Eklund: Bolts Respond to Panther’s Moves in Arm’s Race. Leafs on deck

he lightning once again will be in the playoffs, as good as they were in 2021, with as good a chance as anyone to win the cup.

Draft picks are like going to the gas station and picking up lottery tickets. I will take playoff/cup challenging hockey today...all day...all week...over holding lottery tickets I can scratch off in 2030.

This team was decimated by the flat cap from BS Covid era. Now there is no better team set up salary cap wise for the next 3 to 4 years. They core is in the prime (ex Hedman. Point, Kuch, Cirelli, Hagel, Cernak, all locked in...don't forget VAsi who is quietly about to overtake Hellebuyk stat wise.

Now they have a few young studs coming up as well. They have 3 NHL ready d men in Syrcacuse. Conner Geekie will be a stud in a few years and Isaac Howard may turn out to be a high end prospect as soon as next year.

Love them picking up solid hockey players. Puck possession, two way smart hockey players. Bjorkstrand will score a lot with this team.

Everyone can hate them, but Tampa is best run franchise in sports 10 plus years and counting.

Hope they find a way to add David Savard for the stretch.

Lightning will get eliminated in the 1st rd

Love to see Panthers and Lighting in the first round..go to 7 and don't care who wins

Love to see Panthers and Lighting in the first round..go to 7 and don't care who wins
- monkman1967

Correction...I hope to see the Lighting and panthers in first round, so Leafs do not get knocked out early.

Ek called Gourde to Tampa awhile ago. Leads me to believe that sources are pretty dialed in this year.

So I'm thinking more of the E3 and E4 rumours shouldn't be dismissed.

Marchand to Leafs
Schenn to Leafs
Lawton to Leafs
Tanev to Leafs
Nelson to Detroit
Cozens to Detroit
Gibson to Oilers

I know Seth Jones was an E4 to Dallas or Colorado, but then ends up in Florida. But that could happen when multiple teams are talking. The crazy one really would be Marchand to Leafs.

would luv to say panthers and bolts 1st round exits...sadly they will be 1st round opponents.

Go Panthers!!!

Ek called Gourde to Tampa awhile ago. Leads me to believe that sources are pretty dialed in this year.

So I'm thinking more of the E3 and E4 rumours shouldn't be dismissed.

Marchand to Leafs
Schenn to Leafs
Lawton to Leafs
Tanev to Leafs
Nelson to Detroit
Cozens to Detroit
Gibson to Oilers

I know Seth Jones was an E4 to Dallas or Colorado, but then ends up in Florida. But that could happen when multiple teams are talking. The crazy one really would be Marchand to Leafs.
- Cooleus

Except, he didn’t call Gourde. He copied it.

NJ Devs are officially done. And if they think Palms and/or Nelson are the answer, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.

Ek called Gourde to Tampa awhile ago. Leads me to believe that sources are pretty dialed in this year.

So I'm thinking more of the E3 and E4 rumours shouldn't be dismissed.

Marchand to Leafs
Schenn to Leafs
Lawton to Leafs
Tanev to Leafs
Nelson to Detroit
Cozens to Detroit
Gibson to Oilers

I know Seth Jones was an E4 to Dallas or Colorado, but then ends up in Florida. But that could happen when multiple teams are talking. The crazy one really would be Marchand to Leafs.
- Cooleus

you forgot McDavid to Leafs
Draisaitl Leafs
Nick Lidstrom finds a Delorean, becomes 25 again, joins the Leafs
MacKinnon and Makar were in the trunk so they also join Leafs
finally Malkin goes to Chicago to be the man

Just saw the update on Hughes. Why would him missing the playoffs increase the chance of spending trade capital on inferior rentals? Like if he was gone for the regular season and back for the playoffs (ie Tkachuk, previously Kucherov, Stone)...then absolutely you use LTIR to bolster the team. But No Hughes means NJ season is over. Simple as that. An aggressive GM would quickly pivot and start selling. Move Jake Allen today. See if anyone wants Tatar. Kovacevic might have appeal. Use more retention spots like they just did with Frederic. But adding Brock Nelson and Palmeiri makes no sense.

