Tampa Bay Lightning Report Cards: Forwards

If there’s one thing people know about the Tampa Bay Lightning, it’s this: they can score. Usually, that notion revolves around the idea that Steven Stamkos can score goals in his sleep. But the truth is, the Lightning have a number of scoring threats throughout the lineup. Most of the league, however, has no idea who these guys are. That’s a good thing.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

When Stamkos went down in November with a broken leg, the team’s scoring suffered, as expected. But from that dire situation came the emergence of a new wave of Lightning talent. Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat manned a line with Martin St. Louis and provided enough offensive punch for the Lightning to get by. Valtteri Filppula had what was arguably the best year of his career. And of course, it didn’t hurt that the blue liners, particularly Victor Hedman, were chipping in pretty frequently.

As we focus in on the Lightning forwards, if you’re not familiar with the team, you probably won’t see a lot of names you recognize. You’ll recognize Stamkos certainly. But the Lightning proved they were a lot more than a one-man team this year. Their development accelerated in the wake of Stamkos’s injury. The future looks bright.

Let’s take a look at the forwards, player by player. I’ll give report cards for players who remain with the team and have played twenty games or more. For fun, I’ll also include my pre-season forecasts. Keep in mind, these grades are for the regular season only.

#9 Tyler Johnson

My 2013/2014 Forecast: A solid 35-40 point season.

GP: 82 G: 24 A: 26 Pts: 50 +/-: 23 PIM: 26

Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being named last season’s AHL MVP, Tyler Johnson still managed to blow expectations out of the water this year. My own best case scenario for him, written pre-season, reads as follows: “50 points, Calder nomination, and a Lightning third line that can play 15 minutes per night.” And looking back, I think most of us would agree that Johnson’s season was indeed as good as any of us could have expected.

The turning point for Johnson came around the first of December when he and his AHL BFF, Ondrej Palat, were partnered with Martin St. Louis in the wake of Steven Stamkos‘s injury. Before then, Johnson was known for having multiple scoring chances per game and, for whatever reason (goal post, fanned shot, bad luck, highway robbery), failing to convert on them. Once he was on the top line, pucks started going in, and Johnson never looked back.

But Johnson’s numbers don’t tell the whole story. Sure, 50 points is great for a rookie. Sure, he set a Lightning franchise record with 24 goals in his rookie year. But in order to really appreciate how great Johnson’s season was, you have to realize he was also among Jon Cooper’s top defensive options, was a mainstay on the penalty kill, and finished the year with five short-handed goals, which tied him for the league lead.

Grade: A+

Looking Ahead: Johnson is likely going to be a two-way force for the Lightning for a long time. He’ll probably be the type of player that we, Lightning fans, will appreciate while he’ll be largely overlooked by the rest of the league. But that’s okay. The Lightning have a roster full of those players and, right now, it’s going alright.

#11 Tom Pyatt

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 20 points, but will struggle to get icetime.

GP: 27 G: 3 A: 4 Pts: 7 +/-: -2 PIM: 4

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The season was anything but smooth for Tom Pyatt. It started with a broken collar bone, and after that, he struggled to crack the Lightning lineup, despite playing very well on the nights he did get in. Pyatt was also reportedly available for trade as of mid-season.

When he was in the lineup, Pyatt played well. He provided versatility to the Lightning, and found himself everywhere from the second line to the fourth line depending on the team’s injury situation.

Moving forward, Pyatt appears to have been bumped from the lineup, at least for the moment, by upstart two-way rookie Cedric Paquette. This decision by coach Jon Cooper appears to come not from anything Pyatt’s done wrong, but simply because Paquette adds elements to the lineup (most notably: physicality) that the Lightning aren’t overflowing with.

Grade: B-

Looking Ahead: This could very well be Pyatt’s last season as a Bolt. As stated above, reports were flying earlier this year that GM Steve Yzerman was trying to move Pyatt. And a move, realistically, could be a great thing for Pyatt. Pyatt will be an unrestricted free agent as of July 1, and I doubt the Lightning will fight to keep him. With the Lightning, he’s a speedy forward on a team full of speedy forwards, but unfortunately for him, many of the other speedy forwards have an edge over him offensively. If Pyatt remains with the Bolts, it will likely be in the same role as this season, which will see him spending ample amounts of time in the pressbox and filling in admirably when called upon.

#16 Teddy Purcell

My 2013/2014 Forecast: Thrives on consistency, 25 goals, 65 points. Possible career year. (Still might be traded.)

