John Gove: Lightning UFA Day Tracker

Always liked Girardi.

I see nothing that helps this team.

Twice the term twice the dollar than girardi. Shatty twice as good? Yup....

Galactic bud go have a beer

We had no business going after Shattenkirk. Over the next 3 years we're going to have to sign Kuch, Vasy, and Sergachev. All will get big time pay raises.

Galactic bud go have a beer
- omatty44

We just signed Crosby's coat-tails, Kunitz.

Another worthless signing.

I am going to need a bottle of whiskey before this day is over.

I am rapidly losing faith in the Yzerplan.

The only upside to the Kunitz signing that I can see is that the term is short and the caphit is small.

He's a good physical veteran presence. Yzerman is signing guys that will agree to 1-2 year deals so they can sign all the big contracts we have coming.

The only upside to the Kunitz signing that I can see is that the term is short and the caphit is small.
- GalacticStone

He is still a very effective middle 6 guy

He is still a very effective middle 6 guy
- Feds91Stammer

I guess so. It will be interesting to see what he can do away from the Pens. It's a lot easier to rack up good stats with Crosby as your centerman.

At least these puzzling signings are on short terms, so there's that I guess.

My head is still spinning from all of this. It's going to take some time to process these moves.

Feds, please throw some charts up here that will make me feel better. LOL.

Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov
Palat-Point-Johnson
Kunitz-Killorn-Callahan
Gourde-Paquette-Brown
Conacher and whomever else impresses

Hedman-Stralman
Coburn-Girardi/Dotchin
Koekkoek-Girardi/Dotchin
Sustr, and whomever

Vasilevskiy
Budaj
Leighton

I guess the roster will look something like this......along with call-ups as the season goes along.

Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov
Palat-Point-Johnson
Kunitz-Killorn-Callahan
Gourde-Paquette-Brown
Conacher and whomever else impresses

Hedman-Stralman
Coburn-Girardi/Dotchin
Koekkoek-Girardi/Dotchin
Sustr, and whomever

Vasilevskiy
Budaj
Leighton

I guess the roster will look something like this......along with call-ups as the season goes along.
- BoltsFan1993

T Johnny is a center, and Killer is a winger. Vladdy is a center too but played wing a lot last season.

I'm guessing:

Killer-Stammer-Kuch
Palat-Johnny-Cally
Kunitz-Point-Vladdy
Brown-Paquette-Gorde

Dotchin-Hedman
Coburn-Stralman
Koekkoek-Girardi
Sustr

T Johnny is a center, and Killer is a winger. Vladdy is a center too but played wing a lot last season.

I'm guessing:

Killer-Stammer-Kuch
Palat-Johnny-Cally
Kunitz-Point-Vladdy
Brown-Paquette-Gorde

Dotchin-Hedman
Coburn-Stralman
Koekkoek-Girardi
Sustr
- omatty44

You come up with gay nicknames?

T Johnny is a center, and Killer is a winger. Vladdy is a center too but played wing a lot last season.

I'm guessing:

Killer-Stammer-Kuch
Palat-Johnny-Cally
Kunitz-Point-Vladdy
Brown-Paquette-Gorde

Dotchin-Hedman
Coburn-Stralman
Koekkoek-Girardi
Sustr
- omatty44

The roster actually looks pretty solid. Hopefully Sergachev gets in the lineup more than Sustr during the season, and Cooper actually gives Koekkoek more of a chance.

The roster actually looks pretty solid. Hopefully Sergachev gets in the lineup more than Sustr during the season, and Cooper actually gives Koekkoek more of a chance.
- jvar17

I think both Dotchin and Koekkoek would have to clear waivers to go down to Syracuse this year, if so I expect both to stay up. I think Sergachev having the ability to be sent back to juniors is gonna leave him on the outside looking in.

I am not sure Coburn is capable of 2nd pairing minutes on a regular basis. I would feel more comfortable with him slotting into the 3rd pairing with one of our rookies. I still think we have a gaping hole in our D.

I think it's a crime to split up the Hedman-Stralman pairing. Why ask each of them to carry dead weight?

I would have been more confident if we had landed another solid top-4 guy. Girardi is not that guy. McBain is not that guy. Nobody we signed today is that guy.

Hedman - Stralman
Gaping Hole - Dotchin
Coburn - Koekkoek/Sergachev

Sustr - why why why did we resign this guy?

Girardi - he can refill the water bottles. Rotate water bottle duty between Girardi and Sustr. I wouldn't ice either of these guys in a pond hockey game.

I would slot Sustr in as #7. No regular minutes for him. Of course, that is not gonna happen and that lanky loser will probably end up on the 2nd pairing.

And I am sorry, but Williams would have been far more preferable to Kunitz. Williams actually put up good numbers last year. Kunitz put up 4th-line numbers - and that was a Cup-winning team.

I am not impressed with these free agent signings.

On an unrelated note, Stamkos has good taste.

Check out his wife - https://www.facebook.com/sandra.porzio

Niiiiiice. Well done Steve-O.

I went and read the Lightning sub on reddit and it seems like a lot of Lightning fans have turned into whiners. I am not going to say they are right or wrong but my opinion is that its July 1st and lot still to happen until opening game in October.

