Season Preview Part 4: Projected line combos and depth

by John Fontana on Oct 5, 2011 9:15 AM EDT in Season Preview

Martin St. Louis (26) and Steven Stamkos (91) will be paired up on the Tampa Bay Lightning offense . (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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With the roster settled, at least temporarily, it's much easier to project just who will play where for the Tampa Bay Lightning on a nightly basis.

But that remains subjective, as line combinations are mixed and changed from situation to situation, and then there are the special team line-combinations that throw all normalcy out the window for the sake of offense, or defense.

And then there's the other rub about playing under Head Coach Guy Boucher in the "Tampa t" 1-3-1 system: what happens when a 7^th defenseman is part of the lineup?

It's all subjective to change for situations, but here's the roster breakdown. Note: This is a 24 player roster... We've not certain just who the Bolts will ultimately cut from the roster once Mattias Ohlund returns from injured reserve. The path of least-resistence is to send Brett Connolly back to the Prince George Cougars of the WHL, but Connolly could very well earn more than a nine-game stint on the roster.

Forwards

Martin St. Louis - Steven Stamkos - Steve Downie
Ryan Malone - Vincent Lecavalier - Teddy Purcell
Brett Connolly - Dominic Moore - Ryan Shannon
Adam Hall - Nate Thompson - Tom Pyatt*
Mattias Ritola - Blair Jones

*substitute for a 7th defenseman

Defense

Eric Brewer | Brett Clark
Pavel Kubina | Victor Hedman
Mattias Ohlund | Matt Gilroy
Marc-Andre Bergeron | Bruno Gervais

Goaltenders

Dwayne Roloson
Mathieu Garon

With the Norfolk Admirals, the Lightning have depth players waiting in the wings such as foward Michel Oullet, Alexandre Picard (LW), Mike Vernace (D), Richard Petiot (D), Mike Angelidis (C), and prospect depth in Richard Panik (RW), Carter Ashton (RW), James Wright (C), Mark Barberio (D), and Radko Gudas (D).

The organization's #3 goalie is 22-year-old Dustin Tokarski, with Jaroslav Janus backing him up for the Ads.

For more complete coverage of the Tampa Bay Lightning organizational depth - including junior hockey prospects and Lightning property playing abroad, check out Boltprospects.com

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Comments

That’s a good lineup, but will only be accurate for the first shift of any given game, given Boucher’s affinity for shifting personnel between lines based on flow of play. :-)

"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984

by MTBoltFan on Oct 5, 2011 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

Top two lines look real solid

especially if Purcell and Downie keep developing the way it looks like they should. Definitely be nice to have a pleasant third-line surprise a la Isberg, and Shannon is a reasonable candidate.

On defense. . . well we’ll see what we get from some of these folks. If Hedman keeps developing, the first two pairings look quite good.

Heel for school, Vol for life!

Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!

by Incipient_Senescence on Oct 5, 2011 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

One of the main things..

That I took away after attending the Sunday version of training camp(9/18) …Is that Downie looks in shape, well focused and just overall ready to have a great season. Common sense tells me that if this is the best he’s looked in camp, than it should possibly lead to his best season yet. Guess we shall see.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one that was surprised to hear that Avery was in camp, fighting for a spot, then eventualy waived by the Rags. Their has been some comparisons to Avery and Downie on different levels in the past. I was under the impression that Avery, like Downie had finally able to settel down and focus enough to find a respective role for their teams.. with the help of some damn fine coaching.

Guess this just goes to show now, even more so, that Downie has something Avery does not.. overall skill and scoring ability. Downie sometimes just doesn’t get enough credit and bravo to him for continuing to shove it down all the hater throats! haha. The D-Mac factor: Slam you, fight you & score the game winner!!

Thoughts out to the friends and family of those involved with the most tragic off season in hockey history. Including Red Wings.. Rusty, Beast & Stefan Liv. R.I.P.

by Let's JOE WINGS-BOLTS on Oct 5, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Downie and Purcell are both really going to break out this year

I’ve thought so ever since I did my little research projects on the wingers (sorry about missing defensemen, btw. School happened and I got suddenly extraordinarily busy)

Heel for school, Vol for life!

Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!

by Incipient_Senescence on Oct 5, 2011 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't know about everyone else, but I forgive you.

I certainly understand getting busy in grad school.

And as far as break outs I’m betting on Downie and Shannon. Completely a gut call backed up by no statistical analysis whatsoever, but I’ve learned to listen to my gut. It’s right a lot more often than my head on these things.

R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.

by CAustin on Oct 5, 2011 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I can see Shannon

I just fell in love with Purcell at some point last year. He may have a harder time breaking out just because he’s partially out already though

Heel for school, Vol for life!

Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!

by Incipient_Senescence on Oct 5, 2011 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Good article on Teddy in today's Times

Here’s the link.

"The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect"
- Smith in Orwell's 1984

by MTBoltFan on Oct 6, 2011 10:10 AM EDT up reply actions

nice article

seriously, talk me about of putting down actual cash on Teddy Purcell to have more than 52.5 points this year. Really not sure how this doesn’t happen.

Heel for school, Vol for life!

Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!

by Incipient_Senescence on Oct 6, 2011 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Can't talk you out of it if you're sure

To me in order for this team, with the D as it is, to win games and pick up points, everyone is going to have to pick up production. Boucher will push this team hard this year, which will make for a lot of drives to the net. Purcell will be in that bunch. My gut is telling me more assists for Teddy.

However, there are lots of factors involved and to me it’s too risky a bet to say his goals won’t go down this year. So will his overall points go up? Too many ifs for a strong opinion from me.

R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.

by CAustin on Oct 6, 2011 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I just thought he got stronger as the season progressed

and I expect that to bleed into this year, especially with us needing to replace Gagne’s production. I think Downie is due for the biggest uptick, but Purcell is next. Can’t bet on Downie though.

Last year, he had .60 PPG prior to the ASB, .68 after it, and .94 in the playoffs. Obviously, that playoff production is not likely to hang around, but I could see him repeating the 2nd half numbers.

And if I do ever put money on things, it’s never more than a 12-pack of fancy beer.

Heel for school, Vol for life!

Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!

by Incipient_Senescence on Oct 6, 2011 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Steve Downie has the potential to break my heart this year

I’m hoping for a good year for him. I even drafted him in my fantasy hockey league (yeah, I got sucked into playing a numbers game that will interfere in my ability to just watch the team I love.) But if he gets hurt or can’t control his emotions on the ice, it’ll be a long, sad season.

R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.

by CAustin on Oct 6, 2011 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Forgot to mention

Shannon looked great at camp, as well. Probably the other player, besides Downie, that I was most impressed with. Great speed, smart kid… seems to really get the system so far.

Thoughts out to the friends and family of those involved with the most tragic off season in hockey history. Including Red Wings.. Rusty, Beast & Stefan Liv. R.I.P.

by Let's JOE WINGS-BOLTS on Oct 6, 2011 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions