Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion IV

[Stammertime91]

Change the bottom 6

That undoubtedly needs to happen, though. The two aren't exclusive. The top six needs to get going, but the bottom six is largely ineffective.

Our bottom six has two goals in four games. Mocking it as if they are not a problem is ludicrous. They provide very little offensively and do by and large nothing with their shifts in the offensive zone to make life difficult for Florida's defense. If your bottom lines don't generate chances, it becomes a breather to matchup your best defensive players with the oppositions best offensive players. Which is why I call our bottom six a Gustav Forsling breather. Neutralize Kucherov and we are pretty much done. It doesn't justify Kuch going AWOL for three playoff runs in the goal department or excuse a shit powerplay, but both are true. Acting as if the bottom six is peachy and enough of a threat is comical. It is so bad we are running Casper the Ghost instead of playing an ace or bringing in Atkinson or Sheary. We've hit the bottom of the barrel. No doubt the bottom six guys are trying, but they just suck. Collectively suck and individually inferior to Florida's. Our top six being abysmal isn't their fault, guys making 1M and less, but it does play a factor. The team needs a bottom six overhaul and the top six needs to remember how to play playoff hockey because for three years they've been in dreamland.

 

[LightningStrikes]

View attachment 1025850

Mods make it f***ing stop!!!! It's even happening while I post for f***s sake

Unfortunately there is nothing we light blue or purple could do about that. There is the sponsorship that gets rid of all ads for you. And/or you could post this in the “Current state of the boards” thread on the main boards and it could get the attention of the admins.

 

[Stammertime91]

Unfortunately there is nothing we light blue or purple could do about that. There is the sponsorship that gets rid of all ads for you. And/or you could post this in the “Current state of the boards” thread on the main boards and it could get the attention of the admins.

All I heard was;

"For just three easy payments of $29.99...

BUT WAIT! There's more!..."

 

[Sky04]

That undoubtedly needs to happen, though. The two aren't exclusive. The top six needs to get going, but the bottom six is largely ineffective.

Our bottom six has two goals in four games. Mocking it as if they are not a problem is ludicrous. They provide very little offensively and do by and large nothing with their shifts in the offensive zone to make life difficult for Florida's defense. If your bottom lines don't generate chances, it becomes a breather to matchup your best defensive players with the oppositions best offensive players. Which is why I call our bottom six a Gustav Forsling breather. Neutralize Kucherov and we are pretty much done. It doesn't justify Kuch going AWOL for three playoff runs in the goal department or excuse a shit powerplay, but both are true. Acting as if the bottom six is peachy and enough of a threat is comical. It is so bad we are running Casper the Ghost instead of playing an ace or bringing in Atkinson or Sheary. We've hit the bottom of the barrel. No doubt the bottom six guys are trying, but they just suck. Collectively suck and individually inferior to Florida's. Our top six being abysmal isn't their fault, guys making 1M and less, but it does play a factor. The team needs a bottom six overhaul and the top six needs to remember how to play playoff hockey because for three years they've been in dreamland.

Nobody is acting like the bottom is peachy but it's definitely not anywhere NEAR as big as issue as the top-6 is, not even close, you're insane to think so. Just because you complain about them a lot doesn't factually mean they're ineffective.

The only 2 players in the bottom 6 who haven't registered a point yet are Girgs and Geekie, Florida has 3 players in their bottom 6 who haven't even registered a point. We have Goncalves with 3, Chaffee, Paul and Glendenning ALL have a goal each through 4 games, the only person in the bottom 6 for Florida that even has a goal is Lundell but yes lets keep pretending it's as big an issue.

 

[Stammertime91]

Nobody is acting like the bottom is peachy but it's definitely not anywhere NEAR as big as issue as the top-6 is, not even close, you're insane to think so.

I mean... as a whole, it's bad but we've also had Hagel for a whole like 2.5 games, Cirelli hurt, and Paul is one of the top 6 guys. Guenztel is excluded because he's producing and not previously with us. So, it really boils down to Kucherov and Point. Putting both on the same line and shutting them down is a piece of cake when Cirelli isn't scoring, Hagel isn't playing, and whoever else is pushed up as a wing.

 

[Stammertime91]

Nobody is acting like the bottom is peachy but it's definitely not anywhere NEAR as big as issue as the top-6 is, not even close, you're insane to think so. Just because you complain about them a lot doesn't factually mean they're ineffective.

