1. St. Louis
2. Stamkos
.
.
.
.
.
3. Thompson
4. Hedman
5. Got nothin'
- Michael_Stuart

haha yessir, sounds like we all have the same general predictions

Just saw Engels' blog...

"Look up and down Tampa's lineup, and outside of St. Louis and Stamkos, this might be the weakest forward crop in the East. "

All I can say is lol.
This being basically the same forward corps that scored the 4th most goals in the NHL last season. What a joke.
- norbs

3 of your top 7 goal scorers last year are not on the team anymore. Not trying to play devil's advocate here, but you guys do have one of the most unproven forward corps in the league, albeit full of promising contributors. This is the year for a lot of them...Johnson, Killorn, Palat... Weakest wasn't the term to use there.

Stammer and St Louis scored a tad over 31% of your goals last year.

3 of your top 7 goal scorers last year are not on the team anymore. Not trying to play devil's advocate here, but you guys do have one of the most unproven forward corps in the league, albeit full of promising contributors. This is the year for a lot of them...Johnson, Killorn, Palat... Weakest wasn't the term to use there.

Stammer and St Louis scored a tad over 31% of your goals last year.
- Blackstrom2

Fair enough, but it's definitely not the weakest forward corps in the east.

3 of your top 7 goal scorers last year are not on the team anymore. Not trying to play devil's advocate here, but you guys do have one of the most unproven forward corps in the league, albeit full of promising contributors. This is the year for a lot of them...Johnson, Killorn, Palat... Weakest wasn't the term to use there.

Stammer and St Louis scored a tad over 31% of your goals last year.
- Blackstrom2

Very fair points. It's an unproven core. But that doesn't mean that Drouin should have been kept around. He was outplayed by other unproven players. That's reality.

Just saw Engels' blog...

"Look up and down Tampa's lineup, and outside of St. Louis and Stamkos, this might be the weakest forward crop in the East. "

All I can say is lol.
This being basically the same forward corps that scored the 4th most goals in the NHL last season. What a joke.
- norbs

to say tampa has weak forwards is a joke! tampa can score goals with anyone in the league. The issue has always been to prevent goals!

I agree he used a bad term in weakest, unproven is a good way of saying it for our third line but our top two lines are stacked to put up points. But anyway as Michael said the other unproven players out played Drouin, I watched him in two games and multiple practices and Drouin will be very good but not right now. As far as losing 3 of our top 7 scorers... Pouliot wont be missed at all, Vinny hurts but he misses so many games over the past few seasons due to injury, and Conachers stats as seen when he went to Ottawa was really a by product on playing on Stammers line early in the season.

We get back Malone - if healthy he is a 20 goal - 50 point type of player, I think Filippula will put up 40ish points so will Killorn on that line. Purcell if he stays focused is a great secondary scorer and can easily get 25-30 goals. The "gun" line from the AHL will surprise people and will chip in on scoring.

I still don't feel the Lightning have to worry about scoring meaning both Connolly and Drouin can wait a little more. But I suspect Connolly on the squad at some point this year.

3 of your top 7 goal scorers last year are not on the team anymore. Not trying to play devil's advocate here, but you guys do have one of the most unproven forward corps in the league, albeit full of promising contributors. This is the year for a lot of them...Johnson, Killorn, Palat... Weakest wasn't the term to use there.

Stammer and St Louis scored a tad over 31% of your goals last year.
- Blackstrom2

Follow @ErlendssonTBO and @LightningTimes - they'll have it well before I do. I've got to make time to write a blog. But I'll tweet it out as soon as I know.
- Michael_Stuart

hey what is everybody's Twitter handles so I can follow all you guys? (already have yours michael)

the good problem to have is we have many young forwards! we have no room for them all is yzerman going to move one or two out for a defenseman or draft picks ?

F*ck Eric Engels who cares what he says plenty of cap space with Ohlund retiring or going on LITR. But Hockey season is Finally F*cking Here!

I have a very good feeling about Killorn. This guy will score goals, me thinks.

Very fair points. It's an unproven core. But that doesn't mean that Drouin should have been kept around. He was outplayed by other unproven players. That's reality.
- Michael_Stuart

I agree. It's obvious Yzerman has stuck with the Detroit model of making kids earn their roster spots as well, instead of resting on laurels.

