Lightning Need to Find Answers Soon

By Mark Pukalo

It’s pretty easy to figure out the Tampa Bay Lightning’s biggest problems this season.

It’s not that difficult to name the many viable excuses for their position in the standings, either.

However, the best solutions for their dilemma are not going to be so simple to find.

The good news is the Bolts are just a few points out of a playoff spot with half a season to go. The bad news is they don’t look like a team just biding its time before making a big run. Honestly, they haven’t all season long – except for a few brief stretches.

It’s not just one thing, but it starts with the bottom four on defense. While the forwards have been inconsistent and not as interested defensively at times, the level of play from the five regular blue liners aside from Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman has not been good enough. Not even close. When the puck isn’t getting out of the zone efficiently, it does not allow the Lightning to use their speed and creativity. They look disjointed. Their energy is sapped.

So, what can they do?

Make a few minor trades? Change the coach? Make a big gutsy deal? Wait it out?

Right now, Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is probably stuck with the fourth option while having a chance to get a look at some of his young players in the system. The difficult thing for him to consider is that if the Lightning can just get healthy enough and play a little better to sneak into the playoffs, the route to the Eastern Conference final is not all that difficult in the Atlantic Division. But if you just go with the same crew because they have gotten the job done before, you risk a lost season.

Yes, we’re talking about a 19-17-4 team here. In a way, that’s not too bad with all the injuries they have suffered. But the Lightning have higher expectations. Their fans do, too.

As critical as I have been of coach Jon Cooper at times, I’m not sure it’s fair to evaluate his performance this season with all the injuries he has had to deal with. His constant line shuffling and affection for Nikita Nesterov has been perplexing at times, but for the most part it has been the players who have not produced. Cooper should probably get at least the rest of the season to right the ship. … but, Gerard Gallant is out there.

Yzerman does not like to trade draft picks or players in their first two years with the team – except when there is a character issue like Anthony DeAngelo. That may have to change if he is going to fill the Bolts’ most pressing needs. They made some excellent picks the last two years, and giving up a No. 1 in the 2017 or 2018 draft won’t kill them if what’s coming back is substantial.

It is probably the time to make some type of minor or middling move just to shake things up. Pick up right-hand shot rearguard Frank Corrado from Toronto for a fifth-round pick or something similar to that? Make a serious play for right-hand D man Michael Stone (assuming he’s healthy) or even better Connor Murphy in Arizona? Dangle Vladislav Namestnikov to teams that might need center or skill up front? Offer veteran defenseman Jason Garrison cheap to clear cap space and acquire a younger No. 3-4 D man?

It’s all easy on paper. But it is very difficult in this day and age to make a trade with the salary cap – especially a major deal.

While I don’t believe Jacob Trouba has rescinded his trade demand, Winnipeg is not going to be in any rush to deal him as long as he’s in the lineup. They will wait for someone to blow them away. Trouba is the absolute perfect player for the Lightning to add. He’s a smooth, composed, a two-way defenseman who shoots right-handed. You could slip him nicely behind Stralman and Hedman on the blue line depth chart. But the Jets are probably asking for Jonathan Drouin and some of Tampa Bay’s top prospects. A package of Namestnikov, Dylan Blujus and a second-round pick won’t get it done. Aside from Drouin and perhaps Brayden Point, the “almost” untouchables are probably Dominik Masin, Taylor Raddysh, Brett Howden and Libor Hajek. I’m sure Yzerman would rather not deal Adam Erne or Mathieu Joseph at this time, either.

It doesn’t look as though the Blues are interested in trading Kevin Shattenkirk and Calgary isn’t dealing fellow defenseman Dougie Hamilton, either. While it’s not out of the question Colorado would trade Tyson Barrie, I’m not sure he’s the type of defenseman that would help Lightning right now. Yes, he could aid the offense but he is not all that good in his own end – which is the Bolts’ biggest weakness. While a legitimate power-play quarterback would be nice, they are third in the league with a man advantage without one this season. It’s possible someone like Cody Franson of Buffalo or Stone could help if the price is right.

Carolina has a host of defensemen, needs forwards to fill out its lineup and owns loads of cap space. Vancouver could use more depth up front, but might not have the right pieces (or want a center) to make a deal work for someone like Tyler Johnson – who is from Spokane, Wash. New Jersey also has plenty of cap space. No doubt, Yzerman is turning over every stone.

Goalie Ben Bishop becomes a major chip soon, but there only seems to be one logical destination for him – Dallas. The two problems are, the Stars would need to send a goalie back that makes at least $4.5 million for another year and they are probably not interested in trading major defense prospect Julius Honka or John Klingberg – a pair of righties.

By the way, Andrei Vasilevskiy is fine. He was outstanding in five of the first six games after Bishop went down and probably shouldn’t have started the Washington game when his team was out of gas. Vasy wasn’t good against Nashville on Thursday, but his teammates were downright awful in front of him against Winnipeg. There is no cap room for Bishop, Lightning fans. Live with it.

Yzerman must also think of the expansion draft. Not counting Namestnikov, there are nine forwards for seven spots on the list he must submit to keep – assuming there’s no deals between now and then. If Yzerman cannot get Ryan Callahan or Valtteri Filppula to waive their no-move clauses, they will have to be protected. Assuming that worst-case scenario, you likely add Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Drouin to make five. That leaves Ondrej Palat, Johnson, unrestricted free agent Brian Boyle and Alex Killorn for two spots – in my opinion. It would be hard to imagine Las Vegas taking Callahan with his injury concerns and big contract or Filppula with one year at $5 million left, so exposing the two forwards would allow them to stay and help the team long term. But it’s their decision. You could take a chance and expose Boyle, assuming that Vegas wouldn’t pick UFAs.

