Let's Debate Lightning Moves, Not Drink the Kool-Aid

By Mark Pukalo

There is a certain phrase that I had never used before last month, when describing more than a minor issue, since Steve Yzerman took over as general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010.

“I totally disagree with that decision.”

Trading a young, successful goalie (Dustin Tokarski) for a journeyman (Cedrick Desjardins) annoyed me and allowing Richard Panik to be lost for nothing on waivers when there were other options was also disappointing. Re-signing B.J. Crombeen and giving Erik Condra three years didn’t seem worth it to me either. There have been a few decisions in the first round of the draft you could question and I might have tried to figure out a way to keep Guy Boucher as well, but that would have been difficult.

Those moves are all relatively insignificant, though. We don’t always get what we want as fans and, with all the decisions a GM has to make, he can’t be perfect. Yzerman has made some absolutely amazing deals to build the Lightning into a Stanley Cup contender. He gets an A through the end of the 2016-17 season.

The Lightning GM has built quite a lot of room for error. It is easy to just say “he knows what he is doing” and go along with everything he does - like many are right now. It’s logical, because there’s little evidence to show where he has damaged the team. He knows what good hockey looks like. The Lightning will be competitive and, if a particular 19-year-old Russian defenseman becomes a star, they will probably be better than that.

That doesn’t mean a loyal Bolts fan can’t be concerned. While people sometimes go overboard with emotional exaggerated responses on twitter - me included - the basic fact is we all have our opinions. That means one thing. We care. Some are more informed than others. Some include a lot of thought and guard against personal leanings most of the time. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that.

Few have seriously come out publicly against the decisions made by Yzerman during this offseason, for a number of reasons. Some truly believe he is on the right track and needed to make some of the moves while others are just going along with them lazily without looking at the big picture. We have a good hockey market in Tampa Bay, with intelligent fans - except for the few out there that still don’t appreciate the talent of Victor Hedman. There should be a lot of different opinions. Aside from bashing a current or traded player unfairly like we have seen lately, all sides should be heard. We may not want to become Toronto or Montreal, but debate is good.

Differing opinions about the GM’s moves should be embraced and talked about honestly. There shouldn’t be one narrative. ... or else. That’s what the best hockey markets look like.

It’s no surprise I was against the Jonathan Drouin trade. It wasn't because Mikhail Sergachev can’t be a good defenseman. You just don’t trade a player with Drouin’s special talent at 22 years old. But I’m more surprised at the direction Yzerman has taken the team in the last month with many other moves. While Sergachev could cure some ills if he develops quickly, in my opinion the Lightning have gotten a little older and slower over the last month. If healthy and many things fall into a place, they can still be a playoff team. But I’m not sure they are better, unless many of their young players make a major leap forward.

The Drouin trade was not about the cap. It wasn’t about the expansion draft. It was a choice. I have worked on a scenario that would have kept him around and makes the Lightning a better team going forward, in my opinion. You can judge.

The trade to assure Vegas took Jason Garrison in the expansion draft was strong and I’m not sure the Golden Knights would have asked for more if Drouin had to be protected over Vladislav Namestnikov. If another pick was needed, fine. If Vegas wanted Vladdy, another deal could be made to send him to Sin City.

I would not have qualified defenseman Andrej Sustr. If the big Czech wanted to stay around as a seventh or eighth defenseman for a season to try and move up, I may have offered $1 million and he would likely walk. Sustr has had plenty of time to show he is worth almost $2 million. In my opinion, he hasn't come close.

Once that move was made, I would work the phones to see what the interest was in Tyler Johnson and Namestnikov. Brayden Point is a better bet long term as a No. 2 center. Plenty of groundwork was likely done to see what young defensemen were available. I’m not sure Winnipeg was willing to trade Jacob Trouba anymore and they are probably looking for defense help in return anyway. The focus had to be on Anaheim (Sami Vatenen, Brandon Montour), Minnesota (Matt Dumba) and Vancouver (Chris Tanev).

There’s no doubt in my mind Minnesota wanted Drouin. But I’m not sure a deal couldn’t have been made without him. Anaheim certainly could use some speed up front and Vancouver as well. In my model, I trade Johnson near his home in Spokane to the Canucks for a couple future picks and a prospect - perhaps forward Jake Virtanen. Then, I overpay for Matt Dumba from Minnesota - perhaps dishing the Wild the versatile but inconsistent Namestnikov (who could replace Erik Haula) and their choice of young forwards Adam Erne, Mathieu Joseph, Dennis Yan or Mitchell Stephens along with a high pick or a defense prospect (Matt Spencer?). I can’t imagine that deal not being better for Minnesota than the one they worked with Buffalo for Marco Scandella. You have to make it worth their while, if Drouin is not part of the deal. There is some talk about Dumba not being a great listener, but he’s young. You work with him. You could also offer a similar deal to Anaheim with Johnson instead of Vladdy for Vatanen.

My defense would now include combos of Hedman-Jake Dotchin, Slater Koekkoek-Anton Stralman, Braydon Coburn-Dumba. Bringing in a veteran seventh defenseman, perhaps to push Koekkoek on the left side (John-Michael Liles, Fedor Tyutin, Jyrki Jokipakka, Eric Gelinas, someone else?), wouldn’t cost all that much and there will be about $4 million in cap space left at the end to adjust if one of the top six guys get hurt. You have Erik Cernak, Dominik Masin, Libor Hajek and Ben Thomas coming and the solid draft pick of versatile Callan Foote gives you even more depth on the blue line. 

When I first heard that the Lightning were interested in Daniel Girardi, I thought it sounded great. They could sign the bought-out righty D man for about $1 million or so to replace Sustr. Then, soon after, Sustr was re-signed. I like Girardi. I covered the Hartford Wolf Pack a little when he broke in. I just don’t like him at $3 million per for two years. You wonder how many teams in the league were offering anywhere near that much, but there are some defense-starved organizations in the league. I have to ask, though, when has the signing of a discarded, bought-out player for more than $1 million or so ever worked out?

The Bolts have depth up front, but I will need to find a few short-term fixes to allow the young players to develop in my model. The big swing could have been to take a chance at catching Lightning in a bottle with Nial Yakupov or convincing Vegas to trade Jonathan Marchessault back to the Bay, but I’m fine with Chris Kunitz for one year. I’m not wild about him because he seems to be declining after scoring just nine goals last season and two in the playoffs, but if Drouin is there (at six years, $5.5 million or a little more) he may work as a heady left wing with Steven Stamkos and the former Halifax Moosehead. With Namestnikov and Johnson gone, I need someone to fill the hole as third-line center and it is an obvious choice - Brian Boyle. New Jersey did not have to go three years to sign Boyle to a reasonable $2.75 million deal and that fits for me. Boyle loved it here and I’d find it hard to believe if he wouldn’t have come back for slightly less than what Ray Shero offered. It’s interesting that Boyle was one of the main supporters of Drouin, isn't it?

Yzerman seems to have an affinity for Namestnikov, who has had chance after chance. Vladdy is not without talent and he flashes it brightly at times, but anyone who watched him last season would be lying if they did not see a drop off in his play when he scored 12 goals fewer than Panik (22) and struggled defensively. You can argue that coach Jon Cooper moved him around too much, but his effort was lacking many nights. The same with Johnson, who was great some games and invisible a lot of others. Matt Carle may end up being Yzerman’s worst contract - although it would be hard to be against it at the time - but giving Johnson a seven-year deal with what he has done the last two injury-prone seasons (33 goals combined) baffles me. Johnson is a talented player. No doubt. I just don’t think he is a long-term answer. The argument that the structure of his contract makes Johnny tradeable after four years or something is laughable at best. Ondrej Palat does more and you can project he is going to be just as valuable five years (or seven) down the road. That was a good contract.

With Kunitz, Boyle and perhaps Erne if he survives the trades, you have some flexibility up front in my model. You have also allowed room for future center candidates Anthony Cirelli and Brett Howden to develop and then jump in for Boyle in a year or two. If Boyle’s cranky back acts up you have Yanni Gourde, Cedric Paquette, Matt Peca and others to sub in the short term and if a third-line center is needed for the playoffs there will be cap room available. I originally thought about a four-year, $16.4 million contract for third-line center Nick Bonino, but you wouldn't want to block top-notch prospects like Cirelli and Howden.

Here would be my lines to start the season: Kunitz-Stamkos-Drouin, Palat-Brayden Point-Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn-Boyle-Ryan Callahan, Gourde-Paquette-J.T. Brown. You could also put Gourde at center and move Boyle to the wing or the fourth line at times. Erne or another reasonably-priced free agent could push for time or sub for Callahan, if he does not come back 100 percent.

