Speculation: 2024-2025 General Lightning Discussion: Preseason Edition

[DFC]

I'm not responding to all that at once. Stacking Guentzel with Kucherov isn't going to alleviate the even strength scoring problems of the other 3 lines. We had defensive issues because the other 3 lines both never sustained any pressure and the go to system was for the forwards to run a fly route back to the defensive zone unless Kucherov was on the ice.

This only works if Jake and Kucherov are split among 2 lines or you take Point off and pair him with Hagel and we try Cirelli with Jake and Kucherov. Otherwise you're running a TKO line redux and praying they don't get the kitchen sink thrown at them.

It's like you forget that Hagel also did 90% of his scoring 5v5 too. So adding Guentzel simply adds to our 5v5 scoring, whatever amount he is better than Stamkos. Which feels like a decent amount.

 

[These Are The Days]

It's like you forget that Hagel also did 90% of his scoring 5v5 too. So adding Guentzel simply adds to our 5v5 scoring, whatever amount he is better than Stamkos. Which feels like a decent amount.

I'm not saying Guentzel isn't going to help at even strength. He absolutely will like everyone is saying.

I'm saying stacking him with Kucherov and Point most of the time probably isn't the best idea to help the rest of our lineup be more productive at even strength. The only way it works (on one line married to Kucherov) is if Guentzel replaces Stamkos' powerplay production AND pops off for like 108 points because his even strength totals go up so high too. While that would be nice, it's liable to create 3 lines that don't do much of anything, especially if Atkinson is not up to par. I am hoping Cooper tinkers with the lines throughout the games like FP said. We spent way too many games with nothing happening without Kucherov on the ice. You can put Guentzel with Point and Kucherov. Send it. By all means. But don't marry it forever. You're not helping team 5 on 5 by making 1 super line. Our entire structure so often fell apart because we spent 40-45 minutes a night either electing to defend or just not creating any pressure whatsoever without Kucherov on the ice. We need to get away from that and take the pressure off our defense at large. All I want from Cooper is to mix it up. Please. I really don't trust Cirelli at 2C

Re: Hagel and Stamkos. It's chicken and the egg with both guys. Hagel doesn't get a whole lot of PP1 time (which basically stayed out the full 2 minutes) and does most of his scoring at even strength. Stamkos was always shackled to guys like Killorn, Paul, Filppula and Callahan minus the run he had with Miller and Kucherov. The fact he wasn't as productive at even strength as we'd have liked wasn't a surprise to me.

 

[Sky04]

Yeah adding Guentzel and bumping Hagel down won't help ES scoring at all.

"You're not helping the team 5v5 with one super line" uhh yeah when they play 1/3rd of the game you do

Neither does adding one of the best defensive defenseman in the league help I suppose. This team has massively improved over last year, almost gotta be dense not to see it.

Scoring was not the biggest 5v5 issue last year, it was defense. If by some stretch of the imagination you think the offense hasn't improved I'd love to hear an argument for how the defense hasn't.

Our opening night defense was this last year:

Hedman-Cernak
Sergachev-Raddysh
CDH-Perbix
Fleury

no improvement tho.

 

[JFedol]

I know the development/come up of players is WAY different in Russia, but man......I seriously wished it would've occurred at some point for Kuch back in his early years (2014 - 2015) to atleast think about experimenting about maybe transitioning to centre lol. Stamkos/Filppula and Johnson was the pairing and Kuch was just trying to make the team at the time as a winger but with what we've observed now all throughout 10 seasons. His playmaking, stickhandling, skating, IQ and vision are all elite defining traits that would be game-changing down the middle IMO. I don't think he would've had any type of problem aside from maybe size and weight and if it means a big reduction in points, his 200ft game probably could've seen a BIG improvement. I think he would still be 70-80% effective at C if that hypotheical transition was made. A tandem of Kucherov - Point down the middle would not only balance out the scoring but also give way more options with Guentzel and Hagel being switched/stapled to either one of them when rough periods are happening during the season. I still love Kuch as winger and love what's he's contributed to this franchise though.

Either way, this heavily looks like a gigantic one line team that may have scoring issues if there the Top 6 six isn't producing and I'm still iffy on if Cirelli can hang as a 2C offensively. We'll likely be again, a wild card team at best and just like what I was thinking last year, Point-Hedman-Guetzel and particulary Kucherov will have to go even more crazy and carry this team that's now looking as if it's nearing a retool pretty soon. The D looks mid again but the 5v5 scoring should see a huge increase.

 

[RDTBay4]

The impending Hurricane Helene may really screw up the preseason us. Several game cancellations are possible.

Major disadvantage for all teams involved. Basically missing the preseason unless they're able to move the site of the games.

 

[JTBF81]

The defense is far from "mid", as adding McD and Moser in place of Serg and CDH is a considerable upgrade in terms of actual defensive play. Many viewed the offense as a 1 line team last year as well, and they were still 5th in Gf/g. Adding Guentzel will improve the 5v5 play, amd even with the pp % likely dropping down, better overall defense.and 5v5 play should compensate for that. A healthy Vasy should also help consoderably,.not to mention playingbehknd a defense that shouldn't be Swiss cheese this year. In addition, despite Sheary injury riddled.failure of a season lastbyear, his track record indicates that, if he cam remain primarily healthy, that level of play is the exception, not the.norm. There is plenty of reason for optimism this year to be top 3 in the Atlantic, which, even with the horrid defense and structure last year, would've still been the likely result had Vasy not missed the first 20 games.and them come back.far from 100% when he did. The team is still several years at least away from.any kind of major re-tool/re-build and with the right adds and tweaks, they could still definitely win another Cup with this group. The cap increasing should also.lead to JBB being able to afford or trade.for some additional help at the tdl or in ufa over the next 1-2 years. The outlook is still good for the team entering this season.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

The impending Hurricane Helene may really screw up the preseason us. Several game cancellations are possible.

Major disadvantage for all teams involved. Basically missing the preseason unless they're able to move the site of the games.

The Bolts missed a preseason game in 2022 for hurricane Ian, so they at least have some experience with navigating these things.