Evaluating the forwards this season is difficult. They have all been up and down – even Kucherov, who was a turnover machine last week against Toronto. Palat has had a rough season, but he is so versatile it’s hard to let him go. The thought of replacing Boyle after this season seems silly now. He’s so darn important to this team. You can complain about Killorn’s so-so play and his penalties occasionally, but he’s a big-game player and is on pace for a season high in goals. Filppula started the season strong, but has struggled lately. Johnson has been either really good or invisible. Drouin has been one of the best three forwards in probably 75 percent of the games, but turned the puck over a little too much lately. Cedric Paquette can’t stay healthy. J.T. Brown is a solid complimentary player you like to have around, but not necessarily vital. Namestnikov only seems to produce when he plays with Stamkos. They are all good, valuable players. But at some point you need change.

It’s time for Yzerman to make some moves. He’ll probably start small. But he must be bold eventually.

No doubt, there are a few huge decisions coming. They may hurt. They may disappoint fans who love certain players that head out of town. This franchise has the depth young talent to compete long term, though. That is the comforting thought during the most difficult stretch for the Lightning in four seasons.

"You're not going to see this team fold," Hedman said. "You're going to see this team rise to the occasion. We've seen it so many times before."

Bolts’ fans just have to hope solutions can he found this time.

Something is Missing with the Bolts

By Mark Pukalo

Let’s be honest. Aren’t you a little worried about the Tampa Bay Lightning from what you have seen through the first month of the season?

The numbers don’t lie. The Lightning would be a .500 team without the three games against the New York Islanders – the first of which the former Fish Sticks looked about as interested in playing as going to the dentist. Don’t forget they were also rescued by a miraculous shot by captain Steven Stamkos in the final seconds of regulation in a win against Florida at home.

Perhaps our expectations are too high this early in the season, but there just seems to be something missing. Oh yes, there are excuses. The Bolts haven’t had Jonathan Drouin the last five games, heart and soul Ryan Callahan was not here for the first 10 and top-pair defenseman Anton Stralman has been battling injuries since the start of the season. There is enough talent in the lineup to play better though, and they are not – on a consistent basis.

There have been periods in which they have looked like the Lightning of the past few seasons. They were solid in the win at Ottawa and took control in the second and third periods against New Jersey at home. They scored seven goals at Toronto, thanks in part to Frederik Andersen, but got outplayed for more than half the game. Monday's victory against the Islanders was a good sign, but Andrei Vasilevskiy had to be too good again.

No doubt, even the best teams can’t play great every night. But there seems to be a stale nature to their play at times. They fall back into old habits – overpassing, no-look clears – more often. Perhaps, it is mental. With almost the same roster the last two-plus years, even in bad times they feel that it’s just going to happen for them. Because, it almost always seems to work out. The great thing about this team the previous two seasons is they have often responded to a bad stretch with a winning streak. Unfortunately, at some point, it may not happen.

It’s not time to panic. It’s just getting to a point where GM Steve Yzerman has to sit down with his staff and seriously evaluate his roster. Does it need a minor shake up to add a spark? Do they have to overpay slightly to go out and get a top-four defenseman, preferably on the right side?

Brayden Point becoming an true NHL player one year ahead of expected has given the Lightning the ability to move a forward for a defenseman. No one is going to want to deal for Valtteri Filppula, and I’m not sure he isn’t needed through this season after watching him raise his game a bit through the first 15 games. Yzerman must make a decision on Vladislav Namestnikov. Is he continuing to get better? Or is this what he is? Vladdy is a good hockey player and a smart young man. He has value. But he could be a nice trading chip as well.

Yzerman also must decide what he has on the back end. Victor Hedman is an elite defenseman and Stralman is a perfect complement. But when the forwards are not playing at their top level for the Lightning, their bottom four defensemen are exposed. Slater Koekkoek might be a top-four defenseman, but we’re not 100 percent sure are we? Jason Garrison and Braydon Coburn are solid veteran rearguards. Andrej Sustr even has his moments. But when your second “shutdown” pair is Garrison-Sustr, that just may not be good enough in the long run. That duo was spun in circles by the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

The other concern is will we ever see the Tyler Johnson of two seasons ago again? The Bolts second-line center has had a few productive games, but has been a ghost in others. It may be time for coach Jon Cooper to just put the Triplets back together and let them go.

Top-four defensemen are not growing in the orange groves in Florida. They are hard to get -- because, the really good ones are either expensive to pay or to acquire. Two right-hand shooters might be available and they are both young – Dougie Hamilton of Calgary and Jacob Trouba of Winnipeg. Word is that Trouba was coveted by the Lightning on draft day and went just before they picked Koekkoek. St. Louis’ Kevin Shattenkirk could be a rental down the road. I have no doubt Yzerman has been on the phone working on improving his defense. At some point, he may have to trade some high picks and/or a prospect to get something done.

Something makes me believe Ben Bishop is here until the end of the season and will leave as a free agent. But there is always potential that the Dallas Stars will find a way to make it worthwhile that the Lightning deal the big goaltender to them.

Plenty can happen. There is time, but if the Lightning come home from this road trip at less than 3-1-1, Yzerman may have to do something. The Eastern Conference is too competitive. Perhaps the 2016-17 Bolts won’t be able to just turn it on when they need it.

2016-17 NHL Predictions -- An Impossible Task

By Mark Pukalo

Balance is word in the NHL.