Ultimately, I would have chosen Drouin over Johnson and subbed Gourde into Namestnikov's No. 1 swing role, then added veteran leadership like Kunitz and Boyle. I am going for a quicker fix on defense with Dumba (or Vatanen, Tanev) over Sergachev, which is a slight risk. I might also be losing a prime prospect like Joseph or Stephens, but you have to give up something good to improve now.

The debate on my model is how much would be needed for the new contracts of Dumba in 2018-19 and Kucherov, along with Point, in 19-20. But Kunitz perhaps moves out after next season in favor of a younger, cheaper player while Coburn and Boyle are out after two years with Callahan moving toward the end or a possible buyout. Things change, you adjust. You would have Stamkos, Hedman, Drouin and Palat, along with Killorn, wrapped up long term as your core. Killorn deserves another column, because I think fans and talk-show hosts have been very unfair to him for a few disappointing months to end his career-high season (19 goals) in 2016-17.

I could be totally wrong. In some ways, I hope I am. Sergachev could become a superstar quickly and make everyone forget how good and entertaining Drouin is. But, until then, we can debate whether my roster is better than the one the Lightning will start 2017-18 with.

Let’s discuss. Let’s disagree, respectfully. Let’s talk pucks all summer. Please, though, let’s not always just drink the Kool-Aid. 

The Case for Drouin II

By Mark Pukalo

Those who traveled to Brandon Ice Sports Forum for the first practice of training camp in 2015 may have thought they were finally witnessing the true start of the Jonathan Drouin era with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

There was the former Halifax Moosehead and third-overall pick in the 2013 draft skating on the left side of captain Steven Stamkos with veteran banger Ryan Callahan on the right in the opening drills.

Little did we know, less than two years later despite a strong 2015-16 postseason performance and a solid 2016-17 campaign (21 goals, 53 points) filled with highlight-reel plays, he would be traded to Atlantic Division-rival Montreal. The road to that result was filled with drama.

Drouin was the only one of the top six picks in 2013 to be sent back to juniors. It was different, but the decision had merit with the Lightning's situation at the time.

His rookie year in the NHL showed some promise as he was near the top of the league in assists per minute while mostly playing on the fourth line and getting very little power-play time. However, that season ended with him sitting out all but six playoff games. He was even demoted to the black aces at one point with other unproven and unproductive players put ahead of him. The easy question after that campaign was why didn’t he play more during the regular season when the Bolts were rolling toward the playoffs - especially on the power play - to prepare him for a more prominent postseason role?

But all that seemed to be part of the past as he began the 2015-16 season on one of the top two lines and posted six points in the first five games with Stamkos and Callahan - also seemingly screwed out of an assist in Buffalo when his strong forecheck helped set up a tally for the trio. At some point after that fast start, coach Jon Cooper seemed to lose interest in the development of the trio after a few somewhat unproductive games. It wasn’t strange for Cooper, who changes lines like socks.

From there, Drouin could never find a prominent place in the top-six consistently for Cooper. He was injured, came back and had two brilliant games in Anaheim and Los Angeles, then was hurt again. When he came back he played sparingly against the New York Rangers and the decision was made to send him down to the minors to get some playing time. It seemed logical at the time - go down and play a few games to get back up to speed after the injuries. But it wasn’t really stated that way. The Lightning had a glut of healthy forwards and there was no telling when he would return. He had seemingly lost his spot for no good reason.

There wasn’t a place for a player who started the season with six points (should have been seven) in five games?

Every other player picked in the top six of the 2013 draft was placed in the lineup immediately, allowed to learn from their mistakes and grow with minutes, except for Drouin. Nathan MacKinnon (1), Sasha Barkov (2), Seth Jones (4), Elias Lindholm (5), Sean Monahan (6) all had things to learn and they progressed. Only Lindholm is not All-Star caliber now, but he has slowly improved.

This was a special talent. The team needed Drouin. They needed him to push forward his development and help a failing power play. They needed him in Tampa Bay after a few practice games.

Then, all hell broke loose. Drouin decided to make his trade request public and, after a deal did not happen quickly, he left Syracuse. He made a very poor decision. He was 20. My bet is he was getting really bad advice and he went with it. Perhaps those convincing him to walk away wanted him to out of Tampa Bay and closer to home. Funny how that eventually happened.

Drouin has no excuses for leaving the team. I said so at the time. I say so now. But he came back before the end of the season and seemed to mend fences. Drouin was outstanding in the 2015-16 playoffs, on both ends of the ice. He was hitting, playing gritty defense, making simple plays when needed and putting up points (14 in 17 games) while igniting the power play.

Surely, this would be the start of the Drouin era in Tampa. All seemed forgiven from the fans as the 2016-17 season began. Drouin sweaters were everywhere. But there were times during the first half of last season when he still didn’t get consistent playing time with top players. You wondered at the time if he would have even played much with Stamkos if the captain wasn’t injured. While the trio of Drouin, Brian Boyle and Val Filppula had a little success for a period of time, it was basically a third line. Drouin even played on a pseudo third line with Cedric Paquette and Joel Vermin for a few games and set up a pair of goals in St. Louis.

Was Drouin perfect? Absolutely not. He was 21 until late March. He is still developing, learning. There needed to be more production at even strength and Drouin was inconsistent other than a red-hot stretch in the middle of the season. Cooper never seemed to have faith in him, though. His playing time went up when the Lightning were behind in the third period. That raised his average time on ice, especially when the team was struggling. There was also the game against Boston when the Filppula-Boyle-Drouin line was benched for the start of the third period after they were on the ice for a late goal by the Bruins in the second. But defensemen Jason Garrison and Andrej Sustr were mostly at fault.

We should have known at the time. Drouin was not part of the team’s future. He was traded for a prospect about three months later.

I can understand part of it. GM Steve Yzerman is a hockey lifer. He is mostly a traditionalist. His style is to stay out of things - let the coaches coach and players play - with communication at a minimum with the athletes. He played under Scotty Bowman and won two Cups that way.

Yzerman had to be thinking after the season, how can I give a player that deserted his team for two months $5-6 million per year long term? What would it look like if I did? I just gave Nikita Kucherov three years and $4.7 million per. I have to sign Drouin to a bridge deal just under that or trade him.

Cooper wasn’t going to change his mind. Drouin is not his kind of player. He didn’t coach him in the minors. He isn’t a gritty grinder. Drouin is all about creativity. You have to accept a few risky passes that go array per game to get all the good stuff he can provide.

Whether it was Yzerman’s style or the coaching staff putting him over the edge, it appears the decision was that Drouin was the one to be dealt. He was ultimately never forgiven for his youthful mistake.

No doubt, Drouin could bring in the best prize in the trade market. But I believe it was more than that.

I have been around hockey locker rooms long enough to understand players. Drouin was not disliked in the room. No way. He is confident. He plays with a swagger. You can even call him cocky. But don’t you want that in your best players?

Drouin was never going to win a Selke. But his defensive prowess had nothing to do with his minus-13 last season and my head explodes when people say on the radio that he wasn’t responsible defensively. Watch the 2015-16 playoffs again. The plus/minus statistic can be deceiving at times. Most of his total last season was a minus-7 in January when the whole team stunk.

All of this contributed to a bad decision, in my opinion. It had nothing to do with the cap. I could think of two players - if discarded - that could provide almost $4 million of additional cap room right now. The Lightning have plenty of space to take him at $5.5 for six years - what he signed for in Montreal after the trade. Perhaps he would have asked for more in Tampa? Who knows? But if $33-36 mil was waved in his face by Yzerman, I doubt Drouin would have turned it down.

It could have worked here. I can’t imagine Kucherov being upset for making a little less for a few years to get 20-25 nifty saucer passes from Drouin on the power play.

But I just don’t think Cooper wanted it to work and Yzerman’s plan probably wouldn’t allow a six-year deal for him.

I find it hard to believe that the Lightning could not have improved the defense by trading Tyler Johnson or a first-round pick or by putting together a creative package with prospects.

Drouin is a special talent. He is a future All-Star if he keeps his head on straight. He can be a top-10 scorer in the league. In my opinion, you don’t trade players with that type of potential when they are 22 for a maybe. This has nothing to do with Mikhail Sergachev. He’ll probably turn out to be a nice player. But we don’t know for sure. We know how good Drouin is. We saw a glimpse this season and you can only imagine what he could have been with Stamkos and Callahan in the lineup. But we never got to see that on a consistent basis, even when they were all healthy.

