Secondary Fire Power

by Killhowe on May 9, 2011 8:11 PM EDT

Dave Mishkin: "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES. WHO ELSE!? SEAN BERGENHEIM!!!!!"

I dont think there has been a better third line in the Playoffs this year than Dominic Moore, Sean Bergenheim and Steve Downie. They have played fantastic in the playoffs thus far, and far beyond most of our expectations. It took them a while to get started, but now I think there's no stopping them.

They are a combined +17 after two rounds and are accountable for most of our even strength goals. Tampa's top guns in Martin St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos are all playing great on the power play, but without our secondary scoring and even strength goals, Tampa would not be where they are now, the Eastern Conference Finals! They are battling for the Prince of Wales trophy against the big bad Boston Bruins.

I think our JM Steve Yzerman may have his hands full in re-signing Bergenheim, Teddy Purcell and even Adam Hall this year, and then dealing with Steve Downie and Dominic Moore next year.

Here's to hoping they keep up the pace in the Conference Finals against the Bruins, and hoping that the Stanley Cup gets another tan this year!

This post was written by a member of the Raw Charge community and doesn't necessarily express the views or opinions of Raw Charge staff.

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You know, on just about any other team, they’d be a second line. But with all of the fire power that the Lightning have, they’re a third line. Crazy to think about, isn’t it?

The ways of Jedi Master Yzerman are not the ways of others.
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Follow me on Twitter: @dagmar27.

by Cassie McClellan on May 9, 2011 8:49 PM EDT reply actions

Crazy for sure! Then there’s Teddy Purcell who scored over 50 points in the regular season, and already has 11 points in the playoffs!

Thank you Brad Richards… At least we got something for him (disregarding Mike Smith).

Stamkos = Hockey God

by Killhowe on May 9, 2011 9:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Bergenheim is one of the hardest working players I’ve seen in a long time, and the rest of the grinders are all playing well for sure. This is the kind of depth that a team needs to be successful in the playoffs. We still have a lot of work to do, though.

One of my concerns is falling short this year (despite already exceeding preseason expectations) and losing these depth guys to free agency as the OP alluded to. Although, if there’s anyone who can convince them to stick around, it’s Yzerman.

by In All Kinds of Weather on May 10, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

My quick calculation

Last night, I spent an hour or so and went through our UFAs/RFAs for next year and the cap.

Caveat #1: I used this year’s salary cap for next year.
Caveat #2: I only went one year; any salary cap savings for multi-year contracts were included.
Caveat #3: I didn’t go through any of the players in the system—only those on the NHL roster.

In my calculation, I assumed modest raises for FAs re-signed with the exception of Brewer and Roloson.
Some salary numbers used in my calculation:
Stamkos: $7M
Brewer: $4M (down from $4.25M)
Roloson:$2M (down from $2.5)
Hall: $900K
R Jones: $1.1M
FAs let go: MAB, Mike Smith

My estimation led me to one conclusion: it will be extremely difficult—if not impossible to re-sign Purcell and Bergenheim at the salaries they will command, and at the same time keep enough free cap space to re-sign Hedman next summer. Purcell is an RFA, though, so we need only give him a qualifying offer to retain him. If another team signs him, we’ll get draft picks—probably a second or a third-rounder, given the salary point—as compensation.

"They are uncanny. When they want to get a goal, it's like they just snap their fingers or hit a button. They just dial it up. You can see it. It's like they flip a switch. When they are down, it's just like they think, 'we know we are going to score.' I don't know what it is, it leaves you flabbergasted." - Mike Knuble, 3 May 2011

by MTBoltFan on May 10, 2011 8:12 AM EDT reply actions

It’ll be interesting to see if anyone is willing to take an Yzerman discount. That is, take less money so they can stay with the team. Because even if the Lightning don’t make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, they’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations – and most of that’s because of Yzerman and Boucher.

The ways of Jedi Master Yzerman are not the ways of others.
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Follow me on Twitter: @dagmar27.

by Cassie McClellan on May 10, 2011 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't know what our cap situation is like

But I think, obviously in addition to Stamkos, guys like Purcell and Bergenheim (especially Purcell) should be priorities because of their age. You’d kinda expect improvement from them, whereas you might not from Brewer.

Also, count me with Cassie in hoping for an Yzerman discount.

by Incipient_Senescence on May 10, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m with you guys in hoping for a lot of folks to take less to stay here. We’ll see how that plays out in the next 6-7 weeks.

I think the other way—I think our priority should be with Bergie, because we have the right to match any offer given Purcell or take picks in return.

by MTBoltFan on May 10, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

all I meant to say

is that Purcell and Bergenheim are more of a priority than Brewer, and even Roloson (and definitely Hall and Jones).

by Incipient_Senescence on May 10, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Cedrick The Entertainer

We can’t just let go of Roloson and expect Cedrick and even Tokarski to run show. They need a bit of mentoring, and goaltending obviously being a top priority, I think Roloson falls under a top priority free agent. Purcell I think will ask for at least 3 Million but lets not forget this was his break out season and before that he was completely off the map. Bergenheim will probably fall under 1.8-2.5 Million per year. If we let Gagne walk we can definitely resign our young guns.

Stamkos = Hockey God

by Killhowe on May 10, 2011 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

This was Teddy’s biggest pro-season (and I don’t mean ofensive production). He hasn’t played that much at the NHL level up until this season. He couldn’t get 3 million in a contract. if the team can retain him as a RFA for another season, he may sign a one year deal for close to 2 million…

Rollie is important as a mentor. That’s an absolute truth. But there has got to be a strong #2 who can share the load with Roloson.

Typing is an adventure, and reading should be, too!
Raw Charge.

by John Fontana on May 12, 2011 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup.

To all of this.

"[The Lightning] are uncanny. When they want to get a goal, it's like they just snap their fingers or hit a button. They just dial it up. You can see it. It's like they flip a switch. When they are down, it's just like they think, 'we know we are going to score.' I don't know what it is, it leaves [the opposition] flabbergasted." - Mike Knuble, 3 May 2011

by MTBoltFan on May 14, 2011 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions