GDT: Official Trade Deadline 2025 Thread: Lets not Tuch our tails between our legs

[JTBF81]

Boston just had to make trades to a divisional rival.

They could've at least shared with Tampa and traded Morgan Geekie to them as well.

 

[Stelio Kontos]

I’ll be honest I’m predicting 1st rd exit. Coaching staff to arrogant. Bottom 6 too soft. Gourde being our most physical forward is not a good sign

Changes can be made but I don’t think this staff will do it. Any1 expecting goncalves chafee perbix or Lilleberg to improve is out to lunch.

 

[Stammertime91]

I’ll be honest I’m predicting 1st rd exit. Coaching staff to arrogant. Bottom 6 too soft

I don't see us as favorites. I see us as 2nd rounder, maybe ECF if we somehow get lines and matchups right. I'll be legitimately surprised if we make the SCF. I think the lack of identity and style for our bottom lines is a problem. The only way it's masked is if Coop somehow gets it right with lines and makes us 3 lines deep. I still think we'll get hammered into oblivion by Florida and have a drag race against Toronto. I don't like our chances against Florida. Toronto is winnable but it's still difficult.

Definitely need things to go our way and hit an easier than expected path. I just don't see what it takes to beat Florida in 7 right now.

 

[creg]

I get that playoffs are different than regular season hockey, but we've been playing in a way that is more conducive to winning games than we have since our last run to the SCF. We didn't lose to the Leafs or Panthers in the last two years because we weren't physical enough, we lost because we were completely unable to generate offense at 5v5 and couldn't defend the leads we had when we did - we improved on both of those fronts.

I'm not even super concerned about Chaffee, Perbix, etc. we're in a position to actually shelter these players finally, we'll pretty much have Kuch/Point/Guentzel/Cirelli/Hagel/Bjorkstrand/Paul/Gourde on the ice for like 90% of the game which is a position of strength. My biggest worry is that our defense, despite being a lot better this year, is old and slow and could get exposed in these heavy forechecking matchups.

A round one loss is very possible, we're in probably the hardest (2nd after central?) division in the sport, but I think JBB has put us in the best possible position to make a push this season.

edit: for reference regarding physicality, if you sort the top teams by hits in the nhl, only 3 of the top 16 are in a playoff spot

 

[JTBF81]

They can easily have 3 lines capable of being scoring threats. The coaching staff isn't arrogant, nor do I see the team as soft. Both Florida and Toronto are also strong teams, but not so great that Tampa can't win a best of 7 against them. It would be very beneficial to their chances of getting to the ECF, and hopefully beyond, if they didn't have to go through both of them, so winning the division seems more important this year than most previous years.

 

[creg]

If there is one thing I would be critical of, it's why we'd drop Mikey Eyssimont over Mitchel Chaffee or Gage Goncalves, maybe the coaches couldn't trust his lack of discipline or more selfish play? Either way I think he was far and away the best forward of the 3.

 

[DFC]

I get that playoffs are different than regular season hockey, but we've been playing in a way that is more conducive to winning games than we have since our last run to the SCF. We didn't lose to the Leafs or Panthers in the last two years because we weren't physical enough, we lost because we were completely unable to generate offense at 5v5 and couldn't defend the leads we had when we did - we improved on both of those fronts.

I'm not even super concerned about Chaffee, Perbix, etc. we're in a position to actually shelter these players finally, we'll pretty much have Kuch/Point/Guentzel/Cirelli/Hagel/Bjorkstrand/Paul/Gourde on the ice for like 90% of the game which is a position of strength. My biggest worry is that our defense, despite being a lot better this year, is old and slow and could get exposed in these heavy forechecking matchups.

A round one loss is very possible, we're in probably the hardest (2nd after central?) division in the sport, but I think JBB has put us in the best possible position to make a push this season.

edit: for reference regarding physicality, if you sort the top teams by hits in the nhl, only 3 of the top 16 are in a playoff spot

Generating offense, in the playoffs, often does come down to physicality. It's not so much about hitting as it is about grinding through dirty areas. At their best, most of our players are good at this. The exception to the rule is Kucherov, who's just good enough to generate offense from the perimeter.

