Poll: Will the Lightning make the playoffs in 2014-2015?

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Thread: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

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    Big Ev's Avatar
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    Default Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    overachieving team, lost their heart and soul leader, poor defense, way too many young players, relying too much on goaltending ( a goalie who was playing well above his head who already started to regress). Sounds like the Sens last year.

    I'm confident that the Lightning will miss the dance next year. What say you?

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    While I don't disagree with some of your reasoning I think they have a good chance because of the mediocrity of some of the teams that finished below them in the standings. Offseason moves could change the dynamics of the division but I think they will be right there come next spring.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    It's hard to see why they won't. First off, they only need to finish in the top 50% of the league. They will have another year of playing together under their belt. They are young yes, but the upside of this team outweighs the downside. Bishop is a legit starting goalie in the NHL in my view. John Cooper is a very good coach. They will also have the 40+ games that Stamkos missed back next year ( provided he does not get injured again). This team is pointed toward upward progress not regression.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    If the Lightning were in the West, I'd agree.
    But the East is garbage... and I don't see any teams in the East that are that threatening to join the playoffs and bump TB out.

    Yeah... it sounds like the Sens from last year.
    But the East was even worse last year.
    The conference had Winnipeg.
    This year the East deleted Winnipeg... oh, and added Detroit (a playoff team) and Columbus (a playoff team).
    The Sens looked good last year feasting in a really crappy Eastern Conference with that Eastern only schedule.
    Shit... Toronto looked good in the East last year too!!!

    TB is simply much stronger than the Sens.
    And the conference won't be changing this summer... like it did for the Sens.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Love this topic. Bold statement - and I think I'm with you. They're young, and one would assume they'll improve. But it's because they're you and they'll improve that they won't make the playoffs. As they try to integrate Drouin in, it could mess with chemistry early on.

    But just the fact that the team has a bright future - they won't do a lot in the offseason. Meanwhile, the teams around them will improve much more. Spots 6-10 will be tight, and TB could be on the outside when the dust settles.
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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Really Pengwin? You see no other teams to challenge for a playoff spot? I see Ottawa getting a spot for sure (yeah yeah home I know, but they are a better team than Tampa IMO, and I say that with confidence even though the standings did not indicate that this year) - especially once Spezza is traded. Columbus and Detroit aren't guarantees either, and New Jersey should battle. Tampa IMO will finish behind all those teams. Ottawa made the playoffs two years prior, New Jersey is always there, Detroit is always there, Washington has always been there save this year.

    Tampa looked bad once St. Louis was dealt, even though they were still winning games. They just got swept by the Habs, their defense is spotty at best, and Bishop is a #1 but not proven and has already peaked IMO.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Quote Originally Posted by Evo_7ution View Post
    It's hard to see why they won't. First off, they only need to finish in the top 50% of the league. They will have another year of playing together under their belt. They are young yes, but the upside of this team outweighs the downside. Bishop is a legit starting goalie in the NHL in my view. John Cooper is a very good coach. They will also have the 40+ games that Stamkos missed back next year ( provided he does not get injured again). This team is pointed toward upward progress not regression.
    This is exactly what everyone said about the Senators last year. Word for word, the exact same - even the part about getting a star(s) back after injury. A young team on the upswing can still miss the playoffs after surprising.

    They are for sure on the rise, but I think it's gonna be a bumpy road. They lost their captain, their main veteran.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Quote Originally Posted by Pengwin7 View Post
    If the Lightning were in the West, I'd agree.
    But the East is garbage... and I don't see any teams in the East that are that threatening to join the playoffs and bump TB out.

    Yeah... it sounds like the Sens from last year.
    But the East was even worse last year.
    The conference had Winnipeg.
    This year the East deleted Winnipeg... oh, and added Detroit (a playoff team) and Columbus (a playoff team).
    The Sens looked good last year feasting in a really crappy Eastern Conference with that Eastern only schedule.
    Shit... Toronto looked good in the East last year too!!!

    TB is simply much stronger than the Sens.
    And the conference won't be changing this summer... like it did for the Sens.
    I think you're pretty spot on here. The East has only a few really good teams, and then a collection of 'meh' teams after that. Really, a whole bunch of different teams could get in in the East, but only because they all are not very good.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    I will say, signing Callahan will be huge. I say they will make the playoffs as I indicated in my above post, but if they lose Callahan then all bets are off. He is their single-most important off season transaction that needs to happen for them. He brings so many intangibles to the table.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    I think they've got a good chance to make the playoffs next year but not as a 3rd seed probably. I see them scrapping it out for one of the wildcard spots with the Leafs, Sens, Caps, Jackets, Wings.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    I can follow your reasoning and it will be interesting to watch. I think Tampa will be in the playoffs next year, because they are young and growing. Having Stamkos for the whole year will benefit them. They will need to try and improve the defence. It will depend on what others do. The battle for the last 2-3 spots in playoffs next year will be up for grabs. Ottawa, NJ, Carolina, Wash, and yes even the Leafs will make it interesting. Actually Big Ev you are not that far off with your comments.
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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Quote Originally Posted by Evo_7ution View Post
    I will say, signing Callahan will be huge. I say they will make the playoffs as I indicated in my above post, but if they lose Callahan then all bets are off. He is their single-most important off season transaction that needs to happen for them. He brings so many intangibles to the table.
    I don't think he'll sign there. I don't think the team's style suits him + he'll get paid somewhere else.

    This is a good point because it will mean they lost St. Louis for nothing. That will be a massive hole to fill.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Magicstew View Post
    I can follow your reasoning and it will be interesting to watch. I think Tampa will be in the playoffs next year, because they are young and growing. Having Stamkos for the whole year will benefit them. They will need to try and improve the defence. It will depend on what others do. The battle for the last 2-3 spots in playoffs next year will be up for grabs. Ottawa, NJ, Carolina, Wash, and yes even the Leafs will make it interesting. Actually Big Ev you are not that far off with your comments.
    My bad, I actually forgot about Toronto. I don't see how Tampa is much better than them, if at all.

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Tampa Bay is a very solid team. Ottawa is not.
    I guess we'll have to just see again next year.
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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Quote Originally Posted by Pengwin7 View Post
    Tampa Bay is a very solid team. Ottawa is not.
    I guess we'll have to just see again next year.
    BOOKMARK.
    This is the truest definition of "what have you done for me lately". Ottawa had an off-year and Tampa had an on-year. Sens made the playoffs two years prior while the Lightning did not. Lighting have a ton of rookies, average D, good G. As we saw this series, they live and die by Stamkos and a hot goalie.

    Saying Tampa Bay is a very solid team is not accurate in my mind. They have been just OK since losing St. Louis.

    Like you said we will see, but saying they are much better than a team like Ottawa is far from reality. Even in Ottawa's poor year, they were basically even with Tampa in their H2H season matchup (and even better against MTL who just swept Tampa).

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    Default Re: Tampa won't make the playoffs next year

    Regardless, this isn't about Ottawa. Even if the Sens don't make it, I don't see how the Lightning are in such better shape than Toronto, Washington, etc.

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