GP: 81 G: 12 A: 30 Pts: 42 +/-: -3 PIM: 14

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Boy, was I wrong with my prediction about Teddy Purcell. If you’re looking at Purcell’s 42 points and thinking, “well, it was bad, but it could have been worse…” you’re wrong. It was about as bad as it could have been. To be honest, I’m not sure how Purcell wound up with 42 points, because he only earned about 10-15 of them. My only conclusion is they must have been some of the most pedestrian points in the history of hockey, and this while benefiting from significant icetime with Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis, and, mostly, with Valtteri Filppula. Even mid-year, when Purcell was putting up decent numbers, his play, to anyone paying attention, was at best average.

Purcell is the epitome of a soft, perimeter player. His go-to move is skating the puck over opposition’s blue line and then skating it directly out of trouble, into the boards, thus doing his opponents’ job for them and effectively neutralizing himself. We saw it over and over.

What’s worse, Purcell was something of a chemistry killer on the scoring lines. Whenever we saw him removed from a line, that line seemed to improve almost immediately. Valtteri Filppula, when unchained from Purcell, played his best hockey of the season.

So why was Purcell given premium minutes right until the bitter end? My own belief is the Lightning are trying to maintain as much of his trade value as possible, similar to what it would appear they were doing with Ryan Malone.

Grade: F

Looking Ahead: Teddy Purcell is no longer a fit with the Tampa Bay Lightning. For that reason alone, my personal hope is that he’s moved in the off-season, and to be quite honest I don’t think the return matters. The important thing is we won’t have him in our top-six anymore. Is that harsh? Of course it’s harsh. But watching Purcell game-in and game-out, it got to a point where you actually had to question his effort rather than his skill. And that’s a problem. He doesn’t bring enough intangibles and it’s been a long time since he’s brought any real threat to score. It’s time to part ways and hope he has success elsewhere.

#17 Alex Killorn

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 45-50 points, inspiring work ethic, sticks with team easily but plays all over the lineup.

GP: 82 G: 17 A: 24 Pts: 41 +/-: 8 PIM: 63

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

It was an up-and-down sophomore season for Alex Killorn. It started well, very well, and was looking downright magical in the few games he lined up next to Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis. That line had a lot of spark. But then, as we all know, Steven Stamkos broke his leg on November 11. One of the unexpected ripple effects of that night was Killorn never really found his scoring touch again, at least not with any consistency.

But it wasn’t only scoring woes that plagued Killer’s season. A stint at center ice, directly after the Stamkos injury, was a colossal failure, and Killer never seemed to fully get his north-south game back afterward. His effort on some nights came into question, he seemed lost in his own end at times (something very unexpected), and then there were the bad penalties. There were oodles of senseless, needless, mindless penalties.

As harsh as that looks, I think Killorn had an okay year on the whole. It’s easy to forget that this was his first full season in the NHL, the rigors of which can sneak up on a player. And 0.5 point-per-game players are criminally underrated these days – they’re rarer than you might think.

Grade: C+

Looking Ahead: One thing that happened this year is we learned what Killorn is. It was a bit unclear last year, because he showed flashes of scoring potential while also playing with a grinder’s mentality. And thus, his role became a little bit muddied. Killorn, at this point, looks to be a very good third line player with some scoring upside. And that’s not a bad thing. I would expect him to play that role next season, and he might see ample time with Jonathan Drouin, whom I would expect to center the third line to start the year, much like Tyler Johnson did this year. That could mean more points for Killorn. But we should start thinking about Killer as less a scorer than a roleplayer.

#18 Ondrej Palat

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 35-40 points, unless he splits time between Tampa Bay and Syracuse.

GP: 81 G: 23 A: 36 Pts: 59 +/-: 32 PIM: 20

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest feel-good story in Tampa Bay this year was undoubtedly Ondrej “Dr. Drej” Palat. He seemed to come out of nowhere, a 208th selection in 2011, and suddenly, by about the first of the new year, he was the engine on Tampa Bay’s top scoring line. At season’s end he was named a Calder trophy finalist.

But it was bigger than that. I would argue Palat was Tampa Bay’s best player, bar none, in the second half of the season. Just how good was he? In 2014, Palat scored 44 points in 42 games. Jaw-dropping, right?

