You can write this about almost every move the man makes. Is there a better GM right now?
- yzermaneely

Dean Lombardi

Dean Lombardi
- sbroads24

Dont think Jim Nill is better than Lombardi or Yzerman but he's in the conversation.

Dean Lombardi
- sbroads24

I love Yzerman, but he hasn't put together TWO Stanley cup championships in 3 years

Dont think Jim Nill is better than Lombardi or Yzerman but he's in the conversation.
- rangerdanger94

Jim Nill has done well in Dallas. He has put together a VERY good team!

where can i watch tbl games online?? from last season

where can i watch tbl games online?? from last season
- RileyB77

Highlights on lightning.nhl.com

Highlights on lightning.nhl.com
- Artyukhin76

whole games
ive been watching some of tampa bay this evening and have a few things to say:

thank god purcell is gone..
thank god we got supporting defenseman for hedman and someone to help carle
kucherov deserves to stay in the nhl

Dean Lombardi
- sbroads24

^ this

I am VERY happy we didn't draft Ho-Sang. He sounds like a complete douche.

So, in other words Vasilevski and Drouin are both flops?
- Artyukhin76

That's not what I said now is it? I think those prospects are great but the list is a poopshow at best.

whole games
ive been watching some of tampa bay this evening and have a few things to say:

thank god purcell is gone..
thank god we got supporting defenseman for hedman and someone to help carle
kucherov deserves to stay in the nhl
- RileyB77

Yep very happy with these moves

Resigning Roloson?
Carle?
Keeping Frantz Jean?

He's had his WTF moments too!
- Artyukhin76

This narrative of the Carle signing being a bad one is ridiculous. He is a solid top 4 with the right partner which is what he has always been and what he was signed for. And don't tell me he is overpaid b/c he is better (and younger) than others who have received similar AAV deals like Zubov, Amac, Streit, and Wideman.

You can write this about almost every move the man makes. Is there a better GM right now?
- yzermaneely

Cheveldayoff

This narrative of the Carle signing being a bad one is ridiculous. He is a solid top 4 with the right partner which is what he has always been and what he was signed for. And don't tell me he is overpaid b/c he is better (and younger) than others who have received similar AAV deals like Zubov, Amac, Streit, and Wideman.
- uf1910

He is a solid top four, when a top pairing guy plays on his line.

Cheveldayoff
- glove_was_stuck

Chevedayoff and the art of doing jack poop.

He is a solid top four, when a top pairing guy plays on his line.
- Artyukhin76

Which is what I said..."he's a solid top 4 when he has the right partner..." He doesn't necessarily need a top pairing guy next to him, what he does need is the right partner who combined together form a solid pair.


So that being said, how does signing a top 4 d-man to a market value contract go down as a "bad" signing? The argument of "he needs the right partner to be at his best" is true for just about any d-man regardless of whether they are top 4 or top pair. Using top pairing d-man as comparables (not in terms of play but playing situations), Hedman at his best needs the right partner. Looking around the league using the same parameters, Subban needs the right partner to allow him the freedom to do what he does. (Now b/4 Montreal fan jumps on me for that statement that is not a slight against Subban, he can play with anyone. But with the "right" defensive partner he is allowed more freedom to be the weapon he is without potentially leaving the team at a dis-advantage b/c of his freelancing style). The d-man who can pair with anyone are few and far between but again back to my original point, Carle isn't being paid or being counted on to be that. He was signed to be PART of the top 4, and that is exactly what he has been and will continue to do.

Which is what I said..."he's a solid top 4 when he has the right partner..." He doesn't necessarily need a top pairing guy next to him, what he does need is the right partner who combined together form a solid pair.


So that being said, how does signing a top 4 d-man to a market value contract go down as a "bad" signing? The argument of "he needs the right partner to be at his best" is true for just about any d-man regardless of whether they are top 4 or top pair. Using top pairing d-man as comparables (not in terms of play but playing situations), Hedman at his best needs the right partner. Looking around the league using the same parameters, Subban needs the right partner to allow him the freedom to do what he does. (Now b/4 Montreal fan jumps on me for that statement that is not a slight against Subban, he can play with anyone. But with the "right" defensive partner he is allowed more freedom to be the weapon he is without potentially leaving the team at a dis-advantage b/c of his freelancing style). The d-man who can pair with anyone are few and far between but again back to my original point, Carle isn't being paid or being counted on to be that. He was signed to be PART of the top 4, and that is exactly what he has been and will continue to do.
- uf1910

He's only a top four when paired with another guy!?! Do you even think about what you are typing?

