Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion IV

[Crunchrulz]

Joel Armia $2.5 mil
Eric Robinson $2.2 mil
Justin Brazeau $1.4 mil

Good deals?

I'm looking for bigger forwards who can play. Trent Frederic's projected contract is like $4 mil/year. I think I'd pass on that.

AFP Analytics has Joel Kiviranta with a projected deal of less than $1 mil/year. I'm not sure if that's right. 16 goals this season.

Frederic at 4 mil per is a hard pass for a career fourth liner.
I knew the increase in CAP was going to inflate some egos but I did not realize it was going to be THAT bad.

 

[creg]

Looking at AFP Analytics you could probably sign all 3 of Bjugstad, Gourde, and Brazeau assuming they go to market. I'd definitely go for quantity of solid players over quality for our bottom 6.

Run something like:

Guentzel/Point/Kucherov
Hagel/Cirelli/Bjorkstrand
Goncalves/Paul/Bjugstad
Girgensons/Gourde/Brazeau

I guess the question does become where does Geekie fit in next year's lineup? If Geekie's ready and we're re-signing Goncalves we'd be essentially running back the exact same top 9. In that case you probably don't sign Bjugstad and try to upgrade on D.

 

[JTBF81]

Looking at AFP Analytics you could probably sign all 3 of Bjugstad, Gourde, and Brazeau assuming they go to market. I'd definitely go for quantity of solid players over quality for our bottom 6.

Run something like:

Guentzel/Point/Kucherov
Hagel/Cirelli/Bjorkstrand
Goncalves/Paul/Bjugstad
Girgensons/Gourde/Brazeau

I guess the question does become where does Geekie fit in next year's lineup? If Geekie's ready and we're re-signing Goncalves we'd be essentially running back the exact same top 9. In that case you probably don't sign Bjugstad and try to upgrade on D.

Yeah, I had a lineup similar to this, but without Gourde and Girg in there. I had Geekie at either 2RW or 3RW, and had the 4th line as Brazeau-Bjugstad-Chaffee. Doing that also allowed for some upgrade on defense. I think they'll likely re-sign Gourde around 3 or so, re-sign Goncalves and have enough room for one F and one dman, each in that ~2 range. Some of it will also be determined perhaps by what, if anything, they do with Howard this summer. If they can get a solid blueline league ready prospect or a young player with some experience already, that could open up a little more room to.add one more F.

 

[JTBF81]

Joel Armia $2.5 mil
Eric Robinson $2.2 mil
Justin Brazeau $1.4 mil

Good deals?

I'm looking for bigger forwards who can play. Trent Frederic's projected contract is like $4 mil/year. I think I'd pass on that.

AFP Analytics has Joel Kiviranta with a projected deal of less than $1 mil/year. I'm not sure if that's right. 16 goals this season.

Is there a link to this list? I can only seem to find one for last summer's ufa's. Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Felonious Python]

Is there a link to this list? I can only seem to find one for last summer's ufa's. Thanks in advance for any info.

www.docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EIVzd3tGEpaoQXCXkE3DkiksczGJvlc8GywXZl0Twjo/edit?gid=1769332179#gid=1769332179

 

[Crunchrulz]

Dylan McIlrath would be a nice two way signing. He has played his role for the Capitals as well as could be expected this season after leading Hershey to back-to-back AHL titles the previous two seasons. His leadership, both on and off the ice, has NEVER been questioned. He is more than capable of standing up for his teammates, and would make an amazing Captain for the Crunch while helping to develop the future defense corp. I believe he turns 34 next season, and his contract was $775k at the NHL level this year.

Ironic note is his first NHL fight was with Brian McGrattan when McIlrath was a young Ranger defenseman.

 

[JTBF81]

Based on the AFP chart, I'd have my doubts they'll re-sign Gourde if he's asking for 4.3 or so. I think low 3's, maybe 3.5, is the most they can realistically offer and still make some other reasonable adds.between the offense and defense.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Coop was put on the cross for missing the playoffs by a point. What the f*** is this supposed to be when I still adamantly support the guy?

I guess the good news is we were spared the inevitable overtime loss

 

[Power Surge]

Not capitalizing of the 5 min major cost us big.

 

[Power Surge]

Based on the AFP chart, I'd have my doubts they'll re-sign Gourde if he's asking for 4.3 or so. I think low 3's, maybe 3.5, is the most they can realistically offer and still make some other reasonable adds.between the offense and defense.

