Sam Hitchcock: How the Lightning Invert Perceptions of How to Build a Contender

Nice blog. On a side note, I wonder what Yzerman is going to do going into next season. This group has had deep playoff runs, but hasn't been able to win the Stanley Cup.

It'll be interesting to see if he keeps the same squad. Maybe they just rely on the improvement of the kids like Vasi, Sergachev, Point, and Cirelli and hope that's enough, although guys like Girardi, and Coburn will probably continue to decline. A full year of McDonaugh should help as well. With a lot of the teams in the east improving, I'm sure Yzerman will try to do something.

did drouin fail them though? i thought drouin played pretty well for them, it was the arguing with management that probably convinced them to trade him away. he caught a lot of flak for it at the time when he complained about being in the minors but i don't think he was wrong. he was clearly nhl ready and they just wouldnt bring him up. he may have gone about it poorly when his complaints went public but his point was valid.

I wouldn't say the Lightning stumbled onto Hedman. There were legit scouts suggesting he be taken ahead of Tavares

And to be honest, with Tavares being one of the most underwhelming "generational" players despite his hype, I think I'd rather have Hedman anyways

guys like him are more rare than guys like Tavares

did drouin fail them though? i thought drouin played pretty well for them, it was the arguing with management that probably convinced them to trade him away. he caught a lot of flak for it at the time when he complained about being in the minors but i don't think he was wrong. he was clearly nhl ready and they just wouldnt bring him up. he may have gone about it poorly when his complaints went public but his point was valid.
- danktrees

Ya, they were just tolling a year on his ELC and everyone knew it. He had reason to be pissed and was clearly NHL ready

Still, from an asset management standpoint, Yzerman nailed it. Right when Drouin was about to be paid, he flipped him for NHL ready defenseman Sergachev on another ECL

I wouldn't say the Lightning stumbled onto Hedman. There were legit scouts suggesting he be taken ahead of Tavares

And to be honest, with Tavares being one of the most underwhelming "generational" players despite his hype, I think I'd rather have Hedman anyways

guys like him are more rare than guys like Tavares
- RoloTahmasee

Tavares is not a generational player, he's just a damn good center. That term is so over-used its not even funny. Whoever's calling him that is wrong!

Sam Hitchcock: How the Lightning Invert Perceptions of How to Build a Contender
- Sam Hitchcock

Sam I don't think there's a sure-fire way to build a contender, it's been done several ways, however, the one constant remains being a good drafting team throughout the draft, not only at the top.

Which the Lightning have done!

Who knows maybe if they drafted Seth Jones instead of Drouin they would of hoisted the cup by now. Big swing and a miss by Yzerman.

Nice read! I’m glad my wings took two forwards then.

I agree that scoring matters, however a well rounded team is crucial. Good drafting and developing up and down the lineup is the surest way to win

Ya, they were just tolling a year on his ELC and everyone knew it. He had reason to be pissed and was clearly NHL ready

Still, from an asset management standpoint, Yzerman nailed it. Right when Drouin was about to be paid, he flipped him for NHL ready defenseman Sergachev on another ECL
- RoloTahmasee

Them sending him back to the minors his first year I don't see as a problem, the team at that point did not need to play a rookie they needed to shelter. Personally I don't think he was NHL ready when they sent him back, he had no idea how to play defense so they sent him back Halifax moved him to C so he could learn to play both ends of the rink.

Well it seems you have mixed a whole group of stats covering a period of two or three ownership groups and scouts. If you want to examine the current group fine then look at their successes and failures. By the way Kuch was a legitimate first round pick only the hesitation over the KHL NHL agreements kept GM’s away from with Stevie Y breaking out to pick a few that year. A risk at the time but one he took. Not a lot of people mention the circumstances of possibly drafting a player who would never to cross the Atlantic. Big risk big reward.

Who knows maybe if they drafted Seth Jones instead of Drouin they would of hoisted the cup by now. Big swing and a miss by Yzerman.
- BetweenTheDots

Totally agree, Jones was thought to be going #1 and he fell to us at 3 and we needed D help. Yzerman overall has done a fantastic job, that was his one he would want back I think.

Totally agree, Jones was thought to be going #1 and he fell to us at 3 and we needed D help. Yzerman overall has done a fantastic job, that was his one he would want back I think.
- Kucherovski

MacKinnon was the consensus #1 btw

MacKinnon was the consensus #1 btw
- Feds91Stammer

Except no, you're not correct (even though I'm sure you'll argue you are). CSS are the definitive rankings each year

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=88636

Except no, you're not correct (even though I'm sure you'll argue you are). CSS are the definitive rankings each year

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=88636
- Kucherovski

Weird how every mock draft had MacKinnon going #1...

Weird how every mock draft had MacKinnon going #1...
- Feds91Stammer

Yeah because "mock" drafts are way more official compared to Central Scouting. TV analysts is for sure the way to go compared to Central Scouting. Question, why are the TV guys on TV instead of working as NHL scouts??

Yeah because "mock" drafts are way more official compared to Central Scouting. TV analysts is for sure the way to go compared to Central Scouting. Question, why are the TV guys on TV instead of working as NHL scouts??
- Kucherovski

I remember Jones falling from 1st to 2nd in the beginning of that year. He has the clear #1 pick until christmas before the draft.

The problem i have with the 2013 draft is that they could got a blue chip D but went with the flashy playmaker. Then they didnt let him flash, gave him little PP time and held him back due to defensive awareness. They should have molded him into the player they wanted, not trying to force it through. A Drouin/Stamkos/Kuch line would have been sick to see and was something i was looking forward to from the moment Yzerman made that pick.

Then the poopstorm went down and the relationship was ruined forever. That we got Serg for him was a freaking miracle.

- Feds91Stammer

Good answer....it's actually more comical that you find "mock" drafts more credible ranking of players compared to Central Scouting. The Lightning that year were like the 5th highest scoring team in the NHL, they needed help keeping the puck out of the net. When CSS #1 North American skater falls, and it's a position you desperately need, you should take it. I think if someone were to ask Yzerman off the record, he too would admit that was his big mistake.

Good answer....it's actually more comical that you find "mock" drafts more credible ranking of players compared to Central Scouting. The Lightning that year were like the 5th highest scoring team in the NHL, they needed help keeping the puck out of the net. When CSS #1 North American skater falls, and it's a position you desperately need, you should take it. I think if someone were to ask Yzerman off the record, he too would admit that was his big mistake.
- Kucherovski

How about the actual draft. Like where MacKinnon actually went 1st?

How about 2017 were CSS rankings had Patrick 1 but Hischier went 1st?

CSS rankings are trash.

How about the actual draft. Like where MacKinnon actually went 1st?

How about 2017 were CSS rankings had Patrick 1 but Hischier went 1st?

CSS rankings are trash.
- Feds91Stammer

CSS rankings having Jones #1 makes your statement about Mac being "consensus" #1 false is my point. CSS rankings will never ever match the draft order since teams draft from need and their current team structure. Do you really think Jones should not have been the pick for the Lightning that year, or the Panthers?

CSS rankings having Jones #1 makes your statement about Mac being "consensus" #1 false is my point. CSS rankings will never ever match the draft order since teams draft from need and their current team structure. Do you really think Jones should not have been the pick for the Lightning that year, or the Panthers?
- Kucherovski

Wow, so we re-signed Sustr for 1.95 Mill... Why?

Wow, so we re-signed Sustr for 1.95 Mill... Why?
- Cloud

Pretty sure you misread something. That was his last deal.

4 players given qualifying offers. No numbers yet.

http://www.tbo.com/blogs/...r-restricted-free-agents/