 

[DFC]

If there is one thing I would be critical of, it's why we'd drop Mikey Eyssimont over Mitchel Chaffee or Gage Goncalves, maybe the coaches couldn't trust his lack of discipline or more selfish play? Either way I think he was far and away the best forward of the 3.

That's probably why Seattle wanted him though. I doubt they said "just throw in a forward."

 

[creg]

That's probably why Seattle wanted him though. I doubt they said "just throw in a forward."

Idk I think Tampa/coaching just didn't see value in him, he was consistently the least played players on the team and one of the few that would get scratched for his mistakes

 

[JTBF81]

If there is one thing I would be critical of, it's why we'd drop Mikey Eyssimont over Mitchel Chaffee or Gage Goncalves, maybe the coaches couldn't trust his lack of discipline or more selfish play? Either way I think he was far and away the best forward of the 3.

Seattle may not have done it for either of the other two. Tampa may not have done it for Chaffee, who is the better player, at least offensively. Ace has a great motor and gets under the opponents skin, no doubt; however, Gourde brings many of the same qualities and with a better offensive skillset.

 

[Stammertime91]

Seattle may not have done it for either of the other two. Tampa may not have done it for Chaffee, who is the better player, at least offensively. Ace has a great motor and gets under the opponents skin, no doubt; however, Gourde brings many of the same qualities and with a better offensive skillset.

This. Gourde does everything Eyssimont could do but much better. While it would've been nice to have an extra pest, Eyssimont was more of a liability than an asset. Not a needle mover and his tools are subpar. If you're just an energy guy, if someone can do it better, then you're expendable. It just so happens to be Gourde is much better.

Chaffee has better tools at the NHL level, he's just not at the point where he consistently puts it together night after night. He has his moments. I'm not sure at his age it will get any better, but at least he has a good shot and utilizes his body, something Ace didn't have and doesn't do to the degree Chaffee does because of size.

Eyssimont > Girgendonothingsons though.

 

[Hoek]

We definitely still have a good chance of getting knocked out in the first round, but that's mostly because of our ridiculous division and playoff format. In another format where we're more likely to get someone like Carolina first I think we'd be far more likely to go deep. That said we should be far less hapless compared to the past two postseasons unless Vasi turns into a pumpkin again.

 

[JTBF81]

We definitely still have a good chance of getting knocked out in the first round, but that's mostly because of our ridiculous division and playoff format. In another format where we're more likely to get someone like Carolina first I think we'd be far more likely to go deep. That said we should be far less hapless compared to the past two postseasons unless Vasi turns into a pumpkin again.

Yeah, in a normal format, Tampa would be facing Carolina and then the winner of the Caps-Sens. The conference semis could have ended up in Florida-Toronto and TB-Was, but it is what is instead, a terrible system.

 

[ccman68]

Tkachuk will be playing injured in the playoffs so that helps against Florida. His play style isn't like Kucherov where he can dominate while not at 100%. Marchand is having injury issues as well

 

[Zwui21]

From TheAthletic article Winners and Losers of the TDL:

Winner: Tampa Bay Lightning
Some day, there will be a reckoning for Julien BriseBois and the Lightning, a day on which all their core players suddenly are tumbling down the aging curve and the cupboard is completely bare. But that day is not today.

Tampa has won 10 of its last 11 games and has muscled its way back into the true contender tier of the NHL. And when you have a chance to win, you go for it. BriseBois’ utter disregard for draft picks is almost comical at this point — Tampa has had one first-round pick in the last five drafts and has dealt away its 2025, 2026 and 2027 first-rounders (the last two with top-10 protection) — but it’s also absolutely the right attitude for a perennial contender.

Neither Yanni Gourde nor Oliver Bjorkstrand is a franchise-changing needle-mover, but the Lightning know as well as anybody that it’s those second-tier depth additions that often make the difference in the postseason.