Cooper has done a lot of good things since he came to the Lightning organization. Yzerman has done just about everything right since taking over the Lightning. But the decisions made in the development of Drouin led to a poor outcome, something that could have been avoided.

Yzerman may pick up the pieces and turn the Lightning back into a Cup contender. He’s that good. But it is hard to lose a player that creates goals like Drouin. Whether he becomes a superstar is up to him, and fate.

It could have been done another way. Drouin could have fit into the plan. They should have made it work.

Don't Trade Drouin - Vegas Projection

By Mark Pukalo

Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman were signed long term. Important ground work was also completed before the last trade deadline. Now, the heavy lifting will be done to remodel the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The next month will be an interesting period for the NHL with the expansion draft, and Bolts fans should be in for a roller coaster ride of emotions. The way GM Steve Yzerman plugs all the leaks with the media, we never seem to know what he is going to do next. That often leads to wild rumors and speculation, which adds fear to the equation.

Still, Yzerman has yet to make a major mistake in his tenure that will hurt the team long term. He often pulls rabbits out of top hats with skill and a little luck. He has earned the fans’ confidence.

At the last trade deadline, Yzerman waved his lightsaber and Valtteri Filppula’s $5 million cap hit was gone to Philadelphia. He also received a big right-handed defense prospect (Erik Cernak) and a second-round pick by trading a pair of unrestricted free agents.

The next month to six weeks may offer the most difficult decisions for the Hall of Famer, though. Despite the fact the Lightning did not make the playoffs last season, there’s not an expert that doesn’t think they are close to being a Cup contender in 2017-18. The final pieces to the puzzle could come in the next few months, but at what cost?

Yzerman has always found a way. But there is one major mistake he could make this time around and a few other decisions that may create issues.

While there are many minor things that he can do to remake the roster, the two key issues are finding a top-three defenseman to add to the mix with the duo of Hedman and Anton Stralman, and deciding what to do up the middle behind Stamkos.

Yzerman must decide whether to go all in on getting a top-notch defenseman or acquire a young emerging player - someone like Brandon Montour from Anaheim - that may come a little cheaper. I have no doubt the Lightning brass has looked at every angle to what it would take to get Jacob Trouba from Winnipeg or Jake Muzzin from Los Angeles or Matthew Dumba from Minnesota, and even Sami Vatanen from Anaheim - despite his injury.

The Bolts have a strong corps of prospects and extra draft choices to deal. They also have a few young productive players like Tyler Johnson that can be moved.

The one thing they should not do? Trade Jonathan Drouin.

You just don't deal someone with special talent at this age. You are really tempting fate if you do.

There’s plenty of rumors out there that have the Lightning dealing Drouin to various teams for defense help. Normally, it doesn’t faze you because most of it is just uninformed speculation. But when Bob McKenzie reports the possibility, it has more credence. The only hope for Drouin fans is that 95 percent of the interest is coming from teams asking about him rather than the Lightning offering the talented wing around.

Even if the Lightning must shell out $5.5-6 million per for six years to keep Drouin, that may be a steal in a few seasons when he’s putting up 80 points.

Meanwhile, the most volatile issue for the Lightning faithful is who to protect before the expansion draft. For some reason, Alex Killorn has become a whipping boy for many Bolts fans after a rough second half in 2016-17.

Yzerman signed the power forward to a seven-year deal last offseason and Killorn went out and put up career highs of 19 goals, 176 shots, four power-play tallies and 10 power-play points in 2016-17. Sure, he takes the odd bad penalty. Sure, his second half was disappointing after a very fast start. But it seems very strange to me that fans have turned on him so quickly.

I’m willing to give Nikita Kucherov the benefit of the doubt that he was frustrated and did not expect his comments to find their way to Tampa Bay from Russia a few months ago. It appears he was questioning Killorn’s work ethic and I find that ridiculous. I’ve watched Killorn since he was in high school and one thing that has never crossed my mind is that he doesn’t work hard enough. My thought is that Kucherov wasn’t happy with who coach Jon Cooper put him with at times and took it out on Killorn because the left wing didn’t capitalize on a few of his passes. The one thing about Kucherov is that sometimes he overpasses and surprises players who are heading to the net for a possible rebound. Once he started to shoot more, the Russian sniper was outstanding last season. Kucherov and Killorn may just not work as linemates. That’s fine. But Kooch was out of line. Killorn is needed.

The argument that many are making is to keep Vladislav Namestnikov and expose Killorn to Vegas in the expansion draft, perhaps ridding the team of his $4.45 million cap hit for the next six seasons.

I’ve been hard on Namestnikov. Maybe too hard. But I’m not the only one who has been disappointed in his progress - especially last season. Vladdy produced when he was put with Stamkos and Kucherov for a few games, but then often cooled off and was dropped. There’s no doubt he has some offensive skills and can make a play, but I was most disappointed in his defensive intensity, consistency and the ability to accept passes cleanly. There were too many games when he was just invisible.

I’m not against Namestnikov getting the first chance to be a third-line center behind Stamkos and Brayden Point - if Johnson is dealt for defense help and Vegas decides to pass on him - but protecting the former London Knight and possibly losing a glue player like Killorn would be a mistake in my opinion. While I like Adam Erne more than some, I’m not sure he can immediately fill Killorn’s role as well. There are also potential third-line center candidates on the way in Brett Howden and Anthony Cirelli. If I were GM, I’d try to find a veteran third-line center with size to fill the gap for now and deal Namestnikov or let him go to Nevada.

It will be interesting to see what Yzerman comes up with. You can expect at least one major move. Trouba or Dumba would be solid additions. Vancouver’s Chris Tanev and Montour could work as well. Muzzin, although he is a lefty, is also interesting. More than likely, Yzerman will surprise us - and not overpay.

Ready or not, changes will come. Let’s just hope No. 27 is not one of them.

Vegas Baby

The more and more you hear out of Vegas, GM George McPhee will likely make many choices in the expansion draft to use in deals afterward. The Golden Knights are open for business and have probably gotten inquiries from all 30 teams.

Much will happen before the protected list is out, but here are my most recent projections from the Capfriendly.com expansion draft tool.

Forwards – Vladislav Namestnikov (Tampa Bay), Hunter Shinkaruk (Calgary), Phillip Di Giuseppe (Carolina), Lukas Sedlak (Columbus), Andreas Athanasiou (Detroit), Andrew Copp (Winnipeg), Trevor Lewis (Los Angeles), Jacob de la Rose (Montreal), Colton Sissons (Nashville), Devante Smith-Pelley (New Jersey), Michael Grabner (NY Rangers), Alan Quine (NY Islanders), Joel Ward (San Jose), Jori Lehtera (St. Louis), Kerby Rychel (Toronto).

Defensemen – Josh Manson (Anaheim), Adam McQuaid (Boston), Trevor van Riemsdyk (Chicago), Mark Barberio (Colorado), Jamie Oleksiak (Dallas), Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton), Alex Petrovic (Florida), Jonas Brodin (Minnesota), Fredrik Claesson (Ottawa), Ian Cole (Pittsburgh), Alex Biega (Vancouver).

Goalies – Philipp Grubauer (Washington), Linus Ullmark (Buffalo), Louis Domingue (Arizona), Michal Neuvirth (Philadelphia).

A Step Backward Could Move Lightning Forward

By Mark Pukalo

One simple thing was very clear about this Tampa Bay Lightning season. Every contest counts the same amount.

The Bolts opened the season a respectable 12-6-1 despite showing some troubling signs. Those problems were realized when they went 10-18-5 during the fateful middle of the season, including putrid performances against Vancouver (two) and Arizona. The 20-6-4 finish was good, but not good enough.

Even with all that - though some circumstances might have changed - if the Bolts had held on to a one-goal lead at home against Arizona on March 21 they could have finished with 96 points and in third place in the Atlantic Division.

Ultimately, you knew it wasn’t going to happen for the Lightning after that collapse against Arizona as Ottawa, Boston and Toronto continued to collect points. There was just not enough room for error. 

But in some ways, it’s not the worst thing that could have happened to the Lightning for a number of reasons. Rest - physical and mental - is one, after playing way more games than any other team the previous two seasons. A one or two-round trip through the playoffs this season might also have meant keeping Valtteri Filppula, Ben Bishop and Brian Boyle around while not giving long looks to some of the young players. Filppula’s cap number and no-move clause would have hurt next season while they needed to get something for unrestricted free agents Bishop and Boyle. The veteran duo brought back a second-round pick and a big right-handed defenseman (Erik Cernak). They also were able to deal Filppula without retaining salary. In some ways, it was also a plus that captain Steven Stamkos did not play at the end of the season to give his knee more time to get stronger.

