Michael Stuart: Tampa Bay Lightning: Building a Third Line

Michael Stuart: Tampa Bay Lightning: Building a Third Line
- Michael_Stuart

All about Malone.

Bring him back !!

Just read your posts re the lines. While the stats appear to support your proposed lines, I think that you are relying far too heavily on a very small sample size. Palat is young and was just getting to know Filppula as a line mate. He's your leading point getter and regardless of what the stats show re Palat & Johnston, you don't relegate Palat to 3rd line minutes when he's just getting warmed up.
Remember, there's lies, damned lies and statistics.
Palat lines up with Filppula to start the season.

Just read your posts re the lines. While the stats appear to support your proposed lines, I think that you are relying far too heavily on a very small sample size. Palat is young and was just getting to know Filppula as a line mate. He's your leading point getter and regardless of what the stats show re Palat & Johnston, you don't relegate Palat to 3rd line minutes when he's just getting warmed up.
Remember, there's lies, damned lies and statistics.
Palat lines up with Filppula to start the season.
- haymac

I think the team plans on running three scoring lines, so it's not much of a demotion. Palat's most productive minutes last season were when he was paired with Johnson. That stretch when it was Johnson, Palat, and Stamkos together was fun to watch. Palat and Johnson have built indisputable chemistry over the last few years. I have a hard time separating them.

I think the team plans on running three scoring lines, so it's not much of a demotion. Palat's most productive minutes last season were when he was paired with Johnson. That stretch when it was Johnson, Palat, and Stamkos together was fun to watch. Palat and Johnson have built indisputable chemistry over the last few years. I have a hard time separating them.
- Michael_Stuart

I agree completely the Bolts third line will definitely be a scoring line. But to me if you are going to have Palat-Johnson-??? on the third line you have to have a shooter on the RW to go with them. Marty took over being shoot first with those two when they moved to the top line, then when they moved Stamkos to RW to take the burden off him since he was injured that line clicked again because Stamkos is a shoot first player. So based on that and who we have left after your top two lines are all ready created then to me it needs to be Kucherov on RW as he is a shoot first player.

Still my biggest issue with all this is I dont see Drouin starting on the 1st line 20 minutes a game, I see him being sheltered in on the third line with Palat probably taking top line duties.

Can't wait for training camp so the picture will start to come together.

I agree completely the Bolts third line will definitely be a scoring line. But to me if you are going to have Palat-Johnson-??? on the third line you have to have a shooter on the RW to go with them. Marty took over being shoot first with those two when they moved to the top line, then when they moved Stamkos to RW to take the burden off him since he was injured that line clicked again because Stamkos is a shoot first player. So based on that and who we have left after your top two lines are all ready created then to me it needs to be Kucherov on RW as he is a shoot first player.

Still my biggest issue with all this is I dont see Drouin starting on the 1st line 20 minutes a game, I see him being sheltered in on the third line with Palat probably taking top line duties.

Can't wait for training camp so the picture will start to come together.
- stammerman

This is a more realistic scenario IMO

Michael Stuart: Tampa Bay Lightning: Building a Third Line
- Michael_Stuart

I agree with you Michael (don't run outside to see if the sky is falling). If you're no going to split up Palat and Johnson then that is a great 3rd line.

It is very strange to me that Richard panik deserves a roster spot over Nikita kucherov , very strange , but I'm still hopeful for him as well , very hopeful !!

It is very strange to me that Richard panik deserves a roster spot over Nikita kucherov , very strange , but I'm still hopeful for him as well , very hopeful !!
- RileyB77

Read the blog. I essentially say that Kucherov deserves the spot.

Read the blog. I essentially say that Kucherov deserves the spot.
- Michael_Stuart

Yea . So then why give it to panik , if I didn't read the blog I wouldn't have known you chose panik

Size and power . Nvm . I am the dummy

Drouin-Stamkos-Callahan
Killorn-Filppula-Connolly
Palat-Johnson-Panik
Morrow-Boyle-??????

Who's it gonna be?

Paquette? Possible.
Brown? Not likely.

Yea . So then why give it to panik , if I didn't read the blog I wouldn't have known you chose panik

Size and power . Nvm . I am the dummy
- RileyB77

We understand. Reading takes away from drinking time!