With variables such as unsigned RFAs, injuries and salary cap concerns clouding the scene in October, it is almost impossible to be confident about picking the final order in each division.

Yes, it would be surprising if one way or another Tampa Bay, Washington, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Nashville and Dallas did not make the postseason. But figuring out who rises and falls behind them will depend on many factors.

The Lightning and perhaps Montreal, assuming Carey Price is there all season, look like the top two in the Atlantic. After that, any order wouldn’t be a shocker. It's all about Washington and Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan. Picking the order out of a hat would be just as good as deep analysis for the rest. The Central should be as close as last season and the California teams are not assured of being the top three in the Pacific.

So, of course, I’m going to take a stab at predicting the finish. Why not?

ATLANTIC

Tampa Bay – The Lightning are the most talented team in the division by quite a bit, especially with Nikita Kucherov signed. It’s Jonathan Drouin’s time to shine alongside Steven Stamkos.

Montreal – Price makes a big difference for team that is not really good defensively. The main concern is that those in the locker room that wanted P.K. Subban gone are going to have to sink or swim without him -- and may drown.

Ottawa – First-year coach Guy Boucher can get the best out of this group and there is a little cap space to work with. While others in the division are a little boring, the Senators may have the spark to make a leap.

Boston – Hate to put the Bears back in the playoffs, but think they may cycle toward the positive. Still need to add a defenseman though to help Tuukka Rask. Cam Fowler or Jacob Trouba?

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Detroit – Still weak on defense and Petr Mrazek can’t save them every night. Have an abundance of forwards and shipping a few for Trouba or Fowler would make sense, perhaps moving the Wings to third.

Buffalo – The Sabres are on the rise, but still may be little shy of reaching the top four. They should build and prepare for their arrival as a playoff contender next season instead of putting bandaids on.

Florida – Two of their top six forwards – Jonathan Huberdeau and Nick Bjugstad -- are out injured and their top scorer is like 50 years old. Just have a feeling they take two steps back before moving forward again in 2017-18.

Toronto – The Leafs will be a fun team to watch with their talented youth and could stay in contention for a while. The bottom six in this division could go any way.

METROPOLITAN

Washington – The Caps might not be better than the Penguins overall, but would expect them to win the division again. Still not sure their defense is good enough to win a Cup.

Pittsburgh – GM Jim Rutherford won his second Cup last season with a little luck and some smart moves (Carl Hagelin, Trevor Daley, Justin Schultz, etc.). The same group tries to do it again, but there is a concern with Sidney Crosby’s concussion.

New York Rangers – Would like to push them down a bit, but the Blueshirts always seem to put together enough streaks to be in the top four. If King Henrik’s play slips, though, so will the Rangers.

Carolina – Must throw in one new team on the rise and the Canes are well coached, have an emerging young defense and some improving pieces up front. They have more cap space than any team in the league, too.

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Philadelphia – Could see the Metro getting five teams in again this season with this improving team as part of the mix. Not totally convinced their defense and goaltending is ready for prime time, except for the Ghost.

Columbus – Picked them to win the division a year ago. Then they went 0-8-0. If the Jackets can ever stay healthy for a full season, John Tortorella could return them to the postseason.

New York Islanders – Andrew Ladd sort of replaces Kyle Okposo, but did Garth Snow go out and get John Tavares linemates? Nope. These guys always find ways to win games to stay around, but just think they may come up short this time.

New Jersey – The addition of Taylor Hall and a healthy Mike Cammalieri will help, but this team looks to be a year away from being a true contender. Cory Schneider may steal them plenty of wins though.

CENTRAL

Chicago – The Blackhawks probably aren’t as deep as the three teams below them on this list, but coaching and their stars will push them over the top.

Nashville – Pekka Rinne better be sharper than he was Saturday in Tampa, but the Predators have the roster to win the West. Get ready for that P.K. Subban country album.

Dallas – Injuries, especially with Tyler Seguin, are a concern. Still, the Stars may be a Ben Bishop away from being a series Cup contender.

St. Louis – It’s Jake Allen’s show now. Can he do it? The Blues learned how to win a little in the playoffs last time around. That could help.

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Winnipeg – This team is coming, but they must make a good trade with Trouba. The defense is a little thin.

Minnesota – The Wild still needs to make that Jonas Brodin for a top-nine forward deal.

Colorado – A team in transition that is still lacking in its own end.

PACIFIC

San Jose – The last hurrah for Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton after coming up just short last season. The Sharks could use some cap space.

Anaheim – The Ducks are in a holding pattern with forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Hampus Lindholm still unsigned. They must wait to make sure they have Lindholm before dealing Fowler for forward help. If everything works out, they could win West.

Edmonton – They are ready. No turning back now. Connor McDavid leads a talented forward corps and vastly under-rated Adam Larsson will help the defense.

Los Angeles – Have to think Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick will find a way to get the Kings into the postseason, but it ain’t going to be easy.

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Arizona – The Coyotes boast an exciting young roster that is still evolving. Dave Tippett must find a way to bring it together and his track record says he will. Watch out Kings.

Calgary – The Flames finally got a deal for Johnny Gaudreau done Monday and can move forward with a promising lineup. Goaltending is a concern.

Vancouver – Could be in the running for the first pick in the draft, which would probably be better than plugging holes to try and give the Sedins a chance to sneak into the playoffs one of their final two years.

East final – Tampa Bay over Pittsburgh

West final – Nashville over San Jose

Stanley Cup – Tampa Bay over Nashville

Lightning Capology and Vegas' First Team

By Mark Pukalo

It may be time for Tampa Bay Lightning fans to go back to school. The course they need to pass before enjoying the next few seasons of hockey is named “Capology.”