This season provided some answers and showed kinks in the armor for everyone at different times. Ondrej Palat had a disappointing first half and was one of the best players in the second while Alex Killorn was the exact opposite. Jonathan Drouin clearly showed he should be an untouchable, but you still would like a little more consistency and a few more even-strength points from him. Tyler Johnson continued to be inconsistent, but had some great nights. Cedric Paquette had a good stretch, but once again was injured. J.T. Brown was gritty and active, but went backward offensively this season. Vladislav Namestnikov has not shown any progress, especially on defense where Drouin is a Selke candidate compared to him. Adam Erne and Yanni Gourde certainly showed they are NHL players while heady Brayden Point may have established himself as the team’s second-line center moving forward. Let’s also hope Ryan Callahan comes back healthy, because he is way more important than some fans think.

Nikita Kucherov was the team’s MVP and it was amazing he put up the numbers he did after being a bit lost during the team’s bad stretch in January. The only criticism on Kooch, except for the odd no-look pass in his own zone (see Drouin), is his attitude after games. He needs to take a few extra seconds of his time to give more than one or two-word answers to the media, who laud him game after game. It was funny at first. It looks bad on him now.

Victor Hedman had a poor game here or there, but it will be a crime if he’s not a Norris Trophy finalist, and Anton Stralman was tremendous in the final 30 games. After that, it’s still a work in progress on defense. Jason Garrison had a rough first half and only improved when placed beside Stralman. Braydon Coburn was solid enough most nights, but is more of a No. 5 than anything. Andrej Sustr showed a bit more progress than Namestnikov, but he doesn’t produce nearly enough good performances and gets lost in key situations too much. Jake Dotchin was the biggest surprise after being recalled and may just be the third defenseman protected in the expansion draft while Slater Koekkoek - perhaps unfairly - has lost his momentum.

So, what happens in the offseason?

The big question, in my opinion, is what to do with Johnson? Palat and Drouin must be signed. But should the Lightning really go down the middle with Stamkos, Point and Johnson? That’s a bit too small in my mind and Point seems to be more productive at center. Can Johnson alone, or in a package, get the Lightning a top-four defenseman?

Many have talked about trading Killorn and, while it’s not out of the question, if you deal the Harvard graduate you get smaller again. With all his faults - like too many penalties - Killorn is a winner and a glue player. I think you try to trade Johnson and bring in a veteran third-line center (way cheaper than Filppula’s deal would have been) for a year or two to give promising middle men Anthony Cirelli and Brett Howden more time to develop. It certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing if Boyle came back on a two-year deal and started as the third-line pivot. But I bet a team offers him a longer-term deal he cannot turn down.

Teams such as St. Louis, Minnesota and Anaheim - if they don’t go far in the playoffs - may need some more offense and Johnson could fit in there. Minnesota is in expansion draft jail. You wonder if the Lightning could deal Johnson to the Wild (with picks, Brown, a prospect?) in a package for center Charlie Coyle and defenseman Jonas Brodin - then send Brodin and Koekkoek to Winnipeg in a deal for Jacob Trouba. Problem solved with Coyle as your physical third-line center and Trouba makes your top four D formidable. The Wild can only protect three out of the fivesome of Marco Scandella, Jared Spurgeon, Ryan Suter, Matt Dumba and Brodin for the expansion draft. The only good news for Minnesota is it can only lose one player. There is also Anaheim’s dilemma with righty D man Sami Vatanen if they can’t get Kevin Bieksa to waive his no-move clause. If it means exposing Dotchin to get a true No. 3 blue liner, it’s probably worth it.

Imagine if the Lightning could keep both Koekkoek and Dotchin somehow and add Trouba. You could have a top six of Hedman-Dotchin, Koekkoek-Stralman and Coburn-Trouba. Even if you must deal Koekkoek or expose him, you can use Garrison for one more rebound season. Pipe dream, maybe. I’m sure Andrei Vasilevskiy would love to play in back of that group, though. The Russian’s only poor stretch last season was playing behind a defense that was just brutal in front of him. He had little chance. Seems like Peter Budaj would be the perfect backup, but it’s up to the unrestricted free agent whether he tries to be a starter somewhere or not.

The expansion draft will be very interesting at every level. Vegas should be able to put together a solid team for coach Gerard Gallant, but it could be very random what they are looking for from each team. The Golden Knights will need some veterans to lead the way and provide enough cap cash to reach the floor. They could pick the best young player on your team or a veteran that fills a role. GM George McPhee could come to the Lightning’s list and take a veteran D man like Coburn and Garrison or he could think young and pick Koekkoek (if there), Namestnikov or even Paquette. Heck, he could see Brown as a nice third-line player who can fight.  

It seems pretty obvious who the Lightning will protect up front - Stamkos, Callahan, Drouin, Kucherov, Palat, Johnson and Killorn. After Hedman and Stralman, the big choice comes on defense. It likely has to be either Dotchin or Koekkoek, but the Lightning may value Coburn more. Dotchin has probably passed Koekkoek on the depth chart and he’s a righty, but Vegas might look at it another way. Don’t forget Dotchin played with Hedman, which probably makes him look a little better. Ultimately, the Lightning probably protect Dotchin and cross their fingers that McPhee chooses Namestnikov or Garrison. I tried some inception with McPhee when he was in the Amalie Arena press box in March. But I don’t think he will pick Erik Condra.

You can expect Lightning GM Steve Yzerman will wrap up contracts for Drouin, Palat and perhaps Dotchin in the next month. If Johnson is not signed by late June it may be a signal he is being shopped. There’s no doubt his new team would want to do his next contract.

The end of June and early July will be very interesting times for the Lightning. When it’s over, the pain of what fans endured this season might just be worth it.

Vegas Baby

There are teams that will have very difficult decisions on who to protect for the expansion draft in June. That will likely lead to some moves in the final week before the Golden Knights make their selections and teams with cap space may get a few bargains because of it.

San Jose, Detroit, Minnesota and Anaheim seem to the teams with the most difficult decisions. Teams that could go with eight protected skaters rather than seven forwards and three defensemen could be – San Jose, Colorado, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Pittsburgh and Nashville.

If the draft were this week, here’s what the first Golden Knights roster could look like.

Forwards - Colin Wilson (Nashville), Darren Helm (Detroit), Reilly Smith (Florida), Tyler Ennis (Buffalo), Charlie Coyle (Minnesota), Jannik Hansen (San Jose), Blake Comeau (Colorado), Kevin Hayes (Rangers), Michael Raffl (Philadelphia), Andrew Copp (Winnipeg), Trevor Lewis (Los Angeles), Ryan Reaves (St. Louis), Josh Anderson (Columbus), Curtis Lazar (Calgary), Ryan Strome (Islanders), Jean-Gabriel Pageau (Ottawa)

Defense - Adam McQuaid (Boston), Ian Cole (Pittsburgh), Sami Vatanen (Anaheim), Slater Koekkoek (Tampa Bay), Martin Marincin (Toronto), Trevor van Riemsdyk (Chicago), Brandon Davidson (Montreal), Griffin Reinhart (Edmonton), Stephen Johns (Dallas), Alex Biega (Vancouver)

Goalies - Philipp Grubauer (Washington), Eddie Lack (Carolina), Louis Domingue (Arizona), Scott Wedgewood (New Jersey)

Remembering the Whale - 23 years later

By Mark Pukalo

I made it to my seat behind the goal at the Civic Center on April 23, 1992 for the pre-game skate, just trying to squeeze the last bit of enjoyment out of another disappointing season for the Hartford Whalers.

It was a little over a year after Hall of Famer Ron Francis was shockingly traded and the only reason the Whalers made the playoffs was that the Quebec Nordiques were more dreadful in a five-team division. Hartford won 15 games fewer than they lost in the 1991-92 regular season and were no threat to the mighty Montreal Canadiens in the first two games of the postseason.

The Civic Center looked about half full for Game 3, with only the diehard fans in the seats - even the most hopeful expecting to see two more games before moving on to the offseason.

A funny thing happened though. The Whalers came at the Canadiens in waves that night. They hit - even Andrew Cassels. They created. They used their speed. Whether Montreal had assumed the Whale would just roll over or not, the Habs could not get a handle on the game. Murray Craven scored twice while Patrick Poulin, Zarley Zalapski and John Cullen also got the puck past Patrick Roy.

