So Close, yet So Far from Glory

By Mark Pukalo

The end was somewhat sobering for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Even though there was plenty of time to get the equalizer, when Duncan Keith lifted his own rebound over Ben Bishop late in the second period of Game 6 for a 1-0 lead you wondered if the dream was over. Everything seemed even harder for the Bolts after that.

Maybe if Steven Stamkos’ shot had been a fraction of an inch lower in the first period or the puck hopped over Corey Crawford’s pad off the captain’s stick on his second period breakaway, or soon after Anton Stralman got his blade on Jonathan Drouin’s nifty cross-ice pass with a wide-open net, things would have been different. It just wasn’t to be – this time.

The highest-scoring team in the NHL in 2014-15, which jumped to a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup finals, would end up scoring only twice total in three straight losses to end its season. If they had been told the Hawks would score six times combined in Games 4-6, the Bolts would have taken that and expected at least a Game 7 at home.

There are no clear reasons why the Lightning lost to the worthy Chicago Blackhawks. They just faced a team that did not give them as many mistakes to capitalize on. You can pick your favorite whipping boy and cover him with blame or point to an injury, but it comes down to this. The Lightning was good enough to win a Cup. They just couldn’t finish the job.

The second guessers have some things to talk about. With Tyler Johnson obviously hurting badly, could coach Jon Cooper have broken up the Triplets to give him a smaller role and put Stamkos between Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov? Would Nikita Nesterov, Mark Barberio or Luke Witkowski have coughed up fewer pucks than Andrej Sustr? Could Cooper have chained Bishop to the net mentally in Game 5? Would Stamkos have contributed more with a few more shifts per game? Could Drouin have helped in Game 4?

All of those are legitimate, but the Bolts still could have won a Cup if they had made just a few more big plays. That’s why, in a strange way, there was something about the sorrow of coming so close and losing that did not leave as bad a taste in your mouth. The Lightning gained so much experience over the last two months and succeeded under the most pressure imaginable. They went an impressive 8-5 on the road in the playoffs and young players raised their games to amazing levels. There’s no reason why they can’t do it again.

While Johnson’s performance in Game 4 of the Detroit series might have saved Cooper and the season, there is no doubt defenseman Victor Hedman was the team’s best player in the playoffs. He was dominant in all three zones and played with the calm and poise of his countryman Nicklas Lidstrom, who was the best rearguard in the world over 10-15 years before he retired recently. I still get annoyed when I hear some dopey fan or a radio personality (from 9 a.m.-12 on WDAE) knocking him. Hedman has been this talented all along. If you couldn’t see it, you were blind or did not know hockey. He just needed time. Almost all defensemen do.

While everyone had their moments, Alex Killorn and Palat stood out to me. They were constant forces on the ice, whether they had the puck or not. I remember watching Killorn at Deerfield Academy years ago and knowing he would be an NHL player because he showed such smarts and versatility with a pair of soft hands. It wasn’t hard to see. Kucherov was also great at times in the postseason. He just needs to shoot more. J.T. Brown, who I doubted before the playoffs, lifted his game to the highest level in his career as well on the bottom two lines and Stralman showed why he might have been the most astute free-agent signing ever by GM Steve Yzerman.

The Lightning likely would have beaten any other team the Western Conference produced. The Blackhawks just had the most ideas, the most savvy, the most scoring options of any opponent Tampa Bay faced. Chicago could win in more ways and they found the right route through the maze of fallen bodies to win four times. Plus, they were run by two former Hartford Whalers – steady Joel Quenneville and Kevin Dineen. There are not many classier athletes I’ve met than Dineen, who should get another head coaching chance.

Yzerman said he didn’t expect major changes to the roster for 2015-16 -- but he wouldn’t just after a season like this. The Lightning are in good shape with the salary cap for the next campaign. That’s a nice position for Yzerman to be in, giving him a chance to tackle the long-term plan -- which could be much trickier.

Stamkos is the first priority, but that’s up to the captain on how long he wants to draw it out. Will he sign now and make plenty of money in a state that has no income tax? Not sure why he wouldn’t. Or will he wait? The question is, does No. 91 want one of those 10-12 year contracts for over $100 million or might he take a 5-6 year deal with a big early bonus? I’d offer five years at $55 million, with 15 coming in 2016-17. That way, Stamkos could get one more big deal after that in his early 30s.

I believe the Lightning will get his signature on a long-term contract this summer, but where will Stamkos play next season? He was productive on the wing with Val Filppula, but moving back to center would probably be the best for him and the team. You can start the season, assuming no deals, with Jonathan Drouin and Killorn on his wings. You can move Filppula between Callahan and perhaps Vladislav Namestnikov or Brown. Maybe Adam Erne moves in around midseason on the left. Cedric Paquette joining Brian Boyle and Brown or Namestnikov or Jonathan Marchessault on the fourth line would work.