The NHL salary cap is far from simple math, unless of course you have a photographic memory of the CBA or it is part of your job description. Once you have a successful team, the game gets more difficult.

Lightning GM Steve Yzerman is approaching his final exam after acing the midterm. He must first try to fit a long-term contract for Nikita Kucherov into the current season’s cap and follow that up by putting the puzzle pieces together for a 2017-18 roster that works -- with new deals due for Jonathan Drouin, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson and Slater Koekkoek.

Capfriendly.com projects the Lightning have a little more than $5.5 million left under the cap, but I believe that assumes they put 23 players on the opening night roster and counts Erik Condra over cheaper options. What Ryan Callahan going on long-term injury for about a month does for cap space and how much they need to be careful with as much as $3.5 million in performance bonuses due for Drouin, Koekkoek and Andrei Vasilevskiy are key questions. If Kucherov signs on Nov. 1, would that help get him $6-6.25 million easier? In addition, don’t forget they have $1.833 million of dead cap space due to the buyout of Matt Carle for the next four seasons.

If my calculations are correct – and I was once good at math in grade school – the Lightning would save $475,000 if they keep Luke Witkowski as a seventh defenseman and Gabriel Dumont or Joel Vermin/Cory Conacher as a 13^th forward while waiving Condra and Nikita Nesterov. The fear perhaps is that Nesterov could be scooped up by a defense-starved team (Colorado?) and you lose a little depth to save $150,000 in cap space. But the waiving of Dumont and Witkowski on Friday leaves Condra, Vermin, Brayden Point and Cory Conacher likely battling for three spots – assuming Callahan and Kucherov aren’t there. Sending Condra down saves $325,000 in cap room, but sitting Conacher or Vermin as the 13^th forward instead of them playing 20 minutes in Syracuse might not be prudent. Point probably stays until Kucherov returns. The opinion here is that Vermin might have earned his spot and deserves October to prove he can be valuable long term at the NHL level. We kind of know what Condra and Conacher are, and they will likely get their shots at some point.

Yzerman earned his A+ on the midterm with some important ground work for 2016-17 and beyond by signing Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Alex Killorn to cap-friendly deals this offseason. He, no doubt, had plenty of discussions about moving other players.

One way or the other, goalie Ben Bishop comes off the cap after the season. If reports are correct, Bishop almost became a Calgary Flame at the draft and Dallas has definitely had some interest. Don’t think a deal with the Stars is dead yet. They could get desperate. But at this point, there does not seem to be a landing point for the big goalie and it may be smart to just keep him for the season and try to win a cup with two No. 1s or perhaps trade him to a motivated team that loses their netminder to injury. The deal that would change everything is if they could jettison Valterri Filppula’s $5 million cap for the next two seasons. But there are two problems with that. The Fin has a full no-trade clause and, in addition, the only teams that might be interested in the solid No. 3 center would likely want to send similar money back.

No one knows what is going on with the negotiations, but you would think Kucherov is looking for somewhere in the $6.5-7 million range and the Lightning would like to keep him at around $6 mil. If Yzerman can engineer some cap space to push his offer up to about $6.25-$6.5 mil, maybe they can get something done.

Looking forward, if they cannot find a team to take Filppula, the Bolts may have a problem with the expansion draft. Teams will be able to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie or nine combined (including a netminder) if I have read the rules right. Those players with no-move clauses have to be protected – Filppula and Callahan – while the Bolts are likely to add Stamkos, Drouin, Killorn and Kucherov (assuming he’s here) to the list. So that leaves either Palat or Johnson as an odd-man out and likely headed to Las Vegas. With Point coming fast as a center, Vladislav Namestnikov capable, Cedric Paquette still around and first-round pick Brett Howden’s future bright – the Bolts are in a better place at center. You wonder if the Bolts could package Johnson with other pieces and grab another defenseman or a No. 1 pick. It could save space for now and the future. Tyler is a terrific player, but in my opinion Palat is much more valuable. I don’t agree with those who put Brian Boyle into the equation for creating space immediately. He is too important with his size, savvy and versatility.

I still think Yzerman has something up his sleeve. Whether it is as simple as Kucherov signing a two-year bridge deal that assures cap space this season, or a trade, there is still time. Regardless, the Lightning are in a good spot with their depth. That’s what good drafting does.

Vegas Baby

Many things can happen to rosters before the expansion draft arrives in June, but taking a look at what the new NHL franchise can put together for its first season on the ice is worth some study.

What the mindset will be is hard to know for sure but you would expect a mix of youth and veterans to keep the team competitive, while building, through the first few seasons. GM George McPhee will also most likely pick some players he can deal right away for younger pieces or draft picks.

Here’s an early guess at what the picks could be for Vegas:

Goalies -- Marc-Andre Fleury (Pittsburgh), Eddie Lack (Carolina), Louis Domingue (Arizona) and Philipp Grubauer (Washington). … Note: If they pick four Gs, you would expect one to get traded. Fleury over Detroit’s Jimmy Howard, probably because Detroit has more available forward talent. Carolina could protect Lack over Cam Ward if he has a better season, though.

Forwards – Jimmy Hayes (Boston), Michael Ferland (Calgary), Marcus Kruger (Chicago), Alexander Wennberg (Columbus), Benoit Pouliot (Edmonton), Jacob De La Rose (Montreal), Viktor Arvidsson (Nashville), Jacob Josefson (New Jersey), Josh Bailey (Islanders), Matt Puempel (Ottawa), Scott Laughton (Philadelphia), Riley Sheahan (Detroit), Vladisav Namestnikov (Tampa Bay), Emerson Etem (Vancouver), Connor Brown (Toronto), Alex Burmistrov (Winnipeg). … Note: You would think McPhee may take a stab at a high-priced veteran some team floats out there, but who that will be is hard to predict right now.

