Michael Stuart: Mike's Mailbag Ed. 3

Michael Stuart: Mike's Mailbag Ed. 3
- Michael_Stuart

Oh so now I that I dissagree with you, you won't answer my question?

Oh so now I that I dissagree with you, you won't answer my question?
- Artyukhin76

Which one? I got 50 questions so there'll be more next week. My e-mail inbox exploded. You know I would never to that to you....

Comment it here and I'll edit it in for you.

Micheal, it's nice to come to your blog and read about hockey-hockey and not lockout-hockey.

My comments about this blog are related to your past blog about the Lightning's depth (or lack thereof) at the forward position. Purcell has been a productive player for TB and will likely live up to his $4.5M salary (same as Malone) after this season.

But with Lecavalier, St. Louis, Stamkos and Malone all making $4.5M or more and Purcell joining that group, Yzerman decided to spend his money on Salo and Carle rather than improving his bottom six. He also traded some assets to bring in Lindback.

My question to you is if you think he would have been better off trying to make some moves to bring in some help on the bottom six rather than bringing in the players that he did?

Which one? I got 50 questions so there'll be more next week. My e-mail inbox exploded. You know I would never to that to you....

Comment it here and I'll edit it in for you.
- Michael_Stuart

My whole world is shattered, I don't know if I could go on living.

My whole world is shattered, I don't know if I could go on living.
- Artyukhin76

You're my most tenured reader. Please continue living.

Micheal, it's nice to come to your blog and read about hockey-hockey and not lockout-hockey.

My comments about this blog are related to your past blog about the Lightning's depth (or lack thereof) at the forward position. Purcell has been a productive player for TB and will likely live up to his $4.5M salary (same as Malone) after this season.

But with Lecavalier, St. Louis, Stamkos and Malone all making $4.5M or more and Purcell joining that group, Yzerman decided to spend his money on Salo and Carle rather than improving his bottom six. He also traded some assets to bring in Lindback.

My question to you is if you think he would have been better off trying to make some moves to bring in some help on the bottom six rather than bringing in the players that he did?
- Coburns_Nose

It's tough to say. The Lightning's defense was really weak last season, so I think that Yzerman had to do something to address that issue. The Carle signing excites me in a big way; he didn't work out the first time around in Tampa, but his years in Philly served him well so I believe he's a different player.

I don't fault Yzerman for the moves he's made this off-season, but was there more that he could have done? Absolutely. I'd like to see him try to sign a third line centre like Dominic Moore or Jason Arnott when the lockout is finally lifted as, right now, that looks to be the team's biggest weakness.

Thanks for reading!

I don't fault Yzerman for the moves he's made this off-season, but was there more that he could have done? Absolutely. I'd like to see him try to sign a third line centre like Dominic Moore or Jason Arnott when the lockout is finally lifted as, right now, that looks to be the team's biggest weakness.

Thanks for reading!
- Michael_Stuart

I feel the same way. A third liner who can step into the top six with some versatility would go a long way.

I was thinking about the PHI/TB game last season where Philly wouldn't move the puck up the ice because TB wouldn't forecheck. I got to wondering if part of the reason Boucher employs that system is to avoid tiring out his top 6 forwards with an aggressive forecheck. I looked up the TOI minutes for TB's top 5 paid forwards and they also had the top TOI:

St Louis 22 mins
Stamkos 22 mins
Lecavalier 19 mins
Malone 17 mins
Purcell 16 mins

Next in line is Thompson at 14:49 and Tom Pyatt at 14:47. If TB can add a good two-way forward or two who can play some real minutes maybe Boucher can loosen the leash on the scoring line forwards.

I feel the same way. A third liner who can step into the top six with some versatility would go a long way.

