Michael Stuart: Lecavalier Returns, Bishop Debuts as Lightning Take on Hurricanes

Good article Michael. Time to step up the next three on the road. All three teams are in desperation mode as well, take 3 and we come home for a few tough ones then back out for 4. Time to change our road woes and quickly.

V4 is back and game #1 for Bishop. Exciting times in Tampa and I will certainly be watching on SunSports tonight. Go Bolts!!!

Michael Stuart: Lecavalier Returns, Bishop Debuts as Lightning Take on Hurricanes
- Michael_Stuart

Very interested to see how Bishop performs in a new system. Seems like all the Sens goalies were thriving and a lot of goalies have underperformed in TB the last few years. Obviously Boucher is gone now and I'm guessing Cooper has or is starting to make some major adjustments to the system and style of play.

Very interested to see how Bishop performs in a new system. Seems like all the Sens goalies were thriving and a lot of goalies have underperformed in TB the last few years. Obviously Boucher is gone now and I'm guessing Cooper has or is starting to make some major adjustments to the system and style of play.
- Nucker101

Cooper's system is a lot more defensively sound that Boucher's. The breakout is better, there's more consistency, and clearly more accountability. I like Guy Boucher a lot - he was a class act - but it was time for a change.

V4 is back and game #1 for Bishop. Exciting times in Tampa and I will certainly be watching on SunSports tonight. Go Bolts!!!
- uf1910

Good article Michael. Time to step up the next three on the road. All three teams are in desperation mode as well, take 3 and we come home for a few tough ones then back out for 4. Time to change our road woes and quickly.
- tpd11

If the #TBLightning/#Caps/#Canadiens win tonight.. we will be 5 points out of the 8th spot. We still have 2 games on NYI and 3 on the #Jets

— #CancelTheCanes (@TroubleInTampa) April 4, 2013

Michael Stuart: Lecavalier Returns, Bishop Debuts as Lightning Take on Hurricanes
- Michael_Stuart

Ill be watching tonight, go Bolts!

Cooper's system is a lot more defensively sound that Boucher's. The breakout is better, there's more consistency, and clearly more accountability. I like Guy Boucher a lot - he was a class act - but it was time for a change.
- Michael_Stuart

Yeah, that doesn't surprise me even though I have watched very few TB games. Boucher seemed like more of the motivation, fiery coach instead of a structured, system coach. I think he can be a very good coach in the right situation, but he had to go. Cooper seem like the real deal and I'd be surprised if he doesn't end up being a really solid NHL head coach.

Can't wait to see how Bishop plays. I'm feeling the first shut out of the season for the bolts... man would that be a huge boost in confidence for the team.

Hope Bishop thrives in T-bay. He was simply a victim of a log jam at goal, otherwise there would be no way the Sens would ever move him. Very good goalie overall. When he gets beat, it's usually through the 5 hole and he ends up looking pretty bad on them because it take him longer to get into the butterfly position then most guys due to his height. Other than that, this guy should be a very capable goalie for you guys.

This whole season is getting weirder by the minute for me. Hopefully Bishop gets a shutout tonight or has a very solid game and leads the Bolts to a victory to change my thoughts on the last few weeks here in Tampa. Between Boucher firing, Crombeen extension, waiving Hall, then trading for him and waving him again and now Conacher I’m not sure what to think anymore. I agree on Boucher as much as I liked him as a coach but the last few moves makes me wonder a bit.

This whole season is getting weirder by the minute for me. Hopefully Bishop gets a shutout tonight or has a very solid game and leads the Bolts to a victory to change my thoughts on the last few weeks here in Tampa. Between Boucher firing, Crombeen extension, waiving Hall, then trading for him and waving him again and now Conacher I’m not sure what to think anymore. I agree on Boucher as much as I liked him as a coach but the last few moves makes me wonder a bit.
- Oomroy

They waived Hall because he wasn't going to fit in and they weren't going to play him. They didn't trade to get him back as much as they traded MAB to get a draft pick. It was basically just to take a contract back from Carolina; there was never any plan to play Hall up here.

Hope Bishop thrives in T-bay. He was simply a victim of a log jam at goal, otherwise there would be no way the Sens would ever move him. Very good goalie overall. When he gets beat, it's usually through the 5 hole and he ends up looking pretty bad on them because it take him longer to get into the butterfly position then most guys due to his height. Other than that, this guy should be a very capable goalie for you guys.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

I agree. Even though we'll be in the same division next year, I hope he does well for you guys. He a solid guy and the sens players seemed to really like him in a relatively short amount of time. He was a great pick up for us and the staff in Ottawa used him well, helped him develop, and got a great return with a similar story in Tampa. This could be a very good win win for both our teams. Best of luck Big Ben!