Yea . So then why give it to panik , if I didn't read the blog I wouldn't have known you chose panik

Size and power . Nvm . I am the dummy
- RileyB77

Because they have too many forwards, and not enough spaces. Kucherov is the only one who is waiver-exempt.

Because they have too many forwards, and not enough spaces. Kucherov is the only one who is waiver-exempt.
- Michael_Stuart

I just hope he handles the demotion better then Connolly did! Russians have pretty fragile egos, but then again so do Van Islanders!

Because they have too many forwards, and not enough spaces. Kucherov is the only one who is waiver-exempt.
- Michael_Stuart

If Kucherov is better then the other options he will be on the team, I personally think he will prove himself this year and make the Bolts keep him on the roster. That kid has some special gifts you could see, now a year into his NHL career he will start putting all those gifts together.

If Kucherov does prove it then I think Connolly and Panik are both going to get the prove it in the preseason, whoever doesnt will be a waiver or become trade bait. Again if Kucherov proves it then Panik and Connolly are the only two who have to worry as I think the rest of the forwards are safe.

Drouin-Stamkos-Callahan
Killorn-Filppula-Connolly
Palat-Johnson-Panik
Morrow-Boyle-??????

Who's it gonna be?

Paquette? Possible.
Brown? Not likely.
- Artyukhin76

Wow u really don't think much of bobby brown so ya. Parquette has one very small sample of decent hockey

If Kucherov is better then the other options he will be on the team, I personally think he will prove himself this year and make the Bolts keep him on the roster. That kid has some special gifts you could see, now a year into his NHL career he will start putting all those gifts together.

If Kucherov does prove it then I think Connolly and Panik are both going to get the prove it in the preseason, whoever doesnt will be a waiver or become trade bait. Again if Kucherov proves it then Panik and Connolly are the only two who have to worry as I think the rest of the forwards are safe.
- stammerman

A trade is definitely the other option.

I still don't think another year in the AHL is a bad idea for Kucherov. I keep forgetting that last year was his first pro year.

A trade is definitely the other option.

I still don't think another year in the AHL is a bad idea for Kucherov. I keep forgetting that last year was his first pro year.
- Michael_Stuart

Agreed, I think he still needs seasoning... Dont want him to flame out like Conacher...

Agreed, I think he still needs seasoning... Dont want him to flame out like Conacher...
- TBolts4

Why does he need seasoning ? He proved very much otherwise already

Why does he need seasoning ? He proved very much otherwise already
- RileyB77

Tell me how he proved that? He was very inconsistent. He was flashy, yes, but he didn't bring the consistency needed at the top level. He'd go 5-7 games without seeing the stat sheet. Don't get me wrong, I think he's definitely a great asset for the lightning, but i also think his development was hasten by Stamkos injury. he showed up great, but still needs to work on his game a bit to really become a threat in the NHL

Tell me how he proved that? He was very inconsistent. He was flashy, yes, but he didn't bring the consistency needed at the top level. He'd go 5-7 games without seeing the stat sheet. Don't get me wrong, I think he's definitely a great asset for the lightning, but i also think his development was hasten by Stamkos injury. he showed up great, but still needs to work on his game a bit to really become a threat in the NHL
- TBolts4

The aHL for kucherov is like the qmjhl for drouin . It's a joke to him . He proved it in his short time there , NHL minutes will " season " him

The aHL for kucherov is like the qmjhl for drouin . It's a joke to him . He proved it in his short time there , NHL minutes will " season " him
- RileyB77

He played 17 games in the AHL. It's hard to say he proved anything there. He was really impressive, but the sample size is small.

He played 17 games in the AHL. It's hard to say he proved anything there. He was really impressive, but the sample size is small.
- Michael_Stuart

He was more than impressive , 20 games of consistently lighting it up with ease is enough to prove to me he's got no business being there, especially when he jumps to the nhl and plays just as well but of course is less consistent . Throwing him back to the aHL won't improve his nhl consistency , giving him nhl minutes will . Killorn has also become more consistent through nhl minutes

The aHL for kucherov is like the qmjhl for drouin . It's a joke to him . He proved it in his short time there , NHL minutes will " season " him
- RileyB77

He played what, 15 games in the AHL? Come on, you can't compare the two.

He played what, 15 games in the AHL? Come on, you can't compare the two.
- TBolts4

It's fine . It will be extremely noticeable if he gets sent back down how useless it was . He will just kill It again .. And it will just be a matter of time before he gets recalled