The only 2 players in the bottom 6 who haven't registered a point yet are Girgs and Geekie, Florida has 3 players in their bottom 6 who haven't even registered a point. We have Goncalves with 3, Chaffee, Paul and Glendenning ALL have a goal each through 4 games, the only person in the bottom 6 for Florida that even has a goal is Lundell but yes lets keep pretending it's as big an issue.

For reference, in 2020... our bottom six had 6 goals against Florida. Top six had 18 goals against them. Six games...

Entering game five, the bottom six has two goals and our top six has five goals.

Backend production is down too. Idk what it was for 2021 without looking it up, but our scoring as a whole is down. The whole forward group minus Guentzel has been poor.

 

[Stammertime91]

I wish we could have a mulligan and have gotten Tuch after all. Tuch and Thompson. Pay the kings ransom and get a couple guys with size that can skate and score. I'm so tired of this reversion fetish to small and average size forwards that get boxed, screened and pushed away from the play.

I wonder what it would take to get Tage.

 

[Coopers Gum]

I wish we could have a mulligan and have gotten Tuch after all. Tuch and Thompson. Pay the kings ransom and get a couple guys with size that can skate and score. I'm so tired of this reversion fetish to small and average size forwards that get boxed, screened and pushed away from the play.

I wonder what it would take to get Tage.

This, 1000x. The Lightning sure are in love with their undersized forwards. Newsflash fellas, Marty St. Louis was about one in a billion.

 

[SaucerpassfromKuch]

It's going to be tough road ahead for the next few years, we are not contenders anymore and we can't start tanking. We are in the limbo of mediocrity, unless we can reinvent ourselves. Nonetheless you need to try to change something, is it changing the coaching staff and GM or trading top 6 forwards or both. I don't know but I expect something happening in the offseason.

 

[HanTykje]

Often is the manager, the team need new impulses. More often it is the tactics by the head coach the players suffers from, the players quality is there but he does not longer have the dressing room with him. A new coah can turn this around. Just finding the a new one, maybe a new GM for better squad and draft pick planning.

 

[Soul Assumption]

Since 95% of fans agree we need a new coach let's discuss candidates. Quenneville? Sutter? Laviolette? Maybe Sullivan? He's been destroying Cooper for YEARS, he knows this team's weaknesses and probably knows how to fix them. Or do you want to see a new face with no NHL experience as a head coach? If so, are you thinking of anyone in particular?

 

[Stammertime91]

Since 95% of fans agree we need a new coach let's discuss candidates. Quenneville? Sutter? Laviolette? Maybe Sullivan? He's been destroying Cooper for YEARS, he knows this team's weaknesses and probably knows how to fix them. Or do you want to see a new face with no NHL experience as a head coach? If so, are you thinking of anyone in particular?

Keep dreaming.

Great suggestions... a guy that doesn't care about sexual assault, a guy who continues to flame out, another redux of a guy who flames out, and a guy who Penguins fans have wanted fired for years. Great suggestions. Who else would you like, Barry Melrose? How about Rick Tocchet? Or Guy Boucher?

Fake ass lightning fan

 

[Lightning1995]

The fact Toronto is choking against the Sens makes me sad. Really no one in the East appear capable of stopping another Panther cup run.

 

[Lightning1995]

It’s times like this I have to remind myself how special of a decade long run this has been of contending Lightning hockey. Very thankful to have followed and scene it. Hope that I’m wrong thinking it’s over.

 

[StaySalty]

The fact Toronto is choking against the Sens makes me sad. Really no one in the East appear capable of stopping another Panther cup run.

What about the capitals/hurricanes? Capitals vs this Panthers team would be fun. Tom Wilson and Ovi smashing people.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Since 95% of fans agree we need a new coach let's discuss candidates. Quenneville? Sutter? Laviolette? Maybe Sullivan? He's been destroying Cooper for YEARS, he knows this team's weaknesses and probably knows how to fix them. Or do you want to see a new face with no NHL experience as a head coach? If so, are you thinking of anyone in particular?

I don't agree with any of that nonsense.

 

[Stammertime91]

I don't agree with any of that nonsense.

He's a fake Lightning fan. Just posts to stir the pot. He's a Toronto fan. I can smell it a mile away.

