Speculation: 2024-2025 Tampa Bay Lightning predictions

Point21

Registered User
Oct 23, 2018
9,842
7,665
With opening night just under 2 weeks away. What are some of your predictions for the season?
What is your biggest "Hot Take"?
Where do we finish in the standings?
Playoffs? if so how far do we go?
Do we make a splash at the deadline now that we can accrue cap space?
Opening night roster?
Late season call ups?
 
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Peacefool

Registered User
Nov 15, 2019
1,172
832
With opening night just under 2 weeks away. What are some of your predictions for the season?
What is your biggest "Hot Take"?
Where do we finish in the standings?
Playoffs? if so how far do we go?
Do we make a splash at the deadline now that we can accrue cap space?
Opening night roster?
Late season call ups?
We will make PO. Kuch gonna be Kuch, Healthy Vasy is OP. I really hope Atkinson wont be Sheary vol.2 and will be influantial at score board, I hope Sheary wont be Sheary vol.1 and will score at least 40 points. Really hope some of young guys will make a team and will do it like Point Cirelli or at least Colton.
I think this season will be more optimistical than previous one. Go Bolts!
 
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Todd1a

Kucherov or prospect
Jun 19, 2014
17,210
3,098
orlando, fl
With opening night just under 2 weeks away. What are some of your predictions for the season?
What is your biggest "Hot Take"?
Where do we finish in the standings?
Playoffs? if so how far do we go?
Do we make a splash at the deadline now that we can accrue cap space?
Opening night roster?
Late season call ups?
I’d say playoffs, at some point geekie gets called up , JBB trades for at least 1 good forward at the trade deadline. I’d say we finish 3rd in the Atlantic division.
 

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
47,906
24,239
NB
With opening night just under 2 weeks away. What are some of your predictions for the season?
What is your biggest "Hot Take"?
Where do we finish in the standings?
Playoffs? if so how far do we go?
Do we make a splash at the deadline now that we can accrue cap space?
Opening night roster?
Late season call ups?

Hot Take: PP doesn't miss a beat without Stamkos.

2nd in the Atlantic, if Vasy is decent.

2nd round exit.

No splash at the deadline.
 

JoVel

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Jan 23, 2017
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Hot Take: PP doesn't miss a beat without Stamkos.

2nd in the Atlantic, if Vasy is decent.

2nd round exit.

No splash at the deadline.
I wouldn't go as far as saying doesn't miss a beat, but as long as we have Kucherov our PP will be good. Sure it might drop from top 3 to top 5 or something.

Since Stamkos has actually been mostly healthy ever since we've ran this same power play configuration with these four players, the 2020 playoffs are really the only relevant sample size to use as a reference for what we could expect this season. In 2019-2020 our PP% went from 23,1 in the regular season to 22,7 in the playoffs.
 

CaptBrannigan

Registered User
Apr 5, 2006
4,300
1,630
Tampa
Not having a legitimate NHL backup goalie comes back to hurt the team in one or more of the following ways:
Overworked/played Vasi, not good for grind of playiffs
Low number of points won by backup, especially compared to playoff teams
Season over if Vasi gets injured
Overpay (either in terms of contract, trade, etc) for a legit backup.


The team has no real prospects in net, and only three goalies signed to NHL contracts. This is a bad situation that could turn terrible real quick.
 
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Master P

Registered User
Mar 31, 2016
20,784
28,070
Florida
Not having a legitimate NHL backup goalie comes back to hurt the team in one or more of the following ways:
Overworked/played Vasi, not good for grind of playiffs
Low number of points won by backup, especially compared to playoff teams
Season over if Vasi gets injured
Overpay (either in terms of contract, trade, etc) for a legit backup.


The team has no real prospects in net, and only three goalies signed to NHL contracts. This is a bad situation that could turn terrible real quick.
If JBB could work out a deal for a back up while also packaging Sheary in the trade I'd be over the moon.
 
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Rschmitz

Finding new ways to cheat
Feb 27, 2002
17,106
9,657
Tampa Bay
I’m not concerned at all about our backup situation. As frustrating as it will be to watch the softies go in the team in front will more than compensate for it
 

Point21

Registered User
Oct 23, 2018
9,842
7,665
NHL.com released the team preview and what the lineup should look like... that 3rd line is beyond bad
Lightning season preview: Entering new era with Guentzel | NHL.com

snip (3).png
 

OffBy1

Registered User
Aug 5, 2021
569
589
I have no hot takes, only my stale takes - our window closed two years ago and, despite JBB's efforts, we're playing out the string until the rebuild happens.

Guenztal is an improvement over Stammer, but we had both Stammer and Duclair in the top six for playoffs last year and went down 0-3. So unless we get another Duclair-like rental at the trade deadline, we'll be a little worse than last year's post season top six.

The second line has a hole at RW. Atkinson, the current projected starter, was scratched multiple times for Philly last year.

The third line needs wingers for Paul. We need Sheary to be good enough where Cooper actually feels compelled to not scratch him, and Eyssimont or Chaffee or Brown or someone from the farm to emerge as another third line level player. Last year our bottom six was Paul and five fourth liners, with Eyssimont being the best, scoring 11 goals. I'm hoping Chaffee emerges, but he looked ineffective in the playoffs against Florida in that spot.

Our blueline looks improved, assuming Hedman and McDonagh don't decline and hold up for the whole year. I am excited to see what we have in Moser.

Our goaltending is another question - can Vasy return to consistently one of the best. I think he'll be better than he was last year, but not sure if he can regain his former level. I'm leaning toward yes.

Guessing where we'll end up with all that said, I see us potentially getting to the second round this year if things go our way.
 

The Gongshow

Fire JBB
Jul 17, 2014
26,194
8,695
Toronto
We're severely lacking a top 6 winger, but if Kuch hard carries like usual and healthy Vasy returns to form we'll be okay.

The goal would be to grab a legit winger at the TDL, problem is we don't have assets for one. The hope is Geekie can get there but that's a few years off.

I don't think Arkinson will do much for us, but, I'd love to be proved wrong
 
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DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
47,906
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I think Kucherov's scoring will come down a bit. It looked to me like part of last year's offensive tear was based in necessity. We were outscoring a lot of problems, and Kucherov was the best candidate to provide that scoring. So he got the kind of green light that I don't think we will see this year with a more balanced defense and hopefully better goaltending.
 

Five Alarm Fire

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Jun 17, 2009
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Keeping an eye on Washington’s situation. They have an absolute logjam at forward and sounds like they’re forced to send some of the younger guys down, even though the fans feel they’ve earned spots. Could be an opportunity there.

But I imagine we’ll still start the season with Atkinson and Sheary.
 

DFC

Registered User
Sep 26, 2013
47,906
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NB
Just realized Kucherov has a chance to hit 1000 points this year. Needs 127 points, which sounds like a long shot until you realize it would he his 3rd best season.

I'd say he's an underdog to do it because i do think his scoring will come down quite a bit this year (110ish?), but still, he's knocking on the door.
 

bov

Registered User
Nov 13, 2010
7,376
3,535
Vasy wins the Vezina, and maybe Cooper gets his Jack Adams. I'll even throw Cirelli in as a Selke nominee.

I think the team is way too soft and small (at forward anyways) to go deep in the playoffs, but they could get away with it in the regular season and make it to the dance while putting up a nice record . Hopefully JBB makes the necessary moves to add some beef by the deadline if he thinks this group has a prayer of winning the cup.

Nonetheless, I'm pumped for the season and we might see some great storylines and bounceback candidates.
 
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