Defensemen – Simon Depres (Anaheim), Zach Bogosian (Buffalo), Nikita Zadorov (Colorado), Jamie Oleksiak (Dallas), Alex Petrovic (Florida), Matt Greene (Los Angeles), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota), Dylan McIlrath (Rangers), Mirco Mueller (San Jose), Joel Edmundson (St. Louis). … Note: McPhee could put together a pretty good group here and it doesn’t have to be with older guys. Minnesota will likely try to trade Brodin.

No Easy Answers for Yzerman

By Mark Pukalo

Throughout his tenure as GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning, things have always seemed to fall into place for Steve Yzerman.

His eye for talent and patience as a manager had plenty to do with that, along with a terrific hands-off owner in Jeffrey Vinik and some luck sprinkled in. Many Lightning fans have compared Yzerman to a Jedi Knight at times for signing cap-friendly contracts and coaxing teams to cough up more than they should in trades.

Few GMs can navigate their careers without big mistakes on player moves, but Yzerman hasn't made many. In fact, aside from minor things such as signing Erik Condra for three years or giving up Richard Panik for nothing, you can really only point to Matt Carle’s contract as a clear error in judgement -- and that may be more about the player. Many have argued Ryan Callahan’s deal was a mistake. But while the hard-working right wing has not put up the type of numbers that justify his salary, he provides so many intangibles that this team needs.

Yzerman is now faced with what will undoubtedly be his biggest challenge. He often gives the media little to work with, but told reporters after the season that his actions this summer would basically set the course of the team for years to come. That includes preparing for the expansion draft, likely set for next June. There are going to be changes. There has to be changes.

While he no doubt put several oars in the water and worked tirelessly to begin that process last weekend at the NHL Draft, nothing happened. It was the perfect time to get started because you can use draft picks as sweeteners in deals, but no one was biting.

Part of the problem is the uncertainty on what captain Steven Stamkos is going to do. There’s no doubt Stamkos wanted to look around to see what is out there. It’s a huge decision for his future, and it’s his right. Ultimately, it comes down to weighing more money against his desire to stay in Tampa Bay.

That decision may not come until a week or two after July 1 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. If Stamkos goes, Yzerman has to find a way to replace him in some way and dump a little salary. If he stays, he needs to dump even more salary. You would think if Stamkos does not sign with the Bolts by Friday for eight years, he is going somewhere else for seven seasons.

The second holdup has been the market for goaltenders. Ben Bishop has one year left on his contract and will be looking for Tuukka Rask money (at least $7 million per), which would likely not work for the Lightning even if Stamkos leaves. Bishop has moved into the elite category of goalies in the NHL, but the prudent thing to do is to hand the reins over to capable Andrei Vasilevskiy and get something for Bishop – preferably from a Western Conference club. But Bishop has a no-move clause and reportedly asked for $49 million over seven years from Calgary after being allowed permission to negotiate. The Flames almost immediately traded for goalie Brian Elliott.

That leaves Yzerman in a tough spot. He can hold on to Bishop and just let him go as a UFA after next season. He can try to get Bishop to sign a “hometown discount” four-year extension for something like $26 million and move Vasilevskiy. Teams in the market for someone like Bishop are few. Honestly, there is no franchise in dire need of a netminder right now.

There are likely only two options left for Bishop – Dallas and St. Louis.

The Stars may need Bishop more, but the deal is way more complicated to make. Dallas would probably demand the Lightning take back Kari Lehtonen ($5.9 mil for two years) or Antti Niemi (two years at $4.5 mil per), which defeats the purpose of the deal unless you can ship one of them somewhere for a draft pick or prospects. The Bolts are not getting John Klingberg for Bishop – the pipe dream of some Lightning fans. No way, no how, are the Stars trading their top defenseman. The best they could hope for would be right-handed defense prospect Julius Honka. With Jamie Benn’s contract up in the summer of 2017 and Tyler Seguin in 2018, Dallas may not want to sign a $7 million goaltender either.

St. Louis has always seemed like the right place to deal Bishop and the Lightning scouted the Blues extensively last season. You could deal two players who are impending free agents after next season – Bishop for right-handed offensive defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk -- and sprinkle other assets around them to make it worthwhile for both. Bishop would be going home and, although Jake Allen has been good at times, the Blues could be able to get the Vezina finalist to lower his demands and settle there. Yzerman would then have to use his powers to try and get Shattenkirk on a reasonable deal going forward. If it doesn’t work, well, you lose him like you would have lost Bishop. The one problem is, Shattenkirk seems to be in such demand that the Blues are reportedly asking to be blown away in a trade.

Yzerman has to lower his demands to turn over the roster. He made 10 picks this season to restock the system and can do without a few selections next season if they need trade sweeteners. In some cases, he has to take 75 cents or less on the dollar for the greater good. For instance, he doesn’t have to get full value for Valtteri Filppula or Jason Garrison if a team is willing to take their contracts. The only type of deal that could be made is accepting a bad salary for one year (2.5-3.5 mil) for Carle, some retained cash and a second-round pick. Chris Higgins (2.5) in Vancouver was an example, but now he is being bought out. That’s what it will take -- or more -- but it might end up being better than buying the defenseman out.

