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Sam Hitchcock
Joined: 10.13.2017

Jan 9 @ 10:25 AM ET
Sam Hitchcock: The Bolts' Everyday Greatness
bikeguy99
New Jersey Devils
Joined: 09.05.2017

Jan 9 @ 11:56 AM ET
Sam Hitchcock: The Bolts' Everyday Greatness
- Sam Hitchcock


What do you guys talk about on this blog? My team usually just berates our horrible vets like Greene and Lovejoy. You guys just discuss nice goals and solid defense?
GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 9 @ 12:32 PM ET

What do you guys talk about on this blog? My team usually just berates our horrible vets like Greene and Lovejoy. You guys just discuss nice goals and solid defense?


LOL. Pretty much.

We female dog about Girardi being a pylon.

We female dog about Callahan's contract.

We female dog about our backup goalie giving us heart attacks.

We female dog about running the air conditioner in the winter.

That's about it.
glove_was_stuck
Boston Bruins
Location: Yeah well that's like your opinion man, MA
Joined: 04.27.2011

Jan 9 @ 12:53 PM ET
LOL. Pretty much.

We female dog about Girardi being a pylon.

We female dog about Callahan's contract.

We female dog about our backup goalie giving us heart attacks.

We female dog about running the air conditioner in the winter.

That's about it.

- GalacticStone


GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 9 @ 1:00 PM ET
The Lighting are a steamroller. They are a buzz saw.

And the scary thing is, Vasi has yet to heat up and go on a roll. Everybody knows that Vasi can steal games, and the Lightning haven't needed that much this year (with a couple of exceptions, and that Toronto game comes to mind). Once Vasi gets hot, look out. Look the F out.

Now, there is still half a season to go. Tampa fans shouldn't get cocky. A lot can happen. Injuries can happen. Schedules tighten up. Teams get hungrier. Be confident yes, but there is still some road to cover and improvements to be made.
bikeguy99
New Jersey Devils
Joined: 09.05.2017

Jan 9 @ 2:38 PM ET
LOL. Pretty much.

We female dog about Girardi being a pylon.

We female dog about Callahan's contract.

We female dog about our backup goalie giving us heart attacks.

We female dog about running the air conditioner in the winter.

That's about it.

- GalacticStone


Haha well the Devs will always take Callahan + Girardi+ Johnson+2nd for your choice of Yakovlev, Mueller, or Santini. Any one of those D are actually quite solid and would shore up that bottom pairing nicely.
GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 9 @ 3:46 PM ET
Haha well the Devs will always take Callahan + Girardi+ Johnson+2nd for your choice of Yakovlev, Mueller, or Santini. Any one of those D are actually quite solid and would shore up that bottom pairing nicely.
- bikeguy99

Callahan is on the backside of that contract. He has this year and one more remaining. I think we limp across the finish line and then cut him loose, or trade him for peanuts and retain some of his remaining salary to make room. Trading assets or picks with him is diminishing returns at this point. He does his 4th line and PK role well - he's grossly overpaid for it, but when he's healthy he's serviceable. We've had him this long, so I am inclined to ride out his contract if we can or dump him for nothing if we can find a team to take his remaining term.

Right now the Lightning will likely trade Slater Koekkoek.

Our defense depth chart looks like :

Hedman - safe.
McDonagh - safe.
Sergachev - safe.

Stralman - pending UFA, I would consider him safe. I'd like to see us resign him to a discounted one or two year contract going forward. If he won't take a discount and reduced role, then let him walk. I hope he stays.

Coburn - pending UFA. Less safe. Has had a renaissance this year and has looked faster and more effective than previous seasons. He's obviously playing for a contract. If he will sign at a discount on a one year term, then keep him around.

Girardi - pending UFA. Let him walk or trade him. Coaches love him, so he's not going anywhere unfortunately.

Cernak - safe.

Koekkoek - pending RFA. Odd man out. A reclamation project. Let him walk or trade him.

Foote, Masin, Sosunov, and the rest - not yet ready for primetime.
bikeguy99
New Jersey Devils
Joined: 09.05.2017

Jan 10 @ 1:49 AM ET
Callahan is on the backside of that contract. He has this year and one more remaining. I think we limp across the finish line and then cut him loose, or trade him for peanuts and retain some of his remaining salary to make room. Trading assets or picks with him is diminishing returns at this point. He does his 4th line and PK role well - he's grossly overpaid for it, but when he's healthy he's serviceable. We've had him this long, so I am inclined to ride out his contract if we can or dump him for nothing if we can find a team to take his remaining term.

Right now the Lightning will likely trade Slater Koekkoek.

Our defense depth chart looks like :

Hedman - safe.
McDonagh - safe.
Sergachev - safe.

Stralman - pending UFA, I would consider him safe. I'd like to see us resign him to a discounted one or two year contract going forward. If he won't take a discount and reduced role, then let him walk. I hope he stays.

Coburn - pending UFA. Less safe. Has had a renaissance this year and has looked faster and more effective than previous seasons. He's obviously playing for a contract. If he will sign at a discount on a one year term, then keep him around.

