It had to do with a lot of things. We kept getting hemmed in, kept getting caught with bad match-ups, kept reverting to slow transitions up ice. Weak clearing. The Bowness firing was long overdue. I think Richards, as his replacement, has been as big a deal as the addition of McDonagh. I don't think it's a coincidence that Braydon Coburn looks like he's 25 again under a new D coach. Pretty much our only D who's struggled has been Sergachev, but that's just inexperience.
Tampa Bay: Are we witnessing the best roster in the cap era?
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It had to do with a lot of things. We kept getting hemmed in, kept getting caught with bad match-ups, kept reverting to slow transitions up ice. Weak clearing. The Bowness firing was long overdue. I think Richards, as his replacement, has been as big a deal as the addition of McDonagh. I don't think it's a coincidence that Braydon Coburn looks like he's 25 again under a new D coach. Pretty much our only D who's struggled has been Sergachev, but that's just inexperience.
SmellOfVictory
Registered User
- Jun 3, 2011
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Better not be. I demand the Flames win another cup before TB does. The only thing that would make me more disappointed would be the Oilers winning another one.
That was the most dominating 7 game series i've seen in my life. Tampa deserved no more than 5 games in that series.
I'm also a pens fan that was rooting for Tampa.
Point is maybe a tad better than he was in the playoffs last year, but he really arrived in that Boston series, after he went -5 in Game 1. It was almost like Point decided to find another gear after that, and he's never looked back. McDonagh is like a different player though, yeah.
I think the big difference though is Steven Stamkos. This was a weapon we only "sort of" had in the past five years. But if he can keep up his current level of play in the post-season, that gives us two legit #1 Cs, to go along with two legit #1 Ds, and arguably the best winger in the NHL (top-3 at worst), and a top-5 goalie who's only getting better.
Times are good in TB, but I think most TB fans recognize this as a really, really good "on-paper" roster (you could make an argument for at least five All Stars, without including McDonagh) who still needs to show just how good they are when it counts. We have a long history of taking the eventual Cup winning team to their longest series, but not looking overly good in the final game(s). That obviously has to change, or we'll go down as one of the better rosters to never win a Cup.
Section88
Kaner? I hardly know her
- Jul 11, 2017
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I thought the 2016 series with the Pens was more dominant. We got closer to winning that one, but the ice was tilted toward the Pens throughout, whereas, vs. Washington, TB carried the play in a few games in the middle, but fell apart at the beginning and end of the series.
Extra Texture
A new career
Yup, this. They've earned regular season respect out the wazoo. Everyone knows they are a contender for best team in the league, year-in-year-out. I'm at the point now where I am wowed by their free scoring and roster construction, but everything is tempered by the fact that they have never cleared all the hurdles in the post season.
I will say this: the Bolts are probably the most impressive team as far as roster construction, no doubt. The fact that they got the likes of Bishop (before) and MacDonough without blowing serious holes in their team is remarkable work. Even more impressive is their ability to develop top talent for late in the draft or without the draft at all. First it was Palat and Tyler Johnson. Then it was Gourde and Point. Now Anthony Cirelli looks to be another great find in a long line. The way they parlayed good young forwards like Drouin and Namestnikov to address other areas of need was great. Frankly, I think they should do it more, because they have some fantastic forward depth.
The fact that they've been able to parlay a few down years under bad ownership, and are now 1. good at scouting 2. consistently competitive 3. have a wealth of talent with which to address any weaknesses is very impressive. But again, they need to win one, period, or they will start to take on a reputation of being also rans. Great young guns are about to hit big paydays. McDonagh, Hedman and Stamkos are at their peaks. They have the depth, they have the talent, now is the time to do it.
But no doubt, what they've achieved is impressive as hell. Someone said in a recent thread they've got the makings of a "future" dynasty. As much as you can say that about a cup-less team, I agree, because they have all the makings of years of success already baked in.
ColbyChaos
I am a made up country
Niemi was a vezina finalist with San Jose he had his good years in Chi and San Jose which are often overlooked by people who only see him as the bad goalie he was in Dallas and Pit
ColbyChaos
I am a made up country
-Down 3-2 in both series
Look at the domination! Only thing more dominant is being down 3-1 or 3-0
VoluntaryDom
Formerly DominicBoltsFan / Ⓐ / ✞
we were not down 3-2 in either of those series lmao-Down 3-2 in both series
Look at the domination! Only thing more dominant is being down 3-1 or 3-0
edit: oh u meant our opponent
Hatter of the Beach
I’m the real hero
This is not even close to true.