I had always enjoyed hockey and especially liked going to games with my group of friends. But I wasn’t totally invested. Basketball was still my favorite sport and soccer was probably second.

When I walked out of the building that night after a 5-2 victory, I was a true hockey fan. I had never seen a more exciting sporting event. Hockey was No. 1. It has been for almost 28 years since.

I remembered days like that this week with the 20^th anniversary of the Whalers’ final game upon us. It’s hard to believe it’s been two decades since political stupidity and greed took the team away from the community and its loyal fans.

You think about the sorrow and the joy of the 20 years. Unfortunately, many of the memories are painful. One playoff series victory. Many tough days on and off the ice. But there is still something that makes you smile when you hear Brass Bonanza.

I was in the Civic Center for the college basketball game the day before the roof collapsed, but there would be many more close calls for the Whalers when they reached the NHL.

I laid on the floor listening to the radio for Game 7 of the 1986 second-round series with Montreal when Claude Lemieux went high to the glove side on Mike Liut in overtime. The Whalers were probably a better team that season and could have won it all if they had gotten past that game. How much would a Stanley Cup have changed their fortunes?

Hartford won the Adams Division the following season - the only time they finished better than fourth - and lost in the first round, but the most gut-wrenching defeat came in 1990.

The Whalers led the hated Boston Bruins two games to one and owned a 5-2 lead after two periods in a raucous Civic Center. Ray Bourque wasn't skating onto that ice. He was injured. But mistake after mistake led to goals against. Bob Beers scored. Yes, Bobby Beers. Randy Ladouceur was minus-4. Dave Poulin’s shot on the winning goal was traveling so slow it barely got over the line, but somehow it eluded Peter Sidorkiewicz. At least that’s how I remember it. Bruins 6, Whalers 5. Final.

I’ve never been more crushed walking out of a sporting event. It took every ounce of restraint to not punch one of the many disgusting Bruins fans in our face as we left the Civic Center. This night came about a month after Christian Laettner beat UConn at the buzzer in the Eastern Regional final. Crazy.

The Whalers would take that series to seven games, but lose. Same thing happened in 1992. Yvon Corriveau missed the net on a breakaway in overtime and Russ Courtnall scored from the slot to win the last playoff game in franchise history. Whether it was a joke or not, I heard second hand later on that Whalers goalie Frank Pietrangelo told reporters he thought the shot went under the ice to beat him. It was the Montreal Forum. So, who knows?

The team could never win the big game. It was frustrating. But they were the lovable losers. When people went to games, they were hooked. The city would have gone nuts over a long playoff run.

Like any smaller market professional teams, the stands were full when they were winning and attendance went down when they hit tailspins. No offense to the amazing UConn women’s basketball program, but Connecticut doesn’t love that sport. It loves winners.

For most of us, though, the Whalers became a big part of our lives. We got season tickets as a group, sometimes scalped when we didn’t pick that game in our preseason draft, got together before games, got together after, and often cried in our beer.

You remember the great wins like in 1992 and some of the crazy moments, the time freezing rain prevented me from going to a game against Minnesota on a Sunday night after I did a 360 on the highway. Somehow, I got home driving 2 mph with one wheel on the side of the road that night. I wasn’t around for some of the great moments in the mid-80s with Bill, Doug, Chip, Bob and others, when they would talk to players as they walked by at the Chuck’s Steak House bar after games. I was told the story about Ray Ferraro, who would always acknowledge the group in the glory days at Chucks. One night Bill Calhoun, my good friend who passed away suddenly in 2010 and I miss every day, was not at the game. Ferraro, I was told, walked by that night and turned back to say, “Hey, where’s Billy?”

It was that kind of a relationship with the fans. It could have continued.

I remember hearing the story of the group seeing Claude Lemieux at a bar in the late 80s and, after the hockey villain took some verbal abuse from Whalers fans, he simply showed them his 1986 Stanley Cup ring. His brother Jocelyn Lemieux later played for Hartford and became a crowd favorite for a short time. We told him the story of his brother one day and he laughed.  We urged him to help get the team to win one for us in Boston late in a lost season. They went out and won the game. Lemieux was quoted afterward that they wanted to win this one for the loyal fans.

One night the players and officials stood for the national anthem and there was a bit of a delay before the singer started. Frenchy, standing five seats or so to the left of us behind the goal wearing his green Whalers jacket and looking disheveled as ever, took the opportunity to send a message to referee Denis Morel - often noticeable for puzzling calls - who was facing us from the red line. “Hey Morel,” Frenchy wailed for everyone to hear. “What are you looking at?” There was also time that the Whaler mascot made an unintended obscene gesture while riding the Zamboni, but we won’t go too deeply into that.

Those were the days. You thought they’d go on forever. But Eddie Johnston, with the approval of coach Rick Ley apparently, traded Ronnie “Franchise” and Ulfie Samuelsson for Cullen, Zalapski and some guy named Jeff Parker. It was the beginning of the end. They missed the playoffs the final five seasons.

Owner Richard Gordon didn’t know what he was doing. They were always flailing. The Whalers drafted a superstar defenseman named Chris Pronger. But, although you could see his great talent, you remember the day when he put his coat over his head to hide who he was (like no one could figure it out) after several players were arrested in Buffalo. Pronger didn’t want to be in Hartford after a while. When Peter Karmanos bought the team, GM Jim Rutherford dealt him to St. Louis for Brendan Shanahan. Shanny said all the right things at first. But after one of the quietest 40-goal seasons (44) in NHL history, he wanted out.

I went from being a fan to one of the beat writers for the Hartford Courant in the Whalers final two seasons. I learned a lot. It took me to some great or interesting places that I will always remember - Barrie and Kitchener, Ontario, Ottawa, Los Angeles, St. Louis, the pond in Anaheim, Dallas, Toronto, Landover, Mary. and Tampa.

I should have known something was going on when I saw the look on Shanahan’s face in the locker room after the final contest of the 1995-96 season. It was the last game for the Sabres at the old barn called "the Aud" in Buffalo and the teams settled scores with brawl after brawl. There were 156 penalty minutes and eight 10-minute misconducts. Shanahan and goalie Jason Muzzatti were ejected. Shanahan was probably thinking - the Whalers are never going to get any breaks.

“I don’t get it,” Shanahan said to me that night. “Someone has to have more (power plays), but nine to two? I kind of thought the Sabres were just as willing as we were. That’s a pattern that’s developed with us and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop.”

Hmm.

On came another embarrassment when he asked for a trade. The easy excuse was the “uncertainty” of the franchise’s future. He was dealt to Detroit for Keith Primeau, who was a true pro and one of the most genuine athletes I had met at that point. But future Hall of Famer Paul Coffey also came in the deal. That created more drama. Coffey didn’t want to be in Hartford, either. He asked for a trade.

I remember standing outside the visitor’s locker room in Tampa after Coffey’s admission and asking Kevin Dineen about the situation. Dineen simply said, “I don’t want to talk about anyone that doesn’t want to be on this team.”

This only would happen to the Whalers - Shanahan opposed Coffey (Philadelphia) in the 1997 Stanley Cup finals.

Dineen’s return for parts of the final two seasons made those last days more tolerable. He was John Wayne on skates, blowing around Hall of Famer Larry Robinson for a big goal in the 1986 playoffs and decking Mike Milbury - who I heard would need smelling salts to be awoken. But, most of all, he was blood and guts. He was a leader - the kind of player who was easy to root for and gave the media time when it was needed.

Those last few seasons didn’t seem like they would be the last. We all thought they would figure something out. Heck, they almost made the playoffs as a lame duck. State and city officials had to know this was going to be the only chance Hartford had to house a major-league franchise, right?

There is plenty of blame to go around. Karmanos was likely asking for too much. The State wanted to be stingy with the deal and didn’t value the team. Gary Bettman didn’t try hard enough to help broker a deal.

Isn’t it funny how Bettman has spent years and years trying to keep the Coyotes in Arizona and hardly lifted a finger for the Whalers? Heck, he’d probably lay down on the road to stop the Yotes from leaving. In Hartford, he virtually loaded the trucks for Karmanos.

Yes, Karmanos is a very unlikable figure and he deserves it. He didn’t deserve a spot in the Hall of Fame. But, all things considered, he was just a businessman. The Whalers were his business and he wanted to get the best deal possible. If he really planned to move the team to some great spot, why did he chose Raleigh? It was just the best of a lot of bad options.

One local sports host once said to me he was told state officials opened the vault for Karmanos, and pesky Pete did not want to stay. It depends who you believe or want to believe. I can’t imagine that was true.