Girardi - pending UFA. Let him walk or trade him. Coaches love him, so he's not going anywhere unfortunately.

Cernak - safe.

Koekkoek - pending RFA. Odd man out. A reclamation project. Let him walk or trade him.

Foote, Masin, Sosunov, and the rest - not yet ready for primetime.

- GalacticStone


I respectfully disagree. You must shed a contracts. With all the raises you have on the current extensions, you are projected to be 8.8M cap space next season (assuming a 2.5M cap increase), with Coburn, Stralman, Giradi all gone. RFA's to address including Koekkoer, Point (who at 22, is on pace for 109 points. Kid is gonna get paid!!!), and 3 other RFA's who likely won't be much different from their current pay. Obviously Point will eat up most, if not more than 100% of that cap space, and you guys would have just 4 D, and 10 forwards signed..... Something has to give, whether it's Killorn, Pallat, Callahan, or Johnson. With Vasy and Sergachev being up for contracts the following season, and collectively making 4.3M, they are certainly due for massive raises. I think if you can package Johnson with Callahan, it really solves some major issues while keeping your core untouched.

Not trying to be Debby Downer. Your team is an absolute wagon and this is a great problem to have. I personally think you guys will walk the East, and battle it out with Winnipeg in a great cup final.
jkumpire
Location:
Joined: 03.16.2009

Jan 10 @ 9:33 AM ET
I would caution everyone here not to draw too many conclusions from a game with Columbus, who seem to be the frontrunner for the NHL's 'The Most Disappointing Team" award.

Basically the CBJ has maybe a line-and-a-half of offense, can't score, can't run a power play against an OHL team, the third pair D is not playing well at all, and Bob is having an awful year. Our backup goalie looks like a dumpster fire, so to sum it all up, this is a team people keep overrating.

The best the CBJ can hope for is a wildcard spot where they play Washington, Pittsburgh, or Tampa, get run over in four or five games, then see Bob and Breadman leave and start the rebuild. A sad thing indeed.

GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 10 @ 9:50 AM ET
I respectfully disagree. You must shed a contracts. With all the raises you have on the current extensions, you are projected to be 8.8M cap space next season (assuming a 2.5M cap increase), with Coburn, Stralman, Giradi all gone. RFA's to address including Koekkoer, Point (who at 22, is on pace for 109 points. Kid is gonna get paid!!!), and 3 other RFA's who likely won't be much different from their current pay. Obviously Point will eat up most, if not more than 100% of that cap space, and you guys would have just 4 D, and 10 forwards signed..... Something has to give, whether it's Killorn, Pallat, Callahan, or Johnson. With Vasy and Sergachev being up for contracts the following season, and collectively making 4.3M, they are certainly due for massive raises. I think if you can package Johnson with Callahan, it really solves some major issues while keeping your core untouched.

Not trying to be Debby Downer. Your team is an absolute wagon and this is a great problem to have. I personally think you guys will walk the East, and battle it out with Winnipeg in a great cup final.

- bikeguy99

You're right. Something has to give. I'm confident that the Lightning will keep the majority of their core pieces.

I think it's a given that only one of the following will be resigned : Stralman, Coburn, Girardi, Koekkoek. It will probably be Stralman. I think the term and hit on that one will be short and sweet, hopefully. Cernak is ready to step up and replace one of them while making peanuts.

Callahan could be a buyout target. If they find a taker for him, they should deal him.

If Killorn has to go, I am OK with that. If Johnson has to go, I would understand it.

Point more than replaces Johnson and Joseph could slot in as the speedster.

But yeah, Point is going to the bank with an 18-wheeler to haul away his king's ransom.

stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Jan 10 @ 9:52 AM ET
I respectfully disagree. You must shed a contracts. With all the raises you have on the current extensions, you are projected to be 8.8M cap space next season (assuming a 2.5M cap increase), with Coburn, Stralman, Giradi all gone. RFA's to address including Koekkoer, Point (who at 22, is on pace for 109 points. Kid is gonna get paid!!!), and 3 other RFA's who likely won't be much different from their current pay. Obviously Point will eat up most, if not more than 100% of that cap space, and you guys would have just 4 D, and 10 forwards signed..... Something has to give, whether it's Killorn, Pallat, Callahan, or Johnson. With Vasy and Sergachev being up for contracts the following season, and collectively making 4.3M, they are certainly due for massive raises. I think if you can package Johnson with Callahan, it really solves some major issues while keeping your core untouched.

Not trying to be Debby Downer. Your team is an absolute wagon and this is a great problem to have. I personally think you guys will walk the East, and battle it out with Winnipeg in a great cup final.

- bikeguy99


I have played with Cap Friendly projecting the Lightning and while the cap crunch looks daunting its manageable. The cap is projected to go to 83M.

This is Callahan's last year everyone knows it. I don't know why people don't think the Lightning cant move him and will be forced to buy him out. Last year Washington moved Orpik and his 5+M contract.

The Lightning will have to trade him to a team that will use a buyout on Callahan's final year. The trade would look something like Callahan, rights to prospect and 3rd round pick for that teams say 5th round pick.