I was thinking about the PHI/TB game last season where Philly wouldn't move the puck up the ice because TB wouldn't forecheck. I got to wondering if part of the reason Boucher employs that system is to avoid tiring out his top 6 forwards with an aggressive forecheck. I looked up the TOI minutes for TB's top 5 paid forwards and they also had the top TOI:

St Louis 22 mins
Stamkos 22 mins
Lecavalier 19 mins
Malone 17 mins
Purcell 16 mins

Next in line is Thompson at 14:49 and Tom Pyatt at 14:47. If TB can add a good two-way forward or two who can play some real minutes maybe Boucher can loosen the leash on the scoring line forwards.
- Coburns_Nose

You bring up a fantastic point that I talked about a bit last season - Boucher had to rely on his top-end players far too much. Down the stretch, St. Louis, Stamkos and Eric Brewer were playing ridiculous minutes. I had never thought about that in relation to the trap, but it's definitely an interesting thought with a lot of validity.

Last season, from what I saw, Boucher was terrified of our defensive and goaltending weakness. Going up against a team with firepower like the Flyers with Giroux (in my opinion, the most complete player in the game) and Hartnell just didn't seem to sit well with the Lightning. The trap was Boucher's way of trying to protect the Lightning's defensive weakness from being exposed, I think.

Michael Stuart: Mike's Mailbag Ed. 3
- Michael_Stuart

Good stuff!

On a side, he’d look great in a Canucks jersey, but you can’t have him.

Good stuff!






- Nucker101

I think he could be the perfect player to slot on that second line with Kesler. Canucks should actually take a look at some of the Lightning's younger prospects. Richard Panik comes to mind as a possibly perfect fit. Got speed, some size and good offensive skills.

i really want moore back for the third line. the reason we went so deep in the playoffs was cuz of that third line of bergenheim moore and purcell i think it was. three scoring lines is deadly in the NHL. you make a line of pouliot moore and connolly or brown and they will do big things. wouldnt cost much to bring him back i dont think.

side note i really hate brewer. also hated clark so im glad we didnt bring him back. nice guy ive talked to him multiple times but terrible player. i would trade brewer for a 7th round pick in 2018.

i really want moore back for the third line. the reason we went so deep in the playoffs was cuz of that third line of bergenheim moore and purcell i think it was. three scoring lines is deadly in the NHL. you make a line of pouliot moore and connolly or brown and they will do big things. wouldnt cost much to bring him back i dont think.

side note i really hate brewer. also hated clark so im glad we didnt bring him back. nice guy ive talked to him multiple times but terrible player. i would trade brewer for a 7th round pick in 2018.
- boltsfan48

I'd hardly call Brewer a terrible player. I think he's a solid #3 guy on a SC winning team. He's not a top pairing guy, though.

On Moore, I agree. I think Moore or Arnott could be beneficial for us. Even bringing back Langkow could make some sense.

I'd hardly call Brewer a terrible player. I think he's a solid #3 guy on a SC winning team. He's not a top pairing guy, though.
- Michael_Stuart

I agree completely, Brewer was incredible in the playoffs a couple of years ago, but he is not a 1-2 defenseman. Hopefully Hedman is developing into a 1-2 defenseman, but he's not there yet. Hopefully we can find someone to pair with Hedman (Carle, Salo) to suffice as a top pairing. I think Brewer is a decent 3-4 defenseman, but it's not his fault he is miscast, that fault lies in the front office.

Eric Brewer is a strong staple of our defense. He's not our best, but without him we're in deep trouble.

Hedman Carle
Salo Lee
Brewer Mikkelson
MAB (only because nobody else would take him)

Eric Brewer is a strong staple of our defense. He's not our best, but without him we're in deep trouble.

Hedman Carle
Salo Lee
Brewer Mikkelson
MAB (only because nobody else would take him)
- Artyukhin76

Agree that he's a strong staple. But here's where I disagree with you - he's not a bottom pairing guy and Salo's not a second pairing guy anymore. Having watched Salo (and loved his play) since his Ottawa days, I can tell you that if he's going to be effective and healthy at this age, he needs to be a 13-17 minute player on the bottom pairing who is used on the powerplay and PK units. I switch Salo and Brewer.