He is a solid top four, when a top pairing guy plays on his line.
- Artyukhin76

One more note regarding Carle, most of this criticism is based on his play last season where 2 of our top 4 d-man were an over the hill Salo and a rookie Gudas. Not exactly the ideal partner(s) to bring out his best.

He's only a top four when paired with another guy!?! Do you even think about what you are typing?
- Artyukhin76

Did you read what I wrote? Again, Carle is at his best when he has the right partner. Or put another way, having the right partner brings out the best of Carle. Which, as I pointed out regarding Hedman or Subban (amongst others) is true for most d-man around the league.

Nowhere did I say he wasn't a top 4 d-man. He was signed to be part of a top 4. Not a top pairing carry the defense type of player, part of the top 4. Well as part of a top 4 that means there are 3 other players also making up that top 4. I'm not arguing that Carle doesn't need the right partner to be at his best, but as I pointed out in the 2nd post basing this criticism on his play where his partner was either Salo or a rookie Gudas isn't fair criticism.

Again, I will say this again to which you still haven't answered. Seeing as Carle was signed to a market value contract to be part of a top 4 (and NOT top pairing carry the D type of player like Hedman), how exactly does Carle go down as a bad signing?

Did you read what I wrote? Again, Carle is at his best when he has the right partner. Or put another way, having the right partner brings out the best of Carle. Which, as I pointed out regarding Hedman or Subban (amongst others) is true for most d-man around the league.

Nowhere did I say he wasn't a top 4 d-man. He was signed to be part of a top 4. Not a top pairing carry the defense type of player, part of the top 4. Well as part of a top 4 that means there are 3 other players also making up that top 4. I'm not arguing that Carle doesn't need the right partner to be at his best, but as I pointed out in the 2nd post basing this criticism on his play where his partner was either Salo or a rookie Gudas isn't fair criticism.

Again, I will say this again to which you still haven't answered. Seeing as Carle was signed to a market value contract to be part of a top 4 (and NOT top pairing carry the D type of player like Hedman), how exactly does Carle go down as a bad signing?
- uf1910

Carle needs someone to carry him.

One more note regarding Carle, most of this criticism is based on his play last season where 2 of our top 4 d-man were an over the hill Salo and a rookie Gudas. Not exactly the ideal partner(s) to bring out his best.
- uf1910

Gudas has better possession numbers then Carle.

Gudas has better possession numbers then Carle.
- Artyukhin76

Gudas can't skate backwards

Gudas has better possession numbers then Carle.
- Artyukhin76

Last season, Gudas had no business being in the top 4, just like Brewer the year before. He was often overmatched by speed and his rookie mental mistakes were painful to watch as top players take advantage of that (see Montreal series where Gudas looked terrible). Not to say Gudas wont get better, he's still young, but at thins juncture of his career, he shouldn't be playing top 4.

That being said, it was unfair for Carle, an offensive defensman, to have to continually cover for Gudas mistakes. Carle needs to play with a defensive minded defenseman (see Stralman) in order to have more freedom to play his game. Last season was not and indication of what Carle can do. Let's see how he does in the upcoming one.

Gudas can't skate backwards
- TBolts4

He had a couple of issues, but I'd take him at .993 then Carle at 5.5.

Last season, Gudas had no business being in the top 4, just like Brewer the year before. He was often overmatched by speed and his rookie mental mistakes were painful to watch as top players take advantage of that (see Montreal series where Gudas looked terrible). Not to say Gudas wont get better, he's still young, but at thins juncture of his career, he shouldn't be playing top 4.

That being said, it was unfair for Carle, an offensive defensman, to have to continually cover for Gudas mistakes. Carle needs to play with a defensive minded defenseman (see Stralman) in order to have more freedom to play his game. Last season was not and indication of what Carle can do. Let's see how he does in the upcoming one.
- TBolts4

Carle is ONLY a top four when paired with someone, WTF does that tell you?

I've seen top defensemen get owned in the same way.