The Bolts could also make a minor move for a veteran third-line center for one year and keep Stamkos at right wing. That center would be a good two-way player who can finish setups from Drouin. Paquette is a good player, but I think he would be more valuable in a fourth-line, penalty-kill role going forward. He can fill in on the third line if there are injuries. The Lightning brass also has to make a decision on Namestnikov. I think he is a good player to have around, but not sure he is the third-line center of the future and he does not seem to be as good on the wing. At some point, the Bolts need to have a top-nine center with size and more speed than Paquette to plug in. Brayden Point and Matt Peca could be NHLers at some point, but don’t have the frame necessary to fill that role.

I would listen to offers for Namestnikov if a Western Conference team is looking for third-line center and wants to give up a No. 5-6 right-handed defenseman in a package or two picks – including another second – this year.

Yzerman should lock up Killorn, who I believe has one year left on a deal, and Kucherov early. This might sound very strange, but going forward Johnson might be the player to go if the Lightning have cap problems when Stamkos, Hedman, Killorn and others get their deals. I think Palat and Killorn can do more over the long haul and Johnson, while a fantastic player, might not have the staying power as he continues to take abuse. Not saying they should dump Johnson, but if the Bolts need to trade someone with great value down the road, it might be him.

Trading defenseman Matt Carle is the most logical way to open up some cap space over the next few seasons. That won’t be easy though. Carle could help a handful of teams in the league (Dallas and Calgary?), but can they convince him to waive a no trade clause and find a team that won’t force them to take back much salary? A buyout might end up being the best option, but three years remain on the deal. There’s got to be a team out there that will take Barberio for a draft pick. He played pretty well this season and could be a strong No. 6 or 7 for plenty of teams in this league. The Bolts need to make room for Witkowski, Nesterov and perhaps Slater Koekkoek, and Barbs deserves a chance to play for another organization rather than serving popcorn here.

Brayden Coburn has one year left on his contract and Jason Garrison three at a reasonable cap number (4.6) for a top-four D man  Then there’s Sustr. Through most of the regular season he was showing progress and he played fairly well in the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the final two, he was exposed. The Lightning has to decide whether he is what he is or whether he is still getting better. I would put him in the Namestnikov category. If there’s a really good deal to be made, I’d include him. Plus, I think Witkowski has potential to be a decent No. 6-7 on the right side and Anthony DeAngelo is coming. I believe Dominik Masin (pronounced machine) can be a valuable defenseman as well on the left side. Can’t wait until he is ready.

The top two needs, if the Lightning is so inclined to shift some chairs around, in my opinion are – a right-handed defenseman with size that can push Sustr and Witkowski to a higher level or beat them out with steadier play and a third-line center who can play the wing if needed with one year left on the deal to take Brenden Morrow’s veteran leadership spot. I don’t know enough about the injury situation or the character of Matt Cullen, but perhaps someone of his ilk. Morrow might want to come back as the No. 13 forward, but I’d decline. He played well at times, but his value is too low at this point.

No need to talk about the goaltending much. Bishop proved he can win a Cup and I have fully learned how to type the name of Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is going to be a monster in net. Adam Wilcox could be a good one as well and Kristers Gudlevskis might be solid trade bait down the road while adding depth.

Draft One Week Away

This year’s loaded draft offers the Lightning a chance to add to an already solid talent pool.

There are so many players between picks 28-64 that are very intriguing and the Bolts can grab three. I would love to see Swedish centre Joel Eriksson Ek fall to 28, but that is unlikely. Sons of former NHLers Jake DeBrusk and Jansen Harkins – two heady forwards – could be there, though.

I like the sound of DeAngelo’s teammate at Sault Ste. Marie -- Zach Senyshyn -- who scored 26 goals in mainly a fourth-line role with such a talented forward group, and might be there in the second round. The Bolts need to upgrade size up front and add another right-hand shot on defense along with a goalie in the nine picks they own.

Look for my NHL and NBA mock drafts by next Wednesday.

No depression

I was not crushed by the Lightning loss in the finals. Maybe I don’t get wrapped up in the whole journey like I used to.

The only thing is, when you get that close and don’t raise the Cup you have to look at how long and bumpy the road is to get back to that point again. I feel confident the Bolts will have the chance to make a run every year from now on though. The ingredients are all there. They just need a little luck and for a few of their prospects to turn into helpful players in the next few years.

And. … for Drouin to remain wearing a Lightning sweater.