You have to be good, but there are also a lot of factors outside of team’s controls (injuries, matchups where one team who would beat team 2 would lose to team 3 who could beat team 2, etc)
GordieHowsUrBreath
Nostalgia... STOP DWELLING ON THE PAST
- Jun 16, 2016
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GordieHowsUrBreath
Nostalgia... STOP DWELLING ON THE PAST
- Jun 16, 2016
- 2,044
- 588
GordieHowsUrBreath
Nostalgia... STOP DWELLING ON THE PAST
- Jun 16, 2016
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Hatter of the Beach
I’m the real hero
Best team to not win a cup is the 08-09 Wings imo
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Hossa
Hudler-Cleary-Samuelsson
Draper-Helm-Maltby
So you have three HoF, two of which were top 10 players in the league that year, a 30 goal scorer powerforward in Franzen with depth consisting of Jiri Hudler (57 points), Filppula (40 points), Sammeulson (20g, 40 points), Tomas Holmstrom (on pace for 20 goals and 60 points), and a 45 point pace Dan Cleary. Then, the 4th line had a former selke winner, one of the brightest young 4th liners in the league at the time, and a vet defensive forward with 4 cups.
Then the top 4 D was
Lidstrom (norris caliber)- Rafalski (top 10 offensive D man in the league at that time)
Kronwall- Brad Stuart
Even with a rash of injuries in which 4 of their best 6 players were playing with major injuries, they lost by 1 in game 7 (while still outscoring them in the series as a whole).
Every single player in their top 9 was either a 20 goal scorer that year or one year removed (before or after).
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Franzen-Filppula-Hossa
Hudler-Cleary-Samuelsson
Draper-Helm-Maltby
So you have three HoF, two of which were top 10 players in the league that year, a 30 goal scorer powerforward in Franzen with depth consisting of Jiri Hudler (57 points), Filppula (40 points), Sammeulson (20g, 40 points), Tomas Holmstrom (on pace for 20 goals and 60 points), and a 45 point pace Dan Cleary. Then, the 4th line had a former selke winner, one of the brightest young 4th liners in the league at the time, and a vet defensive forward with 4 cups.
Then the top 4 D was
Lidstrom (norris caliber)- Rafalski (top 10 offensive D man in the league at that time)
Kronwall- Brad Stuart
Even with a rash of injuries in which 4 of their best 6 players were playing with major injuries, they lost by 1 in game 7 (while still outscoring them in the series as a whole).
Every single player in their top 9 was either a 20 goal scorer that year or one year removed (before or after).
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Addison Rae
Registered User
Huh? They were incredible supplementary players to one of the best cores in the past 10 years.
Every team is beatable if their opponents play them the "properly."
Not sure I get your point....mind elaborating?
Kamiccolo
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
The point is that just because they are the best team in the regular season doesn't mean people should be laughing at those who are not penciling them into the finals because there are quite a few teams that are not better than them but have the pieces to beat them if they have a good series.
Yes they did. I addressed this in another post. It was a mistake on my part.
Bladerunner
Registered User
13% rounded to nearest percent.
Bolts have one of the better rosters in the cap era - there have been others that easily compare.
newfy
Registered User
- Jul 28, 2010
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Say it one more time please
Almost every team that wins the cup has guys comparable to those players though. Seabrook belongs in the core group but Byfuglien at forward? a solid player but not the guy he is now, Ladd and Versteeg were 50 point guys, Bolland was a 40 point agitator who couldnt stay healthy etc. Hjalmarsson was a really good shut down D but he was a second pairing guy
Those are really good depth players but outside of Seabrook none of those guys were close to stars like the poter you were responding to asked in the first place. Most teams that win the cup have a list of depth players like that
That team won a cup, and I think a cup is a qualifier for this conversation, so I don't think TB is really in the conversation as of now. That said, as crazy as it might seem, I think when all is said and done, there's a good chance even more players on the current TB roster will wind up in the HOF.