I will say I don't like the Girardi signing but then again if the Bolts deemed it necessary for another veteran defender then the 2 years at a negligible cap hit is ok. It gives the Bolts the ability to take their time and really see what they have in Dotchin, Koekkoek and Sergachev and hopefully 1, 2 or all 3 start to outplay the veterans and thats all I can ask for.

Kunitz at 2M for 1 year with his winning history is a perfect signing, he can still produce even at his age. He is still a serviceable middle 6 winger.

The Bolts went 20-5-2 down the stretch and return mostly the same team (healthy Stamkos over Drouin) and (Girardi for Garrison). They have considerable more defensive depth then the team has ever had and they should still be able to put up points with Kuch, Stamkos, Palat, Johnson, Point, Hedman. If that last third of last year's season can be replicated then it can be a fun ride this year.

I went and read the Lightning sub on reddit and it seems like a lot of Lightning fans have turned into whiners. I am not going to say they are right or wrong but my opinion is that its July 1st and lot still to happen until opening game in October.

I will say I don't like the Girardi signing but then again if the Bolts deemed it necessary for another veteran defender then the 2 years at a negligible cap hit is ok. It gives the Bolts the ability to take their time and really see what they have in Dotchin, Koekkoek and Sergachev and hopefully 1, 2 or all 3 start to outplay the veterans and thats all I can ask for.

Kunitz at 2M for 1 year with his winning history is a perfect signing, he can still produce even at his age. He is still a serviceable middle 6 winger.

The Bolts went 20-5-2 down the stretch and return mostly the same team (healthy Stamkos over Drouin) and (Girardi for Garrison). They have considerable more defensive depth then the team has ever had and they should still be able to put up points with Kuch, Stamkos, Palat, Johnson, Point, Hedman. If that last third of last year's season can be replicated then it can be a fun ride this year.
- stammerman

I agree. Nothing to cry about here. Veterans who can help the younger players and with sheltered minutes are still productive. People expect another Hedman and Stammer for 5 mil.

I went and read the Lightning sub on reddit and it seems like a lot of Lightning fans have turned into whiners. I am not going to say they are right or wrong but my opinion is that its July 1st and lot still to happen until opening game in October.

I will say I don't like the Girardi signing but then again if the Bolts deemed it necessary for another veteran defender then the 2 years at a negligible cap hit is ok. It gives the Bolts the ability to take their time and really see what they have in Dotchin, Koekkoek and Sergachev and hopefully 1, 2 or all 3 start to outplay the veterans and thats all I can ask for.

Kunitz at 2M for 1 year with his winning history is a perfect signing, he can still produce even at his age. He is still a serviceable middle 6 winger.

The Bolts went 20-5-2 down the stretch and return mostly the same team (healthy Stamkos over Drouin) and (Girardi for Garrison). They have considerable more defensive depth then the team has ever had and they should still be able to put up points with Kuch, Stamkos, Palat, Johnson, Point, Hedman. If that last third of last year's season can be replicated then it can be a fun ride this year.
- stammerman

Team seems kinda stagnant.since The run to the finals a few years back I thought 'they'll be back', yet that seems more and more less likely.

Team seems kinda stagnant.since The run to the finals a few years back I thought 'they'll be back', yet that seems more and more less likely.
- Larsson_fan

They went 20-5-2 after the trade deadline last year. I don't think adding 2 vets on short term deals is something to worry about, I also don't think they are being stagnant as they are planning on moving up some youngsters into the lineup. The core is there Hedman, Stamkos, Kucherov, Vasilevski then Point, Johnson, Palat and Stralman. If 1 or 2 of Sergachev, Koekkoek or Dotchin prove their play and solidify the blue line the Lightning are real deep in young forward prospects over the next couple years coming up. I think they can make the playoffs for sure this year. I don't predict anything past that.

I am hoping that these veteran signings will prevent us from waiting until the all star break or trade deadline to start playing inspired hockey. That's 2 years in a row we had "slow" starts. This year, it cost us the playoffs...that and the 3 game home stretch near the end of the year against non-playoff teams where we didn't get a single point. Hopefully these vets won't let that happen in the locker room. Hopefully.

After sleeping on it, I feel better about the Kunitz signing. It's very low risk. And I have confidence that an over-the-hill Kunitz will be more productive than an over-the-hill Morrow was. Morrow had lead in his skates and stone hands. I think Kunitz has more left in the tank at this stage in his career than Morrow did.

The Girardi signing I feel the same about - mistake. Big mistake.

If it's a question of veteran leadership, Kunitz brings that. No need for Girardi in that regard.

Girardi is just going to eat up ice time that one of our rookies should get. Why the rush to sign him and Sustr? I pray Sustr is about to be traded. I think injuries and inconsistent goaltending hurt us more last season than our defense did. And maybe I am too high on Dotchin and Koekkoek, but I would give them a serious shot with real ice time and see if they sink or swim. If they start sinking, then trade for somebody like Girardi.

Marleau for 3 years 6.25M... that is crazy that is something people can female dog about compared to the short term cheap deals of Girardi and Kunitz.