The team getting him gets 2.7M against the cap for 2 years to reach the cap floor a prospect and better pick. There are teams out there that will do this.

If the Lightning remove Callahan this year and the cap is 83M and don't resign Paquette who is due a raise. They can pay Point 8.5M, and field a 23 man team so long as 1 of the D vets takes a discount to around 2.75M to stay another year and sign a cheap 3rd D in the 1M range. If they bridge Point its even easier.

Then the following year when Vasy, Serg, Cernak, Joesph and Cirelli are up they have many more options. Killorn's contract goes to a NTC - 20 team list, Miller's contract has no protection, and the expansion draft they can shed salary or say Johnson who would go to his home town team.

It's going to be interesting to see it all play out this summer and next summer, hopefully this will be a minor concern as I am hoping they bring the cup back to Tampa in June.
BINGO!
Carolina Hurricanes
Location: I'll always remember the last words my grandfather ever told me. He said, "A Truck!", SK
Joined: 09.21.2009

Jan 10 @ 4:29 PM ET
If the Hurricanes can win tonight it'll be their first six game win streak since 2010.
GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 10 @ 6:49 PM ET
I have played with Cap Friendly projecting the Lightning and while the cap crunch looks daunting its manageable. The cap is projected to go to 83M.

This is Callahan's last year everyone knows it. I don't know why people don't think the Lightning cant move him and will be forced to buy him out. Last year Washington moved Orpik and his 5+M contract.

The Lightning will have to trade him to a team that will use a buyout on Callahan's final year. The trade would look something like Callahan, rights to prospect and 3rd round pick for that teams say 5th round pick.

The team getting him gets 2.7M against the cap for 2 years to reach the cap floor a prospect and better pick. There are teams out there that will do this.

If the Lightning remove Callahan this year and the cap is 83M and don't resign Paquette who is due a raise. They can pay Point 8.5M, and field a 23 man team so long as 1 of the D vets takes a discount to around 2.75M to stay another year and sign a cheap 3rd D in the 1M range. If they bridge Point its even easier.

Then the following year when Vasy, Serg, Cernak, Joesph and Cirelli are up they have many more options. Killorn's contract goes to a NTC - 20 team list, Miller's contract has no protection, and the expansion draft they can shed salary or say Johnson who would go to his home town team.

It's going to be interesting to see it all play out this summer and next summer, hopefully this will be a minor concern as I am hoping they bring the cup back to Tampa in June.

- stammerman

All of this is pretty spot on.

The Seattle expansion draft is going to make things interesting. Remember how we basically burned picks to protect Koekkoek and Dotchin from Las Vegas? Now one is cut for showing up fat to camp, and the other one is about to get dumped for a late pick.

If we have to lose Johnson and/or Killorn to keep Point, Vasi, and Sergachev, I am cool with that.
Cloud
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Stockholm
Joined: 06.20.2012

Jan 10 @ 7:28 PM ET
All of this is pretty spot on.

The Seattle expansion draft is going to make things interesting. Remember how we basically burned picks to protect Koekkoek and Dotchin from Las Vegas? Now one is cut for showing up fat to camp, and the other one is about to get dumped for a late pick.

If we have to lose Johnson and/or Killorn to keep Point, Vasi, and Sergachev, I am cool with that.

- GalacticStone


I think the deal with Vegas mostly had to do with dumping Garrissons salary.

stammerman
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Tampa, FL
Joined: 07.05.2013

Jan 10 @ 10:32 PM ET
If the Hurricanes can win tonight it'll be their first six game win streak since 2010.
- BINGO!

Sorry Bingo, the Bolts decided to show up in the final half of the game. Still a good game, Hurricanes played hard and forechecked the Lightning the best I have seen in 2 months.
BINGO!
Carolina Hurricanes
Location: I'll always remember the last words my grandfather ever told me. He said, "A Truck!", SK
Joined: 09.21.2009

Jan 11 @ 9:37 AM ET
Sorry Bingo, the Bolts decided to show up in the final half of the game. Still a good game, Hurricanes played hard and forechecked the Lightning the best I have seen in 2 months.
- stammerman


Canes did a good job early of trying to make sure that they didn't get into a track meet with Tampa, but eventually the lightning's skill just took over and it was game over from there.

Rough, but honestly the fact that they held on as long as they did against the best team in hockey was pretty encouraging. With a bit of luck they could have had the Lightning in a real deep hole in the first half of the game.
GalacticStone
Tampa Bay Lightning
Location: Supercharged engine powered by high octane butthurt
Joined: 01.29.2013

Jan 11 @ 11:37 AM ET
Canes did a good job early of trying to make sure that they didn't get into a track meet with Tampa, but eventually the lightning's skill just took over and it was game over from there.

Rough, but honestly the fact that they held on as long as they did against the best team in hockey was pretty encouraging. With a bit of luck they could have had the Lightning in a real deep hole in the first half of the game.

- BINGO!

Agreed. That game was closer than the scoreboard makes it appear. The Canes forechecking and puck pursuit was relentless.