Maybe we could get one of Florida's dirt bags for that amount

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Whatever mileage this team has left, it's up to Coop to find it. Make an adjustment my dude. We will never win another series again playing like this

 

[Power Surge]

Whatever mileage this team has left, it's up to Coop to find it. Make an adjustment my dude. We will never win another series again playing like this

I'm wondering if Point is injured. I know everyone plays injured at this time of year but if it is affecting his game then it explains his disappearance, maybe drop his minutes next game.

 

[Stammertime91]

Guentzel - Point - Kucherov
Hagel - Cirelli - Geekie
Goncalves - Paul - Bjorkstrand

I would not bring back a soul for that bottom line. Find the biggest and fastest guys willing to bury someone for the fourth.

Hedman -
McD - Cernak
Moser -
Lilleberg

Get rid of all the *shit* do nothing players. We dont have the capital to blow it up nor would it be smart to. I love Yanni, but no. Unless he signs for 1M - no. He's not the same agitator he was and that's okay, I will always root for him. The trash bags like Perbix need to go. Raddysh can follow. Bring in a couple RH defenseman that don't wilt when it gets tough.

 

[Webster]

I'm pretty sure Lilleberg-Crozier will be the 3rd pairing next season.

I'm also pretty sure Perbix is no longer a Bolt Jul 1, I think he's asking too much.

 

[creg]

I'm pretty sure Lilleberg-Crozier will be the 3rd pairing next season.

I'm also pretty sure Perbix is no longer a Bolt Jul 1, I think he's asking too much.

This would be actual malpractice. Lilleberg has been noticeably horrible on the ice and pretty much directly lead to a goal with Perbix by just not putting remote effort in skating down the ice.

 

[Webster]

This would be actual malpractice. Lilleberg has been noticeably horrible on the ice and pretty much directly lead to a goal with Perbix by just not putting remote effort in skating down the ice.

The Lilleberg haters will eat crow...

 

[creg]

Guentzel - Point - Kucherov
Hagel - Cirelli - Geekie
Goncalves - Paul - Bjorkstrand

I would not bring back a soul for that bottom line. Find the biggest and fastest guys willing to bury someone for the fourth.

Hedman -
McD - Cernak
Moser -
Lilleberg

Get rid of all the *shit* do nothing players. We dont have the capital to blow it up nor would it be smart to. I love Yanni, but no. Unless he signs for 1M - no. He's not the same agitator he was and that's okay, I will always root for him. The trash bags like Perbix need to go. Raddysh can follow. Bring in a couple RH defenseman that don't wilt when it gets tough.

I think they need to shake up the top 9 - this would essentially be running back the same team. Get another asshole for our 3rd line and get two hard forechecking bottom 6ers to play with Girgensons on the 4th line.

The Lilleberg haters will eat crow...

I want to like Lilleberg just as much as I want to like Perbix & Raddysh but the reality is that they're all liabilities and of the three, to me, Lillberg offers the least.

I don't mind him as a 7d but he cannot be on our 3rd pair to start next season.

 

[Stammertime91]

I think they need to shake up the top 9 - this would essentially be running back the same team. Get another asshole for our 3rd line and get two hard forechecking bottom 6ers to play with Girgensons on the 4th line.


I want to like Lilleberg just as much as I want to like Perbix & Raddysh but the reality is that they're all liabilities and of the three, to me, Lillberg offers the least.

I don't mind him as a 7d but he cannot be on our 3rd pair to start next season.

Thats fair but I'm trying to look at it from Coops POV. He's trusting in Goncalves and they're probably going to resign him. He's earned it too tbh. He has potential, but I do agree overall. Disagree on Girgs. I want the guy shot to the moon. He sucks.

 

[Webster]

I want to like Lilleberg just as much as I want to like Perbix & Raddysh but the reality is that they're all liabilities and of the three, to me, Lillberg offers the least.

I don't mind him as a 7d but he cannot be on our 3rd pair to start next season.

You're talking about Perbix and Raddysh, they have 3 years or more of experience in the NHL. Lilleberg has 100+ games. He's been in the lineup all season because it's part of their plan to develop him into a solid defenseman, he has all the tools, size and physicality. The Bolts like him a lot.

So yes, the 3LD spot belongs to him. Hopefully with Crozier later on because those two really clicked.