If the #TBLightning/#Caps/#Canadiens win tonight.. we will be 5 points out of the 8th spot. We still have 2 games on NYI and 3 on the #Jets

— #CancelTheCanes (@TroubleInTampa) April 4, 2013

- Michael_Stuart

5-0 TAMPA
Big benny with the shutout and stamkos with 3 after being shutout against florida. marty and lecavalier with one each too..im going with the old vets n stammer with this one

go bolts!

This whole season is getting weirder by the minute for me. Hopefully Bishop gets a shutout tonight or has a very solid game and leads the Bolts to a victory to change my thoughts on the last few weeks here in Tampa. Between Boucher firing, Crombeen extension, waiving Hall, then trading for him and waving him again and now Conacher I’m not sure what to think anymore. I agree on Boucher as much as I liked him as a coach but the last few moves makes me wonder a bit.
- Oomroy

I don't believe Yzerman wanted Hall back. Pretty sure Carolina just threw him in and Yzerman was "F this guy, wavied time".

I don't believe Yzerman wanted Hall back. Pretty sure Carolina just threw him in and Yzerman was "F this guy, wavied time".
- Artyukhin76

Pretty much. Just a way for us to clear a contract space, and Carolina to stay even.

Best of luck to Bishop!
Going to miss the big guy in Ottawa's net!

Good luck tonight! 2 teams that seem to have more talent than their records trying to climb back into the SE Division race.

The Conacher/Bishop trade is the most interesting of the deadline to me.

You get Bishop with minimal experience who looked very good in Ottawa. But then so did their #3 goalie. The defensive system is sound. It almost looks like you could plug any goalie into that system and get decent results which might suggest that Bishop's success is a product of the team in which case he could struggle behind a looser Tampa defense.

And then Conacher is almost exactly the same story. He was having a phenomenal year, but then playing with a bunch of elite forwards in Stamkos, St. Louis and Lecavalier and in a great power play did not hurt. I don't mean to bash Ottawa because there are some offensively capable players in Spezza, Michalek, Alfredsson, etc. but they just are no Tampa offensively. So just like Bishop, is Conacher really as good as his numbers or just a function of his linemates?

I say Canes 7-6 only because I can't stomach picking my team to lose, and I just don't see how our makeshift and struggling defense will hold the Tampa juggernaut to less than a touchdown.

At the start of the trade I thought you guys got dominated, but looking at some facts you guys got him for free, so you basically lost nothing. I'm taking economics I know better than to say that it contradicts all I studied for

Good article Michael. Time to step up the next three on the road. All three teams are in desperation mode as well, take 3 and we come home for a few tough ones then back out for 4. Time to change our road woes and quickly.
- tpd11

Agree with everything you said....

Good luck tonight! 2 teams that seem to have more talent than their records trying to climb back into the SE Division race.

The Conacher/Bishop trade is the most interesting of the deadline to me.

You get Bishop with minimal experience who looked very good in Ottawa. But then so did their #3 goalie. The defensive system is sound. It almost looks like you could plug any goalie into that system and get decent results which might suggest that Bishop's success is a product of the team in which case he could struggle behind a looser Tampa defense.

And then Conacher is almost exactly the same story. He was having a phenomenal year, but then playing with a bunch of elite forwards in Stamkos, St. Louis and Lecavalier and in a great power play did not hurt. I don't mean to bash Ottawa because there are some offensively capable players in Spezza, Michalek, Alfredsson, etc. but they just are no Tampa offensively. So just like Bishop, is Conacher really as good as his numbers or just a function of his linemates?

I say Canes 7-6 only because I can't stomach picking my team to lose, and I just don't see how our makeshift and struggling defense will hold the Tampa juggernaut to less than a touchdown.
- CarolinaMatt63

Agree with your assessment of the trade, Matt. Both of these guys have inflated stats as a result of their previous systems. It will be interesting to see which one overcomes that fastest. This was a true hockey deal, and one that we won't be able to truly judge for a little while.

At the start of the trade I thought you guys got dominated, but looking at some facts you guys got him for free, so you basically lost nothing. I'm taking economics I know better than to say that it contradicts all I studied for
- pker2theend

I would agree with that. Obviously losing a player like Conacher is never easy, but we have enough guys to replace him quite easily. I look forward to seeing what Brett Connolly can do. He is one talented guy.

It funny how hockeyfutures.com has Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson have a D rating on there chances of making the NHL? Hmmmmm, me thinks there heads are crammed very deep up there asses.

I would agree with that. Obviously losing a player like Conacher is never easy, but we have enough guys to replace him quite easily. I look forward to seeing what Brett Connolly can do. He is one talented guy.
- Michael_Stuart

Me too on Connolly, but I am really feeling for Syracuse right now.