B Schenn to Leafs “all in” and one of
L Schenn or J OLESIAK

E4

Essyimont is a low-key solid addition for the Kraken. He's not just a throw-away piece. Sure, he's bottom six at best, but he plays with sandpaper, has good speed and likes to shoot. Good forechecker. He's not going to put up gaudy stats, but he's not just a grinder.

Leafs don’t have the backbone. They are happy to get regular season points for the team and players…..then max the salaries out. Results don’t matter, and why would this year be any different than the past eons.

Just saw the update on Hughes. Why would him missing the playoffs increase the chance of spending trade capital on inferior rentals? Like if he was gone for the regular season and back for the playoffs (ie Tkachuk, previously Kucherov, Stone)...then absolutely you use LTIR to bolster the team. But No Hughes means NJ season is over. Simple as that. An aggressive GM would quickly pivot and start selling. Move Jake Allen today. See if anyone wants Tatar. Kovacevic might have appeal. Use more retention spots like they just did with Frederic. But adding Brock Nelson and Palmeiri makes no sense.
- Cooleus

Exactly. Couldn’t agree more. “Sell Mortimer, sell!”

Just saw the update on Hughes. Why would him missing the playoffs increase the chance of spending trade capital on inferior rentals? Like if he was gone for the regular season and back for the playoffs (ie Tkachuk, previously Kucherov, Stone)...then absolutely you use LTIR to bolster the team. But No Hughes means NJ season is over. Simple as that. An aggressive GM would quickly pivot and start selling. Move Jake Allen today. See if anyone wants Tatar. Kovacevic might have appeal. Use more retention spots like they just did with Frederic. But adding Brock Nelson and Palmeiri makes no sense.
- Cooleus

Because they still have hischeir bratt meier and markstrom. Dummy

Correction...I hope to see the Lighting and panthers in first round, so Leafs do not get knocked out early.
- TrueGrit

I can't the leafs and there fan based, absolutely worst fans ever

This coming from someone who lives in the gta

Because they still have hischeir bratt meier and markstrom. Dummy
- Theathletic is for libs

That’s good but not nearly enough. Be realistic

I can't the leafs and there fan based, absolutely worst fans ever

This coming from someone who lives in the gta
- SlNlSTER

everyone to the leafs, lol

Another trade - Bunting, Luke Schenn, Novak. Earlier it was Deharnais. None were on the rumour chart or mentioned at anytime. Seems strange that a bunch of guys are being traded out of the blue. Maybe tomorrow we'll see some of the BIG names on the rumour chart traded - Nylander, Shesterkin, Sam Bennett, Tavares, Marchand, Backstrom. Toronto might make a big move. Tavares for Marchand or something like that.

Tampa cheated the cap when the played the Isles in the EC finals lol some players shouldn't have been allowed to play..see stamkos. Then they had too many men on the ice on Gourdes goal.

Tampa cheated the cap when the played the Isles in the EC finals lol some players shouldn't have been allowed to play..see stamkos. Then they had too many men on the ice on Gourdes goal.
- potvin1983

Cry me a river....

They did not make the rules, they followed them. They would have won the last 3 cups as well if they did not have to lose half the players they developed to win.

No team is set up for future success as Tampa right now.

Cry me a river....

They did not make the rules, they followed them. They would have won the last 3 cups as well if they did not have to lose half the players they developed to win.

No team is set up for future success as Tampa right now.
- TrueGrit

They didn’t follow the rules. They circumvented the rules. The league didn’t mean for teams to load up like this.Let’s see how good teams are if there is a playoff salary cap. Vegas. Florida this year is doing it too.

They didn’t follow the rules. They circumvented the rules. The league didn’t mean for teams to load up like this. Let’s see how good teams are if there is a playoff salary cap. Vegas. Florida this year is doing it too.
- minivinnie3