Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion: Preseason Edition

[Rschmitz]

I am trying to understand moving Kucherov away from the right circle.

Maybe better opportunities for him to shoot against the goalies blocker side?
Hedman being a lefty actually makes the distance for the puck to travel from the point not so bad?

This is a pretty big change and not something done on a whim.

 

[StammerHammer]

If they keep Kuch on the left side, which I don't think they will, you can kiss his Art Ross for the upcoming season goodbye.

 

[JoVel]

That experiment will last approximately three power plays. Kucherov's one touch ability is exactly the key to what has made this power play so good for years.

 

[These Are The Days]

If Kucherov goes to the left side he might bag 100 assists again.

Without exaggeration, the 2020 playoff power play was probably the most unpredictable and spontaneously generated attack we have had in the Jon Cooper Era minus Drouin/Kucherov/Hedman. Just re-watch the 2020 playoff games. Kucherov would seemingly wander off and get lost low in the corner and then bam, he'd come back into the picture to do something productive and unpredictable. Whether to feed Point in the slot for a goal. Or something like an unexpected pass to the blue line that no one was covering and suddenly there's a screen that the goaltender cannot see through.

I absolutely love this and it's a welcome change for me. We have had masterful powerplay efficency in recent years but it's because we have such dominant players. Our strategy was "Lol you know it's coming, so stop us then" and I was very ready to get away from it. 18,000 people a night knew the puck was going to Stamkos and I actually cannot believe it worked as well as it did for as long as it did.

I might be wrong about the 100 assists but we're gonna see some Gretzky lite stuff out there. Kucherov doesn't really need to be on his forehand to be efficient. He's going to dissect every inch of ice and defenders are gonna be too scared to even come at him

 

[Felonious Python]

PP1 is favoring the left side, but Point is netfront while Guentzel is bumper, which makes a lot more sense, IMO.

Who is in the left circle doesn't really matter too much. There's nothing special about that spot. The question is who is the one to take the Stamkos role, and that's Hagel.

They also seem to be standardizing PP2 towards the left. Last season, Atkinson would probably be in the left circle, given that he shoots right.

If I had to guess PP2
netfront: Atkinson - ideally a right handed shot, and it's a role he's done before
left circle: Raddysh (as reported)
bumper: Cirelli
right circle: Paul
blueline: Moser