While it would be nice to get Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov’s signatures on new long-term contracts this week, the two standouts are probably being advised to wait to see what happens with Stamkos. If he leaves, there is more of the pie left. Restricted free agent Alex Killorn is in the same situation.

Lightning fans must remember this: Whether Stamkos stays or goes, the most important cap season in 2017-18 – not 2016-17. That is when Hedman’s deal would start, when Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat need new deals, when Vasilevskiy, Slater Koekkoek and Jonathan Drouin have to be re-upped. It could also have $1.8 million in dead space if Carle is bought out – for that season and two more.

There will be some pain. It would hurt to see Stamkos and Bishop go. Perhaps Killorn or Johnson must be dealt at some point. Everyone has their favorites that they don’t want to see playing for other teams but, until the final product is put on the ice in October, you have to trust Yzerman due to his past performance.

If the GM puts all the pieces together in good order this time around, he is truly Luke Skywalker – and Darth Vader to the rest of the league.

Draft adds to Lightning’s depth up front

There is no way to grade the Lightning’s 2016 draft class this summer, although fans can get an early glimpse at Development Camp in Brandon starting Tuesday.

Just about everyone pointed at the center position and size up front as the top needs. The Bolts addressed both with their 10 picks – seven of them forwards. Brett Howden, a solid two-way center whose brother Quinton plays for the Florida Panthers, was the top choice at No. 27 but the big news came in the second round.

The Lightning dealt 2014 first-round pick Anthony DeAngelo for the 37^th selection and picked fellow defenseman Libor Hajek, a two-way blue liner with great potential. DeAngelo has outstanding offensive talent, but does not seem interested in getting better on the other side of the ice. He was minus-18 and a healthy scratch several times with Syracuse last season. Sometimes you take chances that a player with high potential like DeAngelo is going to mature quickly once he turns pro. But you have to recognize early that it isn’t happening, and well before his value goes down. You have to think that is what the Lightning was doing here, putting out a fire before it spreads. Hajek may just be a more productive player in the long term with his ability to play on both ends anyway.

The favorite pick here is forward Boris Katchouk from Sault Ste. Marie in the second round. He plays hard, physical, has some personality to his game and can produce offensively. Forward Ross Colton, who is heading to Vermont as a 20-year-old freshman, could also be a steal in the fourth round.

Time will tell.

Big Decisions for Lightning after Strong Run

By Mark Pukalo

No complaints.

That’s how Tampa Bay Lightning fans should feel today. The team battled through about every obstacle it could face and finished one win – possibly even a few breaks -- from a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup finals. You had to wonder what was happening at times during the regular season with this group, but when the biggest moments came the Bolts showed their heart and made it an entertaining playoff drama.

It wasn’t difficult to see it all coming apart in the second period Thursday night. The magic was fading, except for a bit of individual mastery from Jonathan Drouin. The Penguins were coming in waves and the Lightning struggled to exit their zone, continually sending the puck backward and fighting through long shifts. Whether it was fatigue or it was more about the forwards not helping out enough, a defensive corps that had been a little better than expected in the postseason finally succumbed in the final two games. With all the pressure Pittsburgh had, it’s a credit to the Lightning that they still had a chance until the final seconds. Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding.

Yes, the Penguins outshot the Lightning throughout the Eastern final. Overall, they played better. Regardless, the Bolts could have easily won the series in six games and the goal by Drouin that was taken off the board due to an offside call may have been the biggest moment of the near three-week war. The Penguins’ video coach deserves plenty of praise for urging the bench to challenge the play which was so close that if the officials ruled it was inconclusive, few would have argued.

Several players took turns making big plays through the 17-game postseason, but no one was better overall than Victor Hedman. How a local radio host could keep him out of his top three is beyond me. The big Swede was at his best against the Islanders and the first five games of the Eastern finals, but maybe the mental fatigue hit him in the final two contests. Hedman was actually pretty good in Game 7, but was asked to do way too much work in his own zone and it took something out of him.

Nikita Kucherov’s 11 goals probably make him No. 2, but he was a bit too quiet in the all-important Game 6 against Pittsburgh. Kucherov is a goal scorer and everyone would like to see him become a little more selfish. Third choice would likely be Drouin or Alex Killorn. Lightning fans will have to live with the occasional turnover from Drouin. He is a high-risk passer. He will slowly eliminate some of the more dangerous chances he takes as he continues to gain experience. Anybody that says he doesn’t care to play defense wasn’t watching in the playoffs. He’ll never win a Selke. But he worked at it.

Hopefully this postseason taught coach Jon Cooper, and perhaps even GM Steve Yzerman, that this team plays much better when it is aggressive. Look who won the Bolts’ division – the Florida Panthers, who threw three scoring lines out when they had a healthy roster available. Look who ended their season – the Penguins, who had three scoring lines and one gritty, smart fourth-line center.

Yzerman told reporters at his closing press conference Friday that the Lightning needs more scoring throughout the lineup. Will the coach get the message? Too many times in the regular season, Cooper leaned toward sending a pair of checking lines to the ice. They were reacting to the other team, rather than making their opponent react to them. That changed, for the most part, during the postseason with Drouin introduced to the mix. You wonder what would have happened if Steven Stamkos had not been gone and Drouin wasn’t quite as productive when he returned to Syracuse.

That leads us to one of the most important offseasons in Yzerman’s tenure. He gave the same group a second chance at a Cup this season and now changes need to be made. There will be some pain, but Yzerman can minimize that with some strong deals and a touch of luck.