Every hockey fan should want their team’s GM to think this way.

 

[Rschmitz]

I think if you have any doubts with this team it’s from the recency bias of the last two postseasons. We may very well lose in the first round, winning the cup are always long odds, but this is a championship caliber lineup.

 

[Peacefool]

I am interested if we even considered to bring Goodrow back, and why we didnt went after him..or he is declined badly?

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I think if you have any doubts with this team it’s from the recency bias of the last two postseasons. We may very well lose in the first round, winning the cup are always long odds, but this is a championship caliber lineup.

I think it's a valid concern to question this teams size. Especially at forward.

 

[Felonious Python]

Just for clarification, JBB didn't do any media post-deadline, did he?

 

[DFC]

I think it's a valid concern to question this teams size. Especially at forward.

I think it's size in the top 6 that mainly matters though, and we were never that big there. I don't think Pat Maroon playing 10 minutes per night made us bigger (although I would have loved to have him back).

IMO it's more about a style of play. Our smaller guys can be, but aren't always, really good at going to the dangerous areas. It can lead to more injuries, but that's why we've never needed a whole lot of size. Size can he important, but we have shown it's not really necessary if you're 5'9 but play like you're 6'5 anyway.

Inch for inch and pound for pound ill bet our top-9 is roughly the same, if not a bit bigger than in the cup years.

That said, I think we've been missing an Ondrej Palat type. But Palat wasn't overly big. He just did a lot of dirty work that facilitated plays for Kucherov and Point.

 

[Zwui21]

I think it's a valid concern to question this teams size. Especially at forward.

That's the only thing that makes me question if we really are a championship team.
One of the characteristics of our Cup teams was the bottom six straight up arrassing you every single time you were on the ice. 3rd line harrass while outworking you, 4th line straing up harrass while not letting you get anything going offensively.

We don't have that anymore, few people on this team are true scrappers. Sure, Hagel Cirelli Paul, Gourde, Cernak and Lilleberg can be shit stirrers, but overall we don't have that wear and tear component.

Hopefully Geekie puts up some weight and learns how to use it this summer, will be a massive addition to our 3rd line next season.

Edit: there's one thing that favors us this year tho. Hagel has become an elite player, and he's been ppg in the playoff both last 2 series. I expect him to step it up even more, he goes one extra gear come playoff time.
Same goes for Guentzel, I had a chart that shows him being one of the players that steps his game up the most come playoff time (compared to the rest of the league!). We saw it during the 4 nations faceoff how he was probably the best US player in the final. Bjorkstrand is now known for being clutch in the playoff as well. We know Point and Kuch do the same. Gourde becomes even more relentless in the playoff as well.
Overall that's a lot of players that step their game up when things matter the most and I think JBB made it a priority to go after those kinds of players at the deadline. Pointless having players like Duclair that become invisible when things matter the most.
So we should expect a decent boost from that alone.

 

[Rschmitz]

I think it's a valid concern to question this teams size. Especially at forward.

Probably why Tuch was so heavily sought after and why Geekie was given so many opportunities to break in. We have already shown several times though that you can win cups without it.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Just for clarification, JBB didn't do any media post-deadline, did he?

No, just the one he did after the Gourde and Bjorkstrand trade.

 

[Soul Assumption]

I see us as 2nd rounder, maybe ECF if we somehow get lines and matchups right. I'll be legitimately surprised if we make the SCF.

So you see us as ECF (need to beat TOR and FL) but the SCF will surprise you (need to beat the metro team)
How does it make sense?

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

We definitely still have a good chance of getting knocked out in the first round, but that's mostly because of our ridiculous division and playoff format. In another format where we're more likely to get someone like Carolina first I think we'd be far more likely to go deep. That said we should be far less hapless compared to the past two postseasons unless Vasi turns into a pumpkin again.

We weren't even hapless in 2023 from a skater-POV. We were better against Toronto that year than the year before. Vasi being dogshit single-handedly sunk us.