Believe it or not there are only 23
games left in the regular season for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Therefore, I can officially start using the phrase, “sprint to the
end” in reference to their remaining games. As of Wednesday
afternoon they sit comfortably in second in the Atlantic Division and
third in the Eastern Conference. While Montreal and Toronto are
nipping at the heels, an argument can be made that the Bolts are
among the best teams poised to make a strong run to and through the
playoffs.
The Olympic break could not have come
at a better time for the team as they were in a mini-slump having
dropped four of their previous six games. Injuries were also starting
to take their effect on the team as goaltender Ben Bishop was banged
up and big free agent signing Valtteri Filppula suffered a foot
injury that caused him to miss the Olympic competition in Sochi.
Luckily for the team, both Filppula and
Bishop should be ready to go in Nashville as the Lightning kick off
the sprint with a four-game road trip against the Western Conference.
Following that road trip, the super-extra-awsome-about-time-thank-god
news is that Steven Stamkos, goalscoring extraordinaire should be
back on the ice firing pucks into opposing goaltender's nets.
So with 20 some games to go their:
Number 1 goalie is rested and healthy
Number 1 defenseman (Victor Hedman) is
rested and playing with a chip on his shoulder
Most prolific scorer is coming back.
I would say that's a good place to be.
I haven't written much about this
season's team mostly because of superstitions. Any time I write about
a team or player doing well they tend to go careening off the track
(a phenomenon that began with a post about Ryan Craig a long, long
time ago). I also had the feeling that this team was winning with
smoke and mirrors and that sooner or later they will realize that
nine of their players on their roster were on the Syracuse Crunch
last year, that their starting goaltender was traded twice in little
over a year and had never played in more than 22 NHL games in a
season, oh and their leading scorer is 38 years old.
I was certain that when I broke down
their wins and losses I would find that they were feasting on west
cost teams while struggling against their own division. Maybe they
had racked up their points against weak competition. So it was kind
of surprising to find out that the only division they've struggled
against is the relatively easy Metropolitan. Against their fellow
Atlantic Division they're a comfortable 13-6-1. Granted, three of
those losses are against the Bruins, but if the Bolts play out
strongly that wouldn't be a problem until later in the playoffs.
Statistically the team isn't doing any
one thing great (except being gritty!). They are 11th in
goals scored per game, 11th in goals against per game,
23rd in penalty kill and 19th in power play.
So in the traditional numbers....a pretty average team. The new age
stats are a little friendlier as they are 7th in PDO
(1009) and 11th in Corsi. I don't really, really know
what that means, but I'm pretty sure it's good. There are other
sites that break that stuff down way better than I can.
So, if the team isn't gang busters in
scoring or throwing up brick walls on defense, how are they winning?
First and foremost Ben Bishop. He has been sparkling in net for the
Lightning, posting a 1.98 SAA and .933 SV% as the number one goalie.
He's also managed, on more than one occasion, to bail the team out
and flat out steal games that they should have lost.
The team's first win of the season,
beating Chicago 3-2 in a shootout, was the first and probably best
example. If you remember, and I do because I WAS THERE!, the
Lightning went an entire period without a shot. Yet Bishop
kept them in the game until they were able to put a little offense
together.
In the past few seasons the net-minders
haven't been able to cover for the skaters on their off nights.
Hence, the rotating cast of characters that have trickled through the
crease over the past three years. Bishop has been the MVP for the
team so far this season and his health, more so than Stamkos' is the
key to the team going far in the playoffs.
Stamkos' injury is another key factor
in Tampa Bay's shocking run to the top. I'm not crazy enough to say
that I want a 60-goal scorer routinely shelved for almost four
months, but his time away from the ice did allow other players,
especially Tyler Johnson, time to develop their game on the NHL
level.
Going into the season, how the
Tampa-cuse players such as Johnson, Radko Gudas, Ondrej Palat and
Richard Panik adjusted to the NHL was the biggest question mark for
the team. For the fans and for coach Jon Cooper, luckily they all,
except for Panik to a degree, answered the call. Johnson is a
leading Calder candidate and Gudas has provided solid time on the
blue-line. Palat has picked up his game over the last two months and
is quietly making a case for the Calder himself.
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| Tyler Johnson - He's pretty good at hockey. |
When Stamkos comes back, it will be
interesting to see how Cooper adjusts the lines. I would think that
Johnson is moved to the second line, possibly with Alex Killorn and
Teddy Purcell while Stamkos centers Marty St. Louis and Palat. Other
players get bumped down the line until one of my favorites, J.T.