The main culprits for the demise of the Whalers - after Gordon, Ley and Johnston took out their heart away - were the politicians. Governor John Rowland, who later went to jail as I proudly predicted, did not grasp the fact that the Whalers were going to be the only major franchise a city like Hartford could have.

Rowland and the others were easily played by Robert Kraft, who threatened to move the New England Patriots to Hartford if he didn’t get a better deal in Foxboro. Just move the Whalers out, clear the decks and Patriots are coming. Simple, right?

The politicians all fell for it. Kraft was never coming to Hartford. Not then. Not ever. Rowland and the state legislature could not have been more stupid and own less foresight. Democrats, Republicans, all of them. Joe Leiberman couldn’t be bothered. One of his advisers once told me, there was “no clear advantage to the state to have the Whalers in Hartford.” That’s total crap. The tax money alone would have made them viable. But Rowland’s advisers and some politicians apparently clapped when he announced the Whalers were leaving. What were they cheering for? Did they want to rub more dirt in the wounds of loyal Whalers fans?

Just thinking about the way the state mishandled the situation still infuriates me. Time doesn’t heal wounds. Just think about what it would have been like if the Hurricanes had won the Cup in Hartford instead of Raleigh. All of the state’s “petty fiefdoms” would have been just as in love with the Whalers as the epic UConn women’s basketball team.

Connecticut is a great hockey state. Just look at the NHL rosters. Jonathan Quick, Nick Bonino, Cam Atkinson, Kevin Shattenkirk, Max Pacioretty, Ron Hainsey, Adam Erne, Ben Smith are all from the Nutmeg State. I once had to pick the high school player of the year between future NHLers Bonino and Mark Arcobello. UConn has a Hockey East team now. If the Whalers ever came back, they would thrive with a new state of art arena that could also house UConn sports.

But it will almost certainly never happen. The only way is if an ultra-rich person who loves the Hartford area and the state of Connecticut wants to put together a project. Someone like Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, who knows what he is doing and embraces the situation like he did here in Tampa. Someone who could convince Bettman he is wrong about Hartford.

But Whalers fans shouldn’t give up their dreams. This week they should remember the good times. They should smile when major hockey pundits talk about how they miss the Whale.

I will remember high fives with Bill, Doug, Mary, Bob, Chip, Alison, Dave and many others after big goals. I will remember sitting in Maple Leaf Garden peering down on the fabled ice covering the team and driving through the snow to Kanata, Ontario. I will remember interviewing great people like Dineen, Adam Burt, Geoff Sanderson, Stu Grimson, Glen Wesley, Jeff O’Neill, Sean Burke, Primeau, Jason Muzzatti, Sami Kapanen, Skip Cunningham, Paul Maurice and many, many others. I will remember getting on the team charter the day the team announced it was moving from Hartford and not knowing what to do except glare at Rutherford (I later apologized). Of course, we were headed to Tampa Bay that day. That’s where my hockey soul ended up. And I remember the last game on April 13, 1997 when tears fell freely, when Dineen scored the winning goal - against the Lightning.

We still bleed green. Never forget. It’s been 20 years. But the Whalers will forever live in our hearts.

The King of A Year in Movies - 2016

Somewhere toward the end of 2015, I took the 40-minute ride to AMC Veterans 24 out past the Tampa airport to see a movie that was only showing there at the time. It gave me a chance to see the most amazing performance by an actor under 10-years-old I had ever seen.

His name was Jacob Tremblay and he could not have been better in the emotional movie "Room." About a year later, I made my way to the same theater for the same reason and a young boy from India named Sunny Pawar somehow topped Tremblay.

Pawar dominated the screen throughout the first hour of 2016's best movie "Lion," as a lost child named Saroo trying to find his way through the dangers of Calcutta (now Kolkata) - thousands of miles from his home. Pawar's triumphant performance led you into an equally-emotional second half of the movie where the older Saroo (Dev Patel) searches for his home through Google Maps.

There were many solid films in 2016, but none came close to moving me like "Lion." It is based on a true story and it was told with grace and wonderful pacing. It is about the power of family, love, home and the human spirit. Nicole Kidman is outstanding as Saroo's adoptive Australian mother and the beautiful Rooney Mara plays his girlfriend, who is actually a composite of his female friends. Patel starred in my pick for the worst of 2015 (Chappie) and one year later he provides a strong performance in the best.

Have some tissues available if you are going to see Lion. You will need them - unless you do not have a heart.

I wondered if 2016 was going to be a dud of a year for movies in late summer - after 2015 was the best in my lifetime - but it ended up producing a number of entertaining films in the fall and winter with a variety of subject lines. Some were fun, others had deep, thought-provoking story lines and a few were quite unique. It ended up being a pretty good year, with some of the best performances including Pawar, Ruth Negga (Loving), Bryan Cranston (The Infiltrator), Andrew Garfield (Silence), Mila Kunis (Bad Moms), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Miles Teller (Bleed for This), Emma Stone (La La Land), Jeff Bridges (Hell of High Water), Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane), Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Emilia Clarke (Me Before You), Viola Davis (Fences), Colin Farrell (The Lobster) and Marvin the dog (Paterson).

Here's my annual look at the year in movies:

Did not get to see: Queen of Katwe, Elle, A Man Called Ove, Moana, Rules Don't Apply.

Worst: 13 Hours (see the entire list on my worst of the year blog)

Not great, but these films have something redeemable - Demolition, The Purge: Election Day, Get a Job (Bryan Cranston and Anna Kendrick get it over the line), Captain America, Equals, Race, Independence Day- Resurgence (only because the first one was good), The Lobster (so weird it almost became compelling), Mother's Day (great cast), The Accountant (mostly blah, but a few decent moments), The Girl on the Train (glad I didn't spend money at the theater), Cafe Society, Love & Friendship (Kate Beckinsale is great as usual), Bridget Jones' Baby, Sausage Party (not a kids cartoon, adult cringe-worthy laughs), The Legend of Tarzan, The Birth of a Nation, Allegiant (worst of a great series), Keeping up with the Joneses, Masterminds (goofy, stupid, but a few laughs), Doctor Strange, The Founder (Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc, who started McDonald's), Paterson (interesting, but not real exciting), Yoga Hosers (funny and Johnny Depp's daughter is adorable).

Honorable Mention - Jason Bourne (underwhelming, but fits in the series. Alicia Vikander is great as usual), Denial (interesting movie on the trial of a Holocaust denier), Deepwater Horizon (nothing special, but it was better than expected), Eight Days a Week (Beatles doc), Where do we Invade Next? (interesting Michael Moore documentary everyone should see, but won't), Free State of Jones (good Civil War story, but dragged a little), Finding Dory (cute cartoon that held my interest), Star Trek Beyond (first half is confusing, second half pretty good), Allied, Hacksaw Ridge, 20th Century Women, Bleed For This (Vinny Paz story was better than expected), War Dogs, Money Monster (Clooney and Roberts are good, but just didn't hit a home run with me), Me Before You (tearjerker), 13th (Documentary on Racism)

Joe Lunardi's first five out: Collateral Beauty (somewhat hokey and hard to believe, but enjoyable), Bad Moms (more laughs than expected), Nocturnal Animals (strange, strange movie, but keeps your interest), Loving (strong, important story), Patriots Day (well-done movie on the Boston Marathon bombing)


TOP 25


25. Captain Fantastic - Viggo Mortensen shines as the father of a family which lived outside of civilization for years before making a trip to their mother's funeral.

24. Eddie the Eagle - The interesting and likable story of Eddie Edwards, the unusual and inexperienced ski jumper from England who made a splash at the 1988 Winter Olympics

23. Fences - Denzel Washington and Viola Davis provide amazing performances as complicated characters in this film adapted from a play. The strong ending helps get it over the top.

22. Zootopia - Enjoyable cartoon with an underlying racial theme that educates about the advantages of diversity and the problems with stereotyping.

21. Arrival - Amy Adams stars in the science fiction story about a race of aliens who arrive with a message that only she can uncover. It is a powerful movie about seeing the future, but I wasn't as blown away as most people.


20. Everybody Wants Some!! - It's Animal House with a bunch of college baseball players instead of Bluto and Flounder. Director Richard Linklater (Boyhood) does a good job keeping it fun.

19. Moonlight - The Academy Award winner follows a young African American boy struggling with a mother hooked on drugs and confusion about his sexuality. I would have liked to see more of Mahershala Ali's character. Thought it was a good film, just not a great one.

18, Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds is terrific as a superhero with a wild sense of humor. Thought it was a lot of fun, although it got a bit too cartoonish at the end.