The good thing for the Lightning GM is he has valuable players to deal while he sets the salary cap plan for the next five years. In my opinion, the most essential players to keep are Hedman, Kucherov, Drouin, Ondrej Palat, Killorn, Ryan Callahan, Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman – some because they are the best players and others because they are key components to a winning team. Many would argue with Callahan’s inclusion. He is surely not an untouchable if someone offers a great deal, but it would be foolish to overreact to one rough year offensively. Let’s be honest, he was used in a checking line role most of the season and did put up points when he played with Stamkos.

Yzerman’s job begins with decisions on captain Stamkos and the goaltending situation. In many ways, they are linked.

Ultimately, it will come down to what Stamkos wants for himself. The 26-year-old is not going to sign an eight-year, $68 million contract offer that reportedly has been laid on his table. The question is, if Yzerman pushes the total to 72, 74, maybe even 76 -- will it make a difference? If the NHLPA is urging Stamkos to take no less than $10 mil per and he is on board, I don’t see the Lightning doing it. Honestly, even 76 would be pushing it. Yzerman should put the $72 mil on his captain’s night stand and see what happens. If Stammer just wants to push it up to 9.1 or 9.2 per to make himself look better, fine.

Stamkos is not so essential that the Bolts need to open the vault. But I think at around $9-9.5 million he is worth building around, rather than trying to replace his 30-50 goals. Stamkos and Hedman as faces of the franchise for nearly the next decade would be comforting. They are both leaders with strong character. The Lightning, in my opinion, do not have a No. 1 center without Stamkos. They’d have a No. 2 and a pair of 3s -- at best.

Should Stamkos be in the fold and Hedman comes in at $8-8.5 million per after next year -- with Kucherov somewhere in the $6 million range -- the most logical way to save money would be to deal goalie Ben Bishop as early as this summer. It won’t merely take buying out Matt Carle or trading Valterri Filppula, although those options should be explored thoroughly in the next few months. It's not the 2016-17 cap number that is the problem. The ones in 2017-18 and beyond are. Yzerman has been creative in the past and it’s time for him to perform more magic.

It may seem strange to trade Bishop after what many think should be a Vezina campaign. Goaltenders are like pitchers, though. Only the very best can sustain the kind of quality he displayed last season over a long period and big long-term contracts for netminders are dangerous -- unless your name is Brodeur. Bishop has been hurt three straight postseasons as well. Matt Murray and Martin Jones, who would not be picked in the top 10 of the league, led teams to the finals this season. Most years, it’s the players in front of the net who get a team to the promise land. Will Vasilevskiy be great, one of the best in the league? No one knows. But who could tell you he isn’t any good after what you have witnessed from him before he turns 22?

There are other options if Filppula and Carle cannot be dealt. The big one I have mentioned before is trading Tyler Johnson. He will be due a big raise after next season if he puts up numbers more like his 2014-15 campaign a year from now and I believe others are more important to the team moving forward. Johnson is a talented player. It’s nothing against him. You just wonder if he will be able to sustain a strong level of production for a long period of time on a big contract. Palat and Killorn are more versatile, and likely cheaper. In addition, Johnson would be a valuable piece that could possibly bring in a top-3, right-handed defenseman that the Lightning so covet.

The other option if Stamkos is out the door is to try and extend Bishop at a reasonable rate (6.5?) and explore a big package in return for Vasilevskiy. You could maybe get a center with potential to be a No. 1 in the deal or at least a solid No. 2.

If the Lightning can keep the next contracts of Stamkos, Kucherov, Killorn, J.T. Brown and Vladislav Namestnikov under a total of around $22 mil, the latter plan could work better. But that will be difficult. It may also mean discarding Jason Garrison at some point, getting something for Cedric Paquette in a trade or starting the buyout process on Carle right now. Yzerman must be a true Jedi master in the next 50-60 days.

You could have a top nine that includes Palat, Stamkos, Drouin, Killorn, Namestnikov, Kucherov and Callahan along with a few trade acquisitions, Adam Erne or perhaps Filppula, with a Brown-Boyle-Tanner Richard fourth line.

Hedman, Stralman, Braydon Coburn, Garrison and the emerging Slater Koekkoek give you a solid five on defense, but one right-hand blue liner would make a huge difference. The Lightning could use Garrison and Andrej Sustr in trades as well if they are to bring in two D – one solid mobile righty and a lefty with size and potential on the younger side. Sustr shows flashes. He was better in 2015-16 than in 2014-15. He’s just so inconsistent. I just don’t see him as a long-term answer.

You can be sure Yzerman has a plan, and plenty of irons in the fire. He usually surprises us. That’s why, for some strange reason I think a Stamkos deal could still happen. If it does not, there is still plenty of work to be done and options to choose.

It will be a fun next few months.

The Lightning Finding Answers

By Mark Pukalo

Instead of fading without two of their best five players, the Tampa Bay Lightning used their dilemma to fuel them in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

No Steven Stamkos. No Anton Stralman. No surrender.

The one simple phrase you can use to describe the Lightning the last two seasons is, “they have learned how to win,” and most nights it doesn’t matter who is in the lineup. Whenever they’ve needed a big effort, a big goal, a strong goaltending performance, they have found a way to get it. The only time they came up short was in Games 5 and 6 against Chicago in the Stanley Cup finals last June and that could have gone either way.

There’s no doubt you start with Ben Bishop, Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov when picking heroes from the first two rounds, but as made-for-postseason forward Alex Killorn said -- it was going to have to be about a “collective effort” and it truly turned out that way.