I agree he used a bad term in weakest, unproven is a good way of saying it for our third line but our top two lines are stacked to put up points. But anyway as Michael said the other unproven players out played Drouin, I watched him in two games and multiple practices and Drouin will be very good but not right now. As far as losing 3 of our top 7 scorers... Pouliot wont be missed at all, Vinny hurts but he misses so many games over the past few seasons due to injury, and Conachers stats as seen when he went to Ottawa was really a by product on playing on Stammers line early in the season.

We get back Malone - if healthy he is a 20 goal - 50 point type of player, I think Filippula will put up 40ish points so will Killorn on that line. Purcell if he stays focused is a great secondary scorer and can easily get 25-30 goals. The "gun" line from the AHL will surprise people and will chip in on scoring.

I still don't feel the Lightning have to worry about scoring meaning both Connolly and Drouin can wait a little more. But I suspect Connolly on the squad at some point this year.
- stammerman

I think between Stammer, Marty, Filippula, and Purcell you have a fairly good top-6 core. Malone can slide in it or bottom-6 as well. All depends on how the young guys do.

"@LightningTimes: Here's how much Lightning likes Sustr. Second straight day practicing in top six. Paired with Brewer."

Anybody expected that?

"@LightningTimes: Here's how much Lightning likes Sustr. Second straight day practicing in top six. Paired with Brewer."

Anybody expected that?
- norbs

I honestly didn't think he was ready!

I could eat crow on that one... which is fine. If I'm wrong about a player, and they end up being farther along in their development than I thought, I'll take that anytime over being right!

F*ck Eric Engels who cares what he says plenty of cap space with Ohlund retiring or going on LITR. But Hockey season is Finally F*cking Here!
- tpd11

Eh, don't worry about Engels. That summation of the Lightning forward corps was horribly researched, completely oblivious, and taking aim at the wrong part of our team to find a weak spot.

Maybe he saw the Tampacuse line last year in the AHL, and this year in preseason, and got jealous?

I'll be back tonight with the captain announcement. Exciting times in Bolts Nation.

Eh, don't worry about Engels. That summation of the Lightning forward corps was horribly researched, completely oblivious, and taking aim at the wrong part of our team to find a weak spot.

Maybe he saw the Tampacuse line last year in the AHL, and this year in preseason, and got jealous?
- OzBolts

I'll be back tonight with the captain announcement. Exciting times in Bolts Nation.
- Michael_Stuart

Unpredictable is probably more accurate.

Eh, don't worry about Engels. That summation of the Lightning forward corps was horribly researched, completely oblivious, and taking aim at the wrong part of our team to find a weak spot.

Maybe he saw the Tampacuse line last year in the AHL, and this year in preseason, and got jealous?
- OzBolts

Not that I expected it but I have said before I felt he would take Aulie's spot on the top six before the season ended. I think he has the ability to be great, put on some more muscle to be about Chara's size and he can be a monster. Going to be interesting how they fit Barberio in, I think he spells Salo or Brewer for some games during the season. Or they roll with a 11-7 lineup leaving Labrie and Pyatt riding the pine.

"@LightningTimes: Here's how much Lightning likes Sustr. Second straight day practicing in top six. Paired with Brewer." Anybody expected that?
- norbs

Ekland's Atlantic Division Predictions!!!

Go and read it. Here is the one thing that stood out to me in blog:

My Realistic Prediction (which you should absolutely not take to the bank!) is...
They struggle against the tougher competition, improve from last season, learn a ton about playing two way hockey from the teams up north , and miss the playoffs for the last time in a long, long time.


Dare I say I actually agree with a lot of what he says. I too think we miss the playoffs this year but then we will consistently be contenders starting next year. Maybe I am crazy to agree with him...

Ekland's Atlantic Division Predictions!!!

Go and read it. Here is the one thing that stood out to me in blog:

My Realistic Prediction (which you should absolutely not take to the bank!) is...
They struggle against the tougher competition, improve from last season, learn a ton about playing two way hockey from the teams up north , and miss the playoffs for the last time in a long, long time.


Dare I say I actually agree with a lot of what he says. I too think we miss the playoffs this year but then we will consistently be contenders starting next year. Maybe I am crazy to agree with him...
- stammerman

I read it and as much it makes me Ill.... I agree (I need to wash my mouth put with bleach now )

Arty's off to a good start in fantasy hockey. Lucky guy.

LETS GO CAPS.