 

[Zwui21]

Lol wtf?

 

[Peacefool]

This offseasson. Trade Perbix get Crozier, get rid of Atkinson, Sheary, Gigs (?). Get Gourde back for reasonable money, get som decent D, get actuall bottom 6 players, get Maroon character to the locker room, get, some tough player who can play and hit. Heal heal heal, all F group begin preseasson together with Kuch,like CIrelli did and he began to score.
Just put all the possible dope into the guys in Jan-Feb where we will have like 29 wins in a row an clinching PO spot like at 27 february. Than all guys will be busted and get 20 games disqualification, and we will have planty of room in a cap (does it work like this? if some are suspended does his cap counts?) sign few great guys and we will get a cup next seasson.

so it will be back 2 back cups agains after we win one this year.

 

[Stelio Kontos]

It’s times like this I have to remind myself how special of a decade long run this has been of contending Lightning hockey. Very thankful to have followed and scene it. Hope that I’m wrong thinking it’s over.

This is honestly the right way look at it. IMO just annoyed how things have gone past 3 years and even than got to see what a special players 86 88 an 77 are.. so my bad peeps

 

[Peacefool]

This is honestly the right way look at it. IMO just annoyed how things have gone past 3 years and even than got to see what a special players 86 88 an 77 are.. so my bad peeps

We are spoiled in a good way, thx to those players we are frustrated for last 3 years, its a blessing being able to watch all the greatness, thats why those guys no matter of what are the best. And they still got something in them, I am sure they will have another 1-2 cup runs in next 3-5 years.

 

[Stammertime91]

Lol wtf?

Wouldn't give it much consideration, if any.

 

[JTBF81]

On another note one absolute need is a 2RW, preferably a big body like Tuch, Tippett, or Nichushkin. Hagel/Cirelli carrying a random as their linemate works in the regular season but it's pretty clear that it isn't going to fly in the post season, and like we've seen in this panthers series the second that one of Hagel or Cirelli goes down or is playing hurt we suddenly don't have a 2nd line any more.

If I had a dream off-season it would be to move Howard for a big, young, defense first 3LD like Ethan del Mastro from Chicago, sign or trade for a solid 2RW that adds some size to the top 6, and get two physical, defensively reliable 4th liners. I hope JBB operates under the assumption that Geekie will be playing with the Crunch, I think he'll look a lot better with a full off-season of training but I do think that he's still a bit away.

Both Geekie and Bjorkstrand should ne the 2RW and 3RW next year. I think Bjork should start on the 2nd line and Geekie on the 3rd, but the roles could be reversed. Tampa shouldn't be going out and trading more assets or spending cap space they don't have on a position they are pretty set at for next year, imo.

 

[JTBF81]

Love all the names you mentioned and would be thrilled if we landed them. Imagine if we got two of those 3.. But what was the trade for bjorkstrand than?? We traded two firsts 2nd + eyssimont for what exactly? Is bjorkstrand a top 6er or is he just like another nick Paul. Was really uninspired watching him looked like a worse teddy purcell fr

Bjorkstrand had a slow start, but was playing quite well before he got hurt. Even before he was scoring at a better rate, he was creating some chances and didn't look out of place at all. He's far better than Purcell. Bjorkstrand didn't even get much of a chance in the top 6, which is where he should've been, and I'm guessing will be, next season. Tampa isn't likely to get any of those named players, nor should they be overspending to do so, as they already have the RW position set for next year with Kuch, OB, and Geekie

 

[creg]

Both Geekie and Bjorkstrand should ne the 2RW and 3RW next year. I think Bjork should start on the 2nd line and Geekie on the 3rd, but the roles could be reversed. Tampa shouldn't be going out and trading more assets or spending cap space they don't have on a position they are pretty set at for next year, imo.

Is Geekie actually ready though? Like he's very much been the passenger on both the 2nd and 3rd lines. I would hope that JBB would actually address a need rather than hope that a 20 year old figures it out in the off-season.

We need players who can drive play first and foremost and we need someone who can be comfortably slotted in with Hagel/Cirelli and their assignments.

Bjorkstrand could move up to 2RW, sure, but do we really feel comfortable with a 3rd line of Goncalves/Paul/Geekie? We're just running back the same team at that point.