Brown, finds himself back in Syracuse through no fault of his own.
Speaking of Brown, the line of him,
Nate Thompson and Nikita Kucherov are another huge factor in the
success of the team. Any line that Nate Thompson has ever been a
part of has been great at playing defense, playing in the offensive
zone, keeping the other team pinned back. However, they've never
really chipped in too many goals. Ever since Kucherov and Brown
joined him that is different. They still do a good job of defense,
but now they can throw in a goal every once in awhile. Which gives
the Lightning basically three lines that can do that.
Of course, no fan base is ever content
at the trading deadline. No matter how successful, or how much of a
surprise a team is, moves must be made. So, what moves will the
Lightning make over the next week or so?
Unfortunately for the masses, I don't
think they do anything. After all they are essentially adding a
60-goal scorer at the deadline in Stamkos. And since it cost's them
nothing but a roster spot, I will go ahead and declare them the 2014
NHL Trade Deadline Winners!
Other than kick the tires on some
defense-men I don't think General Manager Steve Yzerman pulls
anything off. The team that is on the ice is pretty much the team he
envisioned putting together when he took over the reigns of the
organization. A fast-paced, aggressive offense backed by solid
(young) goal-tending and a defense that can add scoring while also
playing responsibly in their own end.
I wouldn't be surprised to see him make
some minor deals to either acquire draft picks or help deepen the
organizational talent, but as far as blockbusters....I just don't see
it.
Which brings us to the mite-sized
elephant in the room. If I had written this two weeks ago like I
planned, this part of the post would not have to be written. I would
be trying to come up with some ending that actually ties it all
together cleverly. Instead, I have to ask the question, “What is
the deal with Marty St. Louis?”
 |
| Sad Marty is Sad |
It started innocently enough. Boomer
Esiason tweeted some tweets about the Rangers making a deal and the
speculation fire that roared up paired the Rangers and Lightning
together in a St. Louis for Ryan Callahan deal. I made some sarcastic
tweets about it and then promptly dismissed the talk. In my mind,
why would:
A. The Lightning trade their captain
and leading scorer in a playoff year?
B. Why would St. Louis waive his no
movement clause for a team that isn't a better bet to win the
Stanley Cup?
C. Why would the Lightning settle for
a return of a player who is going to be an unrestricted free agent
at the end of the season when they have St. Louis under contract for
another season?
Now it seems there is talk from
reputable sources (Bob McKenzie) that St. Louis has asked for a
trade. That throws a little bit of different shade on the topic. As
does the lack of a firm denial from either St. Louis or Mr. Yzerman.
 |
| Hey There Tommy! |
To quote Tom Cruise in Cocktail,
“Jesus, everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn't end.” It's
starting to look like this is going to end badly. Even without the
rumors that are running amok, what to do with St. Louis was going to
be a story lurking in the background in the near future. He has
another year remaining on his contract after this one and it doesn't
look like he's ready for retirement anytime soon.
So what were the Lightning going to do
in 2015-16? Despite his production he would be 40-years-old so a long
term deal would be fool hardy. Especially since Stammergeddon II
would be right around the corner. Do they offer him a one-year deal?
Let him walk?
Throughout my career I've been all over
the map on St. Louis. Way back when I first started writing I was in
the “Trade Marty” camp. I always thought Pittsburgh would make a
great fit for him. Then over the years I reversed myself as it became
more apparent that he was the foundation of the organization.
However, this isn't the first time St.
Louis has expressed doubts about his future with the organization.
Following the 2009-10 season he openly questioned the direction of
the team and his role with it. That was quickly forgotten as then
new GM Mr. Yzerman signed him to an extension and the team went off
on the great run to the Eastern Conference Finals the next season.
Trading him now would be an interesting
move. It would undoubtedly alienate a large portion of the fan base.
No matter who or what they got back in the deal it would hurt the
team on the ice as well. Mr. Yzerman has proven that he is willing
to trade a fan-favorite (see Lecavalier, Vincent) if it helps the
team. But, for him to do this to a team that has a good a shot as
any to make a deep run in the playoffs? I don't see it.
Now, does he make a trade this summer?
That's a totally different story. Moving St. Louis in the off-season,
while still not a politically friendly move can be justified (he's
old, salary cap, bring value while you can, etc). Trading him now
would be handcuffing the team and I don't see Mr. Yzerman doing that.
About the only good news is that it
does have the rest of hockey talking about Tampa Bay for a change!
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