 

[creg]

Thats fair but I'm trying to look at it from Coops POV. He's trusting in Goncalves and they're probably going to resign him. He's earned it too tbh. He has potential, but I do agree overall. Disagree on Girgs. I want the guy shot to the moon. He sucks.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind if they use Goncalves in a package with Howard to try to get something a little better if he has value. He has been solid but he plays so much perimeter that when the game gets tight checking like today's he looks so much worse than a looser game like yesterday where he excelled with more space.

I think Girgensons will make more sense with players with skillsets that complement what he brings, he's defensively solid, plays a lot of garbage minutes, and is a part of the reason why our PK has been so effective this year. I thought he was good with Glendenning & Mikey but ever since moving Mikey that 4th line has been missing someone who can actually move the puck in the o-zone and has fallen super flat. Get him two players who can be defensively responsible and lay a heavy forecheck and I think he'll look fine.

You're talking about Perbix and Raddysh, they have 3 years or more of experience in the NHL. Lilleberg has 100+ games. He's been in the lineup all season because it's part of their plan to develop him into a solid defenseman, he has all the tools, size and physicality. The Bolts like him a lot.

So yes, the 3LD spot belongs to him. Hopefully with Crozier later on because those two really clicked.

I get that you love Lilleberg but dude you have to be seeing what we're seeing. He gets sheltered starts and still manages to consistently mess it up. You blame the top 4 which is fine but Lilleberg/Perbix got an o-zone start against the Panthers third line today and managed to give up a goal purely based on the fact that they couldn't beat a 37 year old in a race down the ice.

I don't think him being in the lineup says as much about him as a player as it does about us being too cap-strapped to round out a bottom pair making more than near league minimum. Like truthfully if one of Perbix or Raddysh were an LD do you think we'd still be playing Lilleberg?

 

[Webster]

This isn't going anywhere with you, creg. But you may of course have your opinion.

 

[Crunchrulz]

Sadly, we are once again blaming the fourth line and the bottom pairing for the failure of the first, second, and third lines and top two defense pairings.
Your bottom group is there for a reason. They are not expected to be the ones who carry your team but should be able to contribute on occasion. Any organization that blames its bottom tier starters for the failures of most of the roster needs to take a serious look at the performance, or lack thereof, of its top 13 players plus starting goaltender before it places the blame solely on the shoulders of its bottom tier and backups.

 

[Stammertime91]

You're talking about Perbix and Raddysh, they have 3 years or more of experience in the NHL. Lilleberg has 100+ games. He's been in the lineup all season because it's part of their plan to develop him into a solid defenseman, he has all the tools, size and physicality. The Bolts like him a lot.

So yes, the 3LD spot belongs to him. Hopefully with Crozier later on because those two really clicked.

What Creg said. I mean this respectfully, but you are blinded by nationalism. It's kind of worrying. I couldn't give two shits if all the Lightning players were born in Venezuela or Timbuktu. If a player sucks ass, he's gotta go. Lilleberg lays the body, cool, so do 900 other players in the league. It doesn't mean you can defend. He has serious flaws in his game and will not warrant more ice time than what he's getting and as it stands, he gets abused (which he shouldn't since he's physical, right?). I'll be fair to his potential and say he may get better in the future which is likely, but right now, he is not helping the team. And he's not "going after" or "challenging" anybody. Skating by a Florida panther after the whistle to smell their breath isn't moving the needle. Wanna cement your place on the team? Show you give a f*** and run one of these players that are injuring your teammates. He's as much of a liability as baldy and Perbix.

 

[Webster]

Too bad...there are some I hoped to avoid putting on my ignore list.

 

[Stammertime91]

Also, anybody lobbying for Brisebois to be fired is doing so a little premature. I'd rather him than Cooper, but I don't think we should be desiring that. Look around the league... there are more bad GMs than good ones. You can royally f*** up a franchise with one or two moves. I don't think Brisebois is close that. Is he creeping closer? Sure based off capital and the current roster with HOFers. But, people were drooling over Drury and that soured INSANELY fast. Ken Holland, Kevin Cheveldayoff, etc. You guys want one of these dudes running the Lightning? Because guys like that in the good old boys club is who we will likely end up with. Darche will likely be out of the organization by the time JBB is fired or parts ways. I think its incredibly dumb to advocate for JBB *at this time* to get fired. The replacement could be so incredibly bad. I have trust in Vinik, but... Vinik won't always be around, either.

TLDR; be careful what you wish for regarding GM.