Without Stralman, defensemen Braydon Coburn and Jason Garrison had to come up big and each had strong moments throughout the first 10 games. Andrej Sustr avoided critical mistakes for the most part and Matt Carle contributed on the back end as well, although he struggled in a few games. It took way too long, but Slater Koekkoek has finally moved ahead of Nikita Nesterov on the depth chart.

The Lightning was able to navigate an out of synch Detroit team and a plucky, but flawed, New York Islanders squad without Stralman. They desperately need the Swede in the third round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who run out three scoring lines that have all produced. Hedman was able to limit Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings and concentrate on Islanders captain John Tavares to keep him scoreless the final four games. Pick your poison with the Penguins. Play against Sidney Crosby’s line? Evgeni Malkin’s? The red-hot Phil Kessel-Nick Bonino-Carl Hagelin unit? Yes, Connecticut’s own Bonino.

Give Jon Cooper credit. He has pushed the right buttons in the playoffs so far. Circumstances have worked in his favor, but his tweaks in the forward lines have worked out.

The biggest question is -- where would the Lightning be without Jonathan Drouin?

Drouin’s departure and subsequent suspension may have been the best thing that has happened to the team this season. The speedy forward going home to Montreal for six weeks did two things. It lowered the quality of trade offers that Steve Yzerman received and he intelligently decided to pass. It also allowed Drouin to get his head together, figure out some things he had to do to be more successful at the NHL level and he came back with a positive attitude along with a chip on his shoulder.

You wonder if Drouin would have gotten the chance at a bigger role if Stamkos did not develop the blood clot? The kid is playing well on both ends of the ice and his full-time addition to the power play – something that has come about 1 ½ years too late in my opinion – has made a major difference for that unit. A friend in the pressbox said the other day about Drouin – “He sees everything on the ice.” It is gratifying to me that many people are eating serious crow about Drouin. Although I haven’t heard enough of them admitting they were wrong.

The Lightning can beat the Penguins if they make them work for everything they get. Bishop can do that alone, but even he can’t plug every gap if the Bolts are careless with the puck. While the Penguins defense has improved over the last two months – helping them go 22-5-0 -- I still think Tampa Bay can put up goals on them in the series. Cooper should keep the Lightning in attack mode. They can win a game here and there 1-0 or 2-0, but they are much more dangerous team when they force teams to react to them. Perhaps Cooper has finally learned that from the first two series.

In some ways, the rest is gravy for the Lightning. They are the clear underdog in this series. But grab one of the first two games and it’s anybody’s ballgame.

Tampa Bay in seven.

Bonino shows his skill

I remember talking to Avon Old Farms coach John Gardner one day and asking him if Bonino could have success at Boston University and even make it to the NHL down the road.

Gardner did not need to say anything. He made a gesture with his hands. Bonino had NHL hands in high school and as his skating improved to go along with his keen hockey sense, the sky was the limit.

Bonino led Farmington to the Division II high school title in his final year there, scoring more than 90 points in 20-something games. He was a gangly player with great skill and smarts, and no one could stop him at that level. It was between Bonino and Fairfield Prep’s Mark Arocbello, who is now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, for high school player of the year in 2004-05. I split the decision. Picked Arcobello and wrote a feature on Bonino for the cover of the All-State issue.

The next season Bonino went to Avon Old Farms prep school -- a place that also produced Brian Leetch, Chris Higgins and Jonathan Quick – and proved wrong many of the downstate Division I high school coaches who told me his numbers were just a product of his competition at Farmington. He needed to improve his skating big time and he worked at it, making a huge jump in the first few months at Avon.

After success at Boston University, including a national championship, Bonino has spent time with four different organizations. He scored 22 goals for Anaheim in 2013-14, but was traded to Vancouver the next season and one year later to Pittsburgh. Bonino notched his third career overtime goal in the playoffs Tuesday to push the Penguins on to the series against the Lightning.

Gardner had it right with Bonino. He could see him in the NHL because of his skill level at that age. His hockey sense was also vivid. Many scouts missed that before he was picked in the sixth round by San Jose. I saw it with Killorn as well when he played for Deerfield Academy (Mass.) in many of the same rinks Bonino performed. Killorn just needed to get stronger. It goes to show you – skill and hockey sense should be the first things scouts look for. Compete level and physical attributes almost always can be improved.

Boucher is Back

Guy Boucher always preferred to stand at the level of reporters in a scrum to answer questions when he was the Lightning coach.

It wasn’t possible with all the television cameras at morning skates, or when practices were well attended. One day, Boucher climbed up to the podium and smiled when a local scribe asked him, jokingly, if he felt power standing above them.

“A false sense of power,” Boucher said, followed by his patented mischievous laugh. “You guys got the pens.”

Boucher had his faults as a coach in Tampa Bay, but had way more positives than negatives while bringing the Lightning to the Eastern Conference finals in his first season. One break and maybe they would have held the Cup that year.

Whether it was that he was too much of a players-coach or too stubborn to change his defensive style and tactics, things fell apart for Boucher in Tampa. No one knows what was happening behind closed doors, but one thing that has bothered me about his final season is some of his players seemed to quit on him. If he has learned since then to adjust some of his ideas defensively, the Ottawa Senators will be a difficult out with Boucher as head coach from this day on.

Here’s what Vincent Lecavalier said about Boucher back then.

“He’s a hard-working guy and he knows what he’s talking about. He’s got an answer to any question. There’s never a pause. He knows it. For the players, that gives us confidence that he really knows what he’s talking about. Everything he does is calculated. Every drill we do is with a purpose. It’s almost like a game simulation. He’s the type of guy that if you’re in a conversation with him, you listen. You’re learning.”