo. nobody on the crunch really excites me in this role, either

I still like acquiring Dumoulin for this exact role. With retention, he'd only cost 1.55ish. His playoff experience a puld also be helpful imo.