Agree that he's a strong staple. But here's where I disagree with you - he's not a bottom pairing guy and Salo's not a second pairing guy anymore. Having watched Salo (and loved his play) since his Ottawa days, I can tell you that if he's going to be effective and healthy at this age, he needs to be a 13-17 minute player on the bottom pairing who is used on the powerplay and PK units. I switch Salo and Brewer.
- Michael_Stuart

The bottom 4 are interchangeable, the top two are not.
Carle Hedman
Brewer Lee
Salo Mikkelson
MAB
Top Line = 22 minutes a game
Second line = 20 minutes a game
Third line (alternating MAB and Salo with Mikkelson = 18 minutes a game.

The bottom 4 are interchangeable, the top two are not.
Carle Hedman
Brewer Lee
Salo Mikkelson
MAB
Top Line = 22 minutes a game
Second line = 20 minutes a game
Third line (alternating MAB and Salo with Mikkelson = 18 minutes a game.
- Artyukhin76

This.

Bratislava 1 vs. Ufa 0 (SO)
Jaroslav Janus, Bratislava, Win, SO, 38/38, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv%
Season totals: 30 GP, 17-10-3, 4 SO, 2.19 GAA, .929 sv%
Jaroslav Janus stopped all 38 shots he faced and 3 of 4 shooters he faced in the penalty shot session in Bratislava's 1-0 win over Ufa. Janus is now in a 4-way tie for tops in the KHL in shutouts with a list that includes fellow Lightning draft pick Vasily Koshechkin. Ex-Sabres draft pick Michal Vondrka scored both of Bratislava's goals in the shootout. Bratislava faces Nizhnekamsk on Friday. Ufa goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, like Nesterov, is away camping with Russia's U20 team.

I'm beginning to think that we sent the wrong guy away to the KHL.

Bratislava 1 vs. Ufa 0 (SO)
Jaroslav Janus, Bratislava, Win, SO, 38/38, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv%
Season totals: 30 GP, 17-10-3, 4 SO, 2.19 GAA, .929 sv%
Jaroslav Janus stopped all 38 shots he faced and 3 of 4 shooters he faced in the penalty shot session in Bratislava's 1-0 win over Ufa. Janus is now in a 4-way tie for tops in the KHL in shutouts with a list that includes fellow Lightning draft pick Vasily Koshechkin. Ex-Sabres draft pick Michal Vondrka scored both of Bratislava's goals in the shootout. Bratislava faces Nizhnekamsk on Friday. Ufa goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, like Nesterov, is away camping with Russia's U20 team.

I'm beginning to think that we sent the wrong guy away to the KHL.
- Artyukhin76

Yeah, although it's tough to say what Janus would have done in North America. I haven't seen a ton of him this season so, aside from numbers, I can't really judge his play. I'm really pumped to see Vasilevski in the WJC. It'll be interesting to see how he follows up last year's performance.

Yeah, although it's tough to say what Janus would have done in North America. I haven't seen a ton of him this season so, aside from numbers, I can't really judge his play. I'm really pumped to see Vasilevski in the WJC. It'll be interesting to see how he follows up last year's performance.
- Michael_Stuart

I'm kinda undecided as to who to cheer for in the world juniors. I was born in Canada, live in the states, but there are alot of Lightning prospects playing for Russia.

You bring up a fantastic point that I talked about a bit last season - Boucher had to rely on his top-end players far too much. Down the stretch, St. Louis, Stamkos and Eric Brewer were playing ridiculous minutes. I had never thought about that in relation to the trap, but it's definitely an interesting thought with a lot of validity.

Last season, from what I saw, Boucher was terrified of our defensive and goaltending weakness. Going up against a team with firepower like the Flyers with Giroux (in my opinion, the most complete player in the game) and Hartnell just didn't seem to sit well with the Lightning. The trap was Boucher's way of trying to protect the Lightning's defensive weakness from being exposed, I think.
- Michael_Stuart

Absolutely agree. Boucher was using the trap to try and mask our defensive and goaltending shortcomings