Line Combos: Your 2024-25 Opening Night Lineup

[Crunchrulz]

His play against the Panthers was a defensive dumpster fire. Constantly slapping the puck around and giving it up to avoid being hit. IIRC he was injured? Still, he had a sophomore season to forget. He can't really get much worse without being replaced by someone cheaper like Crozier. We don't need a world beater #6 but if he could rebound and settle somewhere in the middle of what we've seen, it'll be better than this last season. Playoffs were brutal. Him and Dumba turning the puck over relentlessly had me fuming.

The play of the entire roster against the Panthers, with a few exceptions, was a dumpster fire.
As hard as it is for Lightning fans to admit, right now, the Panthers are the better team and the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
That is a FACT that folks will have to get used to.
Tough having to be the fan base to eat crow, especially after throwing it in our Florida neighbor's faces for so many years.

 

[Antiramie]

Guentzel - Point - Kucherov
Hagel - Cirelli - Sheary
Eyssimont - Paul - Atkinson
Girgensons - Glendening - Chaffee

Hedman - Cernak
McDonagh - Raddysh
Moser - Perbix

Vasy

 

[LightningStrikes]

I’m with S91.

I like Chaffee and Eyssimont. Just even incremental growth in their games, the the bottom six is in better shape. We disagree on Perbix. His problem, in particular against the panthers was too much ice time. Need to keep him around 14-15 TOI. Dude was +8 on a hot mess defense.

Willing to give Atkinson a shot. But Sheary and Glendening need to go. Understand the the forum's ‘displeasure’ with Sheary. All valid. But Glendening struck me as useless, at any price.

Need younger and more productivity. As stated above Chaffee and Essyimont are a good start. The little I saw of Geekie in 3v3, he’s not ready.

My secret crush ( no pun intended ) Actually got 2, Groshev and Huutahnen.

How is Glendening useless? He costs us $800k and at his age is still one of the best defensive 4th line forwards in the league, wins faceoffs, PKs, blocks shots, wins pucks and scored 10 goals last season despite playing with arguably the worst linemates of his entire career and with like 99% defensive zone starts.

 

[RLP55]

How is Glendening useless? He costs us $800k and at his age is still one of the best defensive forwards in the league, wins faceoffs, PKs, blocks shots, wins pucks and scored 10 goals last season despite playing with the worst linemates of his entire career and with like 99% defensive zone starts.

Not arguing, you present a good case. Yet, he only got 9:01 TOI against the panthers.

Just would rather have new/younger guys get their shot.

 

[Soul Assumption]

Yet, he only got 9:01 TOI against the panthers.

He is a 4th liner. how much icetime should he have? 20min?

 

[Stelio Kontos]

If Sheary is in the top 6 to start the season my phone is going through the tv..

 

[RLP55]

He is a 4th liner. how much icetime should he have? 20min?

You missed my point of the original post. It was a preference for new blood into the lineup.

To address your point. I’m not the one who claimed he is one of the best defensive forwards in the league. We know how Copper leans heavy on his vets. Yet, 9:01 TOI in the playoffs. Who said anything about 20 minutes? He only averaged 11:37 during the regular season.

 

[Outl4w]

2023-24 Tampa Bay Lightning Player Reviews: Nick Perbix

He’s always calm. He’s usually in position. And he’s better than you think he is. He is…Nick Perbix

www.rawcharge.com

I'll buy it and hope for a good year. He didn't seem great last year, but not as bad as fans make out to me.

He and cernak looked awful in the playoffs. Both were hurt but cernak hasn't been the same since he got knocked out with a concussion. Perbix needs a mentor and steady partner. Hopefully McDonough can.coach him up.

 

[Soul Assumption]

Yet, 9:01 TOI in the playoffs. Who said anything about 20 minutes? He only averaged 11:37 during the regular season.

This is a normal icetime for a quality 4th line center. if he played 15, it would be a 3rd line level.

 

[Sky04]

He is a 4th liner. how much icetime should he have? 20min?

Lmao right.

How is Glendening useless? He costs us $800k and at his age is still one of the best defensive 4th line forwards in the league, wins faceoffs, PKs, blocks shots, wins pucks and scored 10 goals last season despite playing with arguably the worst linemates of his entire career and with like 99% defensive zone starts.

That guy's clueless, he'd rather a AHL rookie play Glendenings role, that alone tells you he has has no idea what he's talking about. What next? Lilleberg play McDonaghs?

 

[RLP55]

Lmao right.



That guy's clueless, he'd rather a AHL rookie play Glendenings role, that alone tells you he has has no idea what he's talking about. What next? Lilleberg play McDonaghs?

OK, you two love birds win. You’ve broken me. How can I go on?

Bullied much as kids?

To quote a famous American philosopher from the movie Stripes, “lighten up Francis.”

 

[These Are The Days]

I would also like to throw Stelio's phone through TV screens if Sheary is in the top 6.


For educational purposes

 

[LightningStrikes]

Not arguing, you present a good case. Yet, he only got 9:01 TOI against the panthers.

Just would rather have new/younger guys get their shot.

I don’t see anybody in our prospect pool capable of replacing what Glendening brings at $800k though.

 

[Fan from AK]

Call me anything you want but I like this year's team and line-up more than I did last year seeing how bad Stammer and the rest of the team were at even strength. I am ready and hopefully, I can be in Seattle when the Bolts play the Kraken again, I had to miss last year's game because I was in Antarctica working. I live in Alaska and have become a Kraken fan when they are not playing the Bolts.