17. Jackie - Natalie Portman hits it out of the park with her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy in the aftermath of her husband's assassination. I was in my first year of life while this was going on, so it was educational for me.

16. Silence - Two young Jesuit priests from Portugal in the 17th century go in search of their mentor in Japan, which had outlawed Christianity. Martin Scorsese directs the long (2 hours, 40 minutes), but emotional film and Andrew Garfield is terrific as one of the padres.

15. Sully - Tom Hanks plays hero Chesley Sullenberger, who miraculously saved every passenger by landing a damaged airplane on the Hudson River but ends up facing serious questions about his decision.

14. Manchester by the Sea - The second time watching the film made me understand its power a bit more. The acting from Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, among others, is outstanding. But it is still a bit too depressing for a top 10 pick.

13. O.J. Made in America - You would need a truck load of popcorn to watch this in a theater but since the Academy made it Best Documentary, why not include it here? Ezra Edelman did an amazing job putting this all together. It is fascinating and sad.

12. The Edge of Seventeen - Hailee Steinfeld, a terrific actress, plays a high school student trying to weave her way through life's problems in a one-parent family. Woody Harrelson is great as her sarcastic, but helpful teacher.

11. Miss Sloane - Jessica Chastain is a win-at-all-costs lobbyist who finds herself in the middle of a political fight over a new gun-control bill. Chastain should have been nominated for Best Actress for her powerful performance.


10. Hell or High Water - Brothers Chris Pine and Ben Foster go on a bank robbery spree to help save the family farm, which they are in jeopardy of losing because of the same financial institutions. Jeff Bridges is outstanding as the local sheriff.

9. Passengers - It may be a stretch to put this film here ahead of other more meaningful movies. But I enjoyed the heck out of it. What would you do if you were alone and had a chance to wake up someone else in suspended animation to keep you company? Yes, I'd wake up Jennifer Lawrence. Sorry Jen.

8. Eye in the Sky - An interesting film starring Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Helen Mirren that makes you think about the military's use of drones. It was the great Alan Rickman's last action film before he passed away.

7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - Low expectations turned into high praise for this film that works as a prequel to "A New Hope" - the first of the saga released - and a follow to "Revenge of the Sith." Everything fits and it's fun.

6. Snowden - Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an outstanding job playing the enigmatic Edward Snowden, who becomes disillusioned and releases classified information about illegal mass surveillance programs in the United States. Director Oliver Stone does not overdo it this time.

5. Hidden Figures - Tells the untold story of a group of African-American women mathematicians who aided NASA in the 1960s - in racially-divided Virginia. Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer, Taraji Henson are terrific in the educational and entertaining movie.

4. La La Land - Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling make this musical drama go as an aspiring actress and musician, respectively, trying to make it in Hollywood. It was more of a story than a musical, which made me enjoy it much better.

3. Sing Street - Director John Carney provides another enjoyable movie with music as the theme. A young Irish lad (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) puts a band together starting from scratch to impress a complicated, beautiful girl (Lucy Boynton). Mark McKenna is brilliant in a supporting role. It is fun, smart and heartwarming. Line of the movie - "No woman can truly love a man that listens to Phil Collins." LOL.

2. The Infiltrator - Bryan Cranston plays US Customs agent Robert Mazur, who goes deep undercover to end Pablo Escobar's money-laundering operation. How Cranston did not get nominated for Best Actor, I will never know. Beautiful Diane Kruger and former Law and Order star Benjamin Bratt are great, too.

1. Lion - An amazing story and an amazing movie about Saroo Brierly's incredible journey. It was Director Garth Davis' first feature film and he makes it all work without adding any fluff. It should have won something at the Academy Awards, but anyone who saw it knows this was by far the best of 2016.

Previous picks for Best of the Year

2015 - Spotlight

2014 – Birdman

2013 -- Nebraska

2012 – Silver Linings Playbook

2011 – The Descendants

2010 – The Social Network

2009 – Inglourious Basterds

2008 – Frost/Nixon-The Wrestler (tie)

2007 – Once

Best of Decade 2000-2009 – Almost Famous

The Worst Movies of 2016

It would be nice to unveil my list of the top movies of 2016 before the Academy Awards Sunday, but there are still too many interesting films to watch before I can make the final decisions.

I'm hoping to find a way to see at least some of the following movies in the next month - Nocturnal Animals, Allied, Fences, Miss Sloane, Loving, Silence, 20th Century Women, Queen of Katwe, Elle, Doctor Strange, Moana, Hacksaw Ridge and The Edge of Seventeen.

So, we will start with another countdown. Other critics can do it. Why not me? My list of the best movies of 2016 will be posted in late March or early April, but now it's time for the very worst of the year among the 80-plus movies I have seen. And there were several good choices.

Barely worth a red box rent, but only if you are desperate - The Boss, The Finest Hours, Ghostbusters (Why?), Inferno, London Has Fallen 10 Cloverfield Lane, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, The Nice Guys, The Whole Truth (Keanu as a lawyer?), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Joe Lunardi's first five out of the top 10: The 5th Wave (Cute Chloe Moretz saves it from the worst 10), Zoolander 2, Hologram for a King (Hanks in a stinker), Batman vs. Superman (come on, man), A Bigger Splash (Dakota Johnson's brief nudity saves it from ninth or 10th worst).


Worst 10 of 2016

10. Into The Forest - Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood can't save this movie with an apocalyptic story line.

9. Approaching the Unknown - A mission to Mars that is quite boring.

8. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising  - The first one wasn't very good and this one wasn't much better, if any.

7. Marauders - Bruce Willis and Christopher Meloni (Stabler) wing it in this confusing, uninteresting crime drama,

6. Broken Vows - Jamie Alexander is quite attractive, but the Fatal Attraction-styled movie is cliched and unwatchable.

5. Run Lola Run - Bad film about bad people, but the somewhat surprising ending pushes it from worst of the year to fifth worst.

4. Midnight Special - Probably would be my pick for most disappointing of the year, because it's the only one of the 10 that I spent money on in the theater. There was a lot of nothing before an unsatisfying ending.

3. Hail Caesar!! - George Clooney can't rescue this totally dull film, which provided no laughs or interesting dialogue.

2. Point Break - Why? Sort of a remake of the classic film in a different local. After about 15 minutes, you are just waiting for it to end.

1. 13 Hours - Went in with an open mind wanting to learn a little bit more about what happened in Benghazi, but left not having an idea what was going on.


HOPES FOR OSCARS  

Best actor - Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (but Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic was really good)

Best actress - Emma Stone, La La Land (Natalie Portman did a strong job in Jackie, too)

Best supporting actor - Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water (but Dev Patel, Lion would make me happy)

Best supporting actress - Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures (but Nicole Kidman, Lion is close)

Nothing Should Change Yzerman's Plan

By Mark Pukalo

The Tampa Bay Lightning are showing signs of life the last four games. They might not be dead yet.

There has been more energy, much more support defensively and a spirit - that has been inconsistent at best all season – resurfacing during the current 3-0-1 stretch. I don’t think the Lightning are playing defensively. They are just playing better in their own end and forechecking with more purpose to take pressure off their defense.

So, how should this latest run of solid play change Steve Yzerman’s mindset with two weeks left before the trade deadline?

Not one bit. Zero, zilch, nada, nil.

Three things can happen before the end of the season for the Lightning and two are good while another may be acceptable in a way. They could go on a historic run into the playoffs and be a real contender to get to the final four. Yzerman can take advantage of teams in or on the playoff bubble to clear salary cap space and get a jump on smoothing out the rough edges of this team. Lastly, the postseason run can end at three years and the team gets much-needed rest and re-evaluation time for another go in 2017-18.

There are many reasons why this season has not gone as expected. It’s many issues loaded into a big stew that does not taste very good. Captain Steven Stamkos was playing the best hockey of his life before going down with a knee injury. Ryan Callahan (hip) has also been absent much of the season and, although many would like more production from him, he is key as a leader, penalty killer and physical force. Throw in the fact that the Lightning had the most players in the World Cup during the preseason and they participated in the most playoff games the last two seasons. Then, there’s some underachievement. But we’ll get to that later - on both the players and the coach.

It has all led Yzerman to the point where change has to be made. But it’s not a rebuild. It’s a makeover. Doing nothing before the trade deadline would be silly and that doesn’t mean he has to make rash moves. He’s been fishing around for months already and there’s plenty of groundwork done. Now, it’s all about what other teams are going to do. It’s about timing.

There are things Yzerman can do now and other possibilities he should probably wait on until the morning of the trade deadline March 1.

