The "Lightning Mailbag" is a new weekly post, usually to be done on Sundays, where I answer questions sent to me by you, the readers.
What do you think Cooper's role has been in this disappointing season?
As of right now, I believe that it is difficult to put any blame on Jon Cooper for how this season has gone. Of course, there are areas he could do better but that is the case with most coaches in the NHL.
The injuries to key players all season long has made Cooper's job as coach even more difficult. When the personnel on your roster is constantly changing, it is challenging to establish any sort of consistency and continuity with the lines and pairings you construct. Cooper has had to deal with the loss of players and addition of new faces from Syracuse way more than he expected.
There are plenty of occasions to put a blame on a coach for disappointing performances. However, there are also plenty of times a coach is just used as a scapegoat. The problems the Lightning have faced this season have been out of Cooper's control, for the most part.
Do you think the Lightning can make a successful run at the playoffs after trading Bishop given the weak division and teams ahead of them?
To put it bluntly, no. I think that if Steve Yzerman feels his team has it in them to make a successful run, he would not trade Ben Bishop. Tampa Bay will not receive a jaw-dropping return for Bishop so they would be better off with him if they feel the postseason is in reach.
With that being said, I do not think the Bolts have it in them to make the playoffs this year. Bishop will be dealt, along with others, in preparation for retooling the roster so they can contend for a cup next season.
How does Yzerman continuously skate away from a big part of the blame?
As I mentioned earlier in regards to Cooper, it is difficult to place the blame on any coach or member of the front office for the struggles the Lightning have faced this season. It all stems from the injuries, especially the loss of one of the best players in the entire world.
In my opinion, it is hard to ridicule a man who has built a team worthy of making it to the Eastern Conference Championship two years in a row. Of course, we can always go to the Ryan Callahan contract. However, bad contracts like this happen all the time. Yzerman is facing struggles with the cap more because he has too many good players and not enough money to sign them all.
Have a question you would like answered in next week's "Lightning Mailbag"? Just send it to me at johngove21@gmail.com with the subject line "HockeyBuzz Lightning Mailbag".