 

[Night Shift]

I keep forgetting that we have Geekie. This offseason has been too long. Would be interesting to see him getting a shot in the middle 6 to start the season, and then down to the Crunch if he isn't ready. Goncalves will certainly be up, as he isn't waivers exempt anymore.

Geekie was an 11th overall pick 2years ago, certainly makes up some ground not having a 1st round pick a few years.

 

[Night Shift]

Sheary did have chemistry with Guentzel in PIT in (2017) so maybe a chance Sheary has something to give reunited. The line there was once called Sid and the kids.

But I'm honestly looking forward to Point Guentzel and Kuch, it has the potential to be the best line in the league, or top 5.

 

[Fan from AK]

Sheary did have chemistry with Guentzel in PIT in (2017) so maybe a chance Sheary has something to give reunited. The line there was once called Sid and the kids.

But I'm honestly looking forward to Point Guentzel and Kuch, it has the potential to be the best line in the league, or top 5.

I certainly hope you are right and Sheary actually shows up and even gets a couple of more points than he did last year. I will not disagree with you one iota.

 

[Night Shift]

I certainly hope you are right and Sheary actually shows up and even gets a couple of more points than he did last year. I will not disagree with you one iota.

Here is a funny thing. I'm originally from PA , grew up a Penguins fan. 8 years ago (when i was still living in PA and still a Pens fan) I used to meet alot of the Wilkes Barre Pens where I used to work. I met both Guentzel and Sheary before they were called up to Pittsburgh both humble and decent guys, and were decent to me. It was surreal at the time meeting them and so easy to pull for them personally as someone who met them and saw their success.

I moved to Florida 4 years ago (which i never predicted) 2 years in became a Lightning fan. Which I also never thought would happen but here we are. Now I want nothing to do with any PA teams mostly because I ***** love it down here.

it's even now more surreal that after all that...here are Sheary and Guentzel now part of the Lightning family. There is no one more pulling more for both these guys than me.

 

[Fan from AK]

Here is a funny thing. I'm originally from PA , grew up a Penguins fan. 8 years ago (when i was still living in PA and still a Pens fan) I used to meet alot of the Wilkes Barre Pens where I used to work. I met both Guentzel and Sheary before they were called up to Pittsburgh both humble and decent guys, and were decent to me. It was surreal at the time meeting them and so easy to pull for them personally as someone who met them and saw their success.

I moved to Florida 4 years ago (which i never predicted) 2 years in became a Lightning fan. Which I also never thought would happen but here we are. Now I want nothing to do with any PA teams mostly because I ***** love it down here.

it's even now more surreal that after all that...here are Sheary and Guentzel now part of the Lightning family. There is no one more pulling more for both these guys than me.

Thank you for your insight. This will be a new year and another start for all.

Here is a funny thing. I'm originally from PA , grew up a Penguins fan. 8 years ago (when i was still living in PA and still a Pens fan) I used to meet alot of the Wilkes Barre Pens where I used to work. I met both Guentzel and Sheary before they were called up to Pittsburgh both humble and decent guys, and were decent to me. It was surreal at the time meeting them and so easy to pull for them personally as someone who met them and saw their success.

I moved to Florida 4 years ago (which i never predicted) 2 years in became a Lightning fan. Which I also never thought would happen but here we are. Now I want nothing to do with any PA teams mostly because I ***** love it down here.

it's even now more surreal that after all that...here are Sheary and Guentzel now part of the Lightning family. There is no one more pulling more for both these guys than me.

Let's see a Pens-Bolts ECF as far as I am concerned.

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

If Sheary is in the top 6 on the roster to start the season my phone is going through the tv..

Fixed it to my version.

 

[Outl4w]

I'm literally down to keep all the trash tier vets out of the lineup and play the kids after December if we are not in Contention for a playoff spot. Having atkinson and sheary in your top 9 doesn't help the future or present. No one wants either.

 

[Sky04]

Who the hell thinks we'll be out of playoff contention in December

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Sheary is gonna be on the roster i'd think, hate to break it to some of you. While i've been critical I hope he or Atkinson can go off next season in some capacity, we'll need it.

 

[Stelio Kontos]

I think the best thing that could happen for our forward group is if Geekie was actually capable of playing the 2C. Then we'd have similar to the above:

Paul - Point - Kucherov
Hagel - Geekie - Guentzel
Sheary - Cirelli - Eyssimont
Gigensons - Glendenning - Chaffee
Atkinson

I think this would be better because Hagel and Guenztel as wings should help should compensate for a rookie center, and Cirelli is a great third line center (ideally Sheary is replaced with an effective third line winger from the farm).

It seems like the earliest this fantasy of mine could happen is the 2nd half of the season, assuming Geekie does great in the preseason to win a spot on the third line and forces his way up to the 2nd by playing well the first half. I can dream about it anyway until the preseason comes and goes and he's not even on the team.

Agreed 100%. I’m also trying to not get excited about it but Geekie being able to play 2C with Hags and Guentzel would help a lot.

No longer have Cirelli in top 6, size concern, Atkinson & Sheary being in the line up at the same time.

I would run 11-7 in the playoffs with girgensons on the 3 with Cirelli and Eyssimont but a man can dream.

 

[Night Shift]

Sheary is gonna be on the roster i'd think, hate to break it to some of you. While i've been critical I hope he or Atkinson can go off next season in some capacity, we'll need it.

Right now it seems like we're banking on Atkinson to contribute on the top 6 unless somehow another move can be made