These are all good players who have given their hearts to the organization and if there were no salary cap you might not mind keeping them around until the end of their deals. But salaries have to be moved to create space for next season and beyond.

Center Valtteri Filppula and defenseman Jason Garrison could probably help a playoff team or one on the edge. They can be dealt at any time - although Filppula owns a no-trade clause - and what the Lightning get back is not important as long as they don’t bring back a player with big contract past this season. They can even take back a little salary for next season if needed. The Bolts can still compete without them. Brian Boyle can move over to center to replace Filppula until Stamkos returns and Slater Koekkoek would step in for Garrison.

The big move they could make now is to deal Tyler Johnson. I know some fans out there won’t like it, but Braydon Point’s play at center makes Johnson expendable, especially with his contract up after this season. You could see St. Louis, Nashville, Los Angeles, Anaheim or even Vancouver taking a run at T.J.

It would not be surprising if center Vladislav Namestnikov or defenseman Andrej Sustr were moved either. They are still young players and they show flashes, but neither has taken a step forward this season and it has been one of the least talked about issues with this team. Namestnikov needed to emerge as a consistent performer at center when Stamkos went down and Sustr needed to raise his level of play with Garrison’s performance declining. Neither accomplished the goal.

The Lightning will probably have more evidence of whether they are legitimately in the playoff race on trade deadline day and that’s when you might see a few late deals.

It has been reported that teams have made some unsatisfactory offers for Ben Bishop already and Yzerman must decide whether to take what he can get or hope a team sweetens the pot on March 1. There are teams that could use Bishop down the stretch like Calgary, even Carolina or Dallas if they are still in the race. If the best offer is a fourth-round pick or worse, it’s probably not worth it. Teams might offer that before July 1 for negotiating rights.

The other much tougher question is what to do with Boyle if teams are offering tempting deals. In my opinion, the Lightning need Boyle on the team next season. But if you can get something good for him and sign him as a free agent on July 1 anyway, it could be a nice daily double. Yzerman must gauge what it will take for Boyle to stay before then. It appears the big forward loves it here. Could you tell him we’ll resign you for $9 million, three years on July 1? The risk is some team with cap space like New Jersey or Carolina may throw five years $20 million in his face? That’s a tough question to answer. To be honest, I’d just try to sign him now and find a way to protect him in the expansion draft.

Yzerman always seems to get more than expected in deals. But this time around, he probably has to lower his expectations and prepare for next season. Jonathan Drouin must be re-signed - soon. Ondrej Palat, too, although anything could happen if trading him might bring back a solid top-four righty defenseman.

Now, back to underachievement – one of the issues that has driven Lightning fans crazy all season. I called their play stale at times through the first half of the season, with virtually the same group as the previous two seasons. It seemed at times it was more mental than physical. Things have always seemed to fall in place for them the last two seasons. Nothing came easy this season and it seemed they failed to have the proper energy to push through.

I may be the only one out there that does not blame the goaltending at all. Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy have not been great, but most nights they have given the team a chance to win. Bishop’s mental game can’t be 100 percent knowing he’s likely somewhere else next season and the team played so poorly in front of Vasilevskiy when he was in net for nine in a row it was impossible to judge him. The Lightning are just fine in net with the big Russian. Those talking - some on radio - about keeping Bishop don’t understand. Even if they were to trade Vasy, they’d have to give Bishop $6.5-7 million and there’s no way they meet the salary cap offering him that much. It makes no sense.

One local columnist even mentioned that Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov and Drouin had underachieved in some ways. With all due respect, that’s crazy.

Hedman is having his best offensive season, was a serious Norris candidate until the team took a dive in early January and has been the best player on the ice for more than half of their games. Kucherov’s head seemed to be somewhere else for a few weeks in January, but he seems to be back in gear and headed toward a 30-goal season. While no one will argue that Drouin is still a “work in progress” like any 21-and-under player other than Connor “McJesus” McDavid, he has been one the team’s best three players all season long - in every zone on the ice. He will make a bad pass from time to time and have a quiet game once in a while, but Drouin has worked hard on his defense and is far better than he was as a rookie - and far better than anyone seems to want to give him credit for.

You can’t really blame the decline on any one of their core players. Some have performed better than others, but it has been more about consistency than anything else. While Palat hasn’t had the season you hoped for, he was probably the best player on the ice against Minnesota last week. It’s still my opinion that it all starts with the bottom four on defense. It’s not good enough over the long run. They’ve played better the last four games and Jake Dotchin has been a surprisingly nice addition. But that shouldn’t change Yzerman’s mind about fixing the group for next season. Braydon Coburn has been fine, but the other three spots are up for grabs.

It seems like I’m being too easy on them. Maybe I am. But taking a few steps back and missing the playoffs this season could be a positive in the end if Yzerman can create some cap space and make a few heady deals.

It does not appear one of his moves will be changing the coach. Jon Cooper can’t be blamed for the team’s demise due to injuries and the other issues, but there are still reasons why intelligent Lightning hockey fans who “know the game” can think maybe a different coach could bring a fresh outlook the Lightning needs.

You can’t take away the success from Cooper. He took the team within two wins of a Cup two seasons ago and within a pair of goals of the finals in 2015-16. But you can also say this: He had very, very good players. Lots of them.

I’m reserving opinion on whether Cooper should be fired after the season if the Lightning fade out of the race down the stretch. We’ll see. But there are many reasons to make the call to sack him.

*His forward lines don’t make sense sometimes and he has always seemed to play favorites, allowing certain players to make mistake after mistake while others are damaged by one. How can Erik Condra ever play on a scoring line?

*Cooper tends to throw out the second-best unit to start the power play too often. There are times when players on the better unit have just been out for a long shift. Understood. But, in my opinion, Kucherov and Drouin should be out first every time unless there is a major reason why they can’t be. There’s been too many times the other unit went out and had little pressure, but due to circumstances used up 90 seconds of the power play without Kooch or Drouin getting a significant chance.

*It was strange sometimes that Nikita Nesterov was scratched for a game or two because of poor play and the first game back he got the third or fourth most ice time. You can blame Rick Bowness for throwing Nesty out too much, but it’s Cooper’s job to manage that in the game plan.

*Cooper burned out Vasilevskiy during the rough stretch when Bishop was out. Kristers Gudlevskis should have played in the “scheduled loss” at Washington and Vasy could have sat in another third period or two when his defense was imploding.

*There are a few reasons to use seven defensemen in the lineup occasionally - especially in a back-to-back situation. But Cooper does it too much. It leads to constant line switching and no flow. Several times, a forward has gone down when he has started seven D for no reason and they’ve had to go with 10 up front.

*His constant line adjusting has often been due to injuries, but sometimes needless changes have come after one or two losses. Last season, it seemed that the Drouin-Stamkos-Callahan line was off to a nice start and were growing together. One or two so-so games from the trio and they were broken up – never to skate together again.

*Koekkoek was solid when he first came up from Syracuse this season and his play dipped slightly after about 10 games. Instead of realizing young defensemen are going to have a few rough games from time to time and letting him play through it, the former first-round pick was benched. With him sitting for a few games, Yzerman felt the need to send Koekkoek down so he could play. There were way too many nights Lightning fans had to watch Nesterov make gaff after gaff with Koekkoek enjoying popcorn or skating in a Crunch sweater.

*There are times when he seems to make quick, inaccurate decisions on who is at fault on the ice. This might have cost the Lightning a game against the Bruins recently. Cooper and every Lightning fan were livid over the goal given up at the end of the second period that gave the hated Bears a lead. He seemed to blame the Boyle-Filppula-Drouin line that was on the ice and severely limited their ice time in the third period. But when you look at the play, most of the fault lied with Sustr and Garrison. Drouin was down the ice and came back to help, but David Krejci had carried the puck 1-on-4 into the zone way too easily. The two defensemen had every chance to make a play and didn’t. Sure, you can’t bench two defensemen and play with four the whole third period. But you needed Boyle and Drouin on the ice and they were not a factor in the third.

Cooper has won plenty of games and he’s been a good coach when you look at his entire resume. But it is not out of the question to think about a change. Lightning fans have reasons to come to that conclusion.

The message to Bolts fans after the “bye week” is this. Enjoy the final two months. It could bring you something special. It could bring a fresh change or an exciting new player.

Taking one year off from the playoffs may give you a half dozen postseasons in a row and the Cup in the near future. The frame of this team is solid. It just needs a touch up and some luck.

But Yzerman cannot sit on his hands the next weeks, no matter whether his team continues to munch points or not. He needs to think about the future.