But that’s just the offense. Palat also may well have overtaken Val Filppula as the team’s best defensive forward by season’s end. He cemented himself on both the first powerplay and penalty killing units. If Tampa Bay was ahead by a goal in the final minute, Palat was on the ice. If Tampa Bay was behind by a goal… You get the idea.

Unfortunately, because hockey writers vote on NHL awards, and because most hockey writers got a healthy dose of Nate MacKinnon while only a few glances of Palat, he’s unlikely to get a fair shake at the Calder trophy. Palat finished just four points behind MacKinnon and was, as I said, probably Tampa Bay’s best player by year’s end. But the awards are the awards, and Florida hockey is Florida hockey, so it’s likely the hockey writers, when voting, “forgot about Drej.”

That’s okay. We didn’t.

Grade: A+ (+ + +)

Looking Ahead: By the end of Palat’s season, head coach Jon Cooper wasn’t using him like a rookie. So it’s unlikely he’ll use Palat like a sophomore next year. Palat should see significant time with Steven Stamkos over the years, and because of that, there’s no reason to believe he won’t stick near to a point-per-game average for a little while. It’s a lofty assessment, I know, but I think all of us are finished underestimating this kid. What a gem.

#19 BJ Crombeen

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 60 games, 10-15 points, + rating.

GP: 55 G: 3 A: 7 Pts: 10 +/-: -2 PIM: 79

It was a quieter season for B.J. Crombeen. In the shortened 2013 season, Crombeen was brought in as an enforcer who could play a meat and potatoes game, but he was less an enforcer this season. It suited him well. With fewer fights, Crombeen actually performed better in the fights he did take part in, and they were more timely and purposeful (defending teammates), and he earned his fourth line role through his play.

Crombeen found himself a healthy scratch several times this year, but that’s not a bad thing. Someone has to be a healthy scratch, and Crombeen is the ideal type of player to fill the role of an in-and-out of the lineup guy. He gives Jon Cooper the luxury of inserting him when he wants a more physical look to his lineup, and removing him without the fear of hurting his play/ego.

Grade: B-

Looking Ahead: Crombeen should play out his contract, which ends next season, and then it’s likely the Lightning will allow him to move on to make way for players like Cedric Paquette and Vlad Namestnikov and, possibly, Adam Erne. But for at least another season Crombeen should be a reliable fourth line roleplayer for the Lightning, a guy who can be trusted to kill penalties, play 8-10 lunchpail minutes a night, and take the odd fight if need be.

#23 J.T. Brown

My 2013/2014 Forecast: —

GP: 63 G: 4 A: 15 Pts: 19 +/-: -9 PIM: 6

Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

J.T. Brown was one of this season’s many pleasant surprises. He started the year in Syracuse but, thanks to injuries in Tampa Bay, wound up playing in the NHL and stuck there for the majority of the season. He showed glimpses of offensive potential, but more often showed why he’s likely to never put up significant offensive numbers. (He doesn’t exactly have the softest hands in the world.)

Brown’s game is based on speed. Tyler Johnson seems to be the consensus choice for the fastest Bolt, but Brown would give him a run for his money in a straight-line race. Having that speed gave Brown an edge in puck battles along the boards, simply for the fact that he was getting there first. And then, of course, there’s a feisty side to his game that doesn’t hurt in those puck battles.

His speed also helps create odd-man rushes. There, of course, we sometimes see Brown’s infamous “hands of stone” showing up, but there’s something to be said for creating those chances in the first place, even if you can’t finish many of them.

Over all, when you consider the fact that Brown wasn’t supposed to be playing in Tampa Bay this year, it’s hard not to consider the season a success.

Grade: B

Looking Ahead: More of the same. Brown probably has a healthy career ahead of him as a bottom-six winger, but his speed will always make him an interesting option for fleet-footed scoring lines. He adds a touch of sandpaper to whatever line he plays with. At best, he could develop into a poor man’s version of Ryan Callahan, and at worst he should be about a perennial 25 point energy grinder. Those are good players to have.

#24 Ryan Callahan

My 2013/2014 Forecast: —

Season Statistics

GP: 65 G: 17 A: 19 Pts: 36 +/-: 1 PIM: 24

Tampa Bay Lightning Statistics

GP: 20 G: 6 A: 5 Pts: 11 +/-: 4 PIM: 8

Apr 18, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing

(24) skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Lightning fans were plenty bitter after Martin St. Louis turned heel on the franchise and demanded a trade to the New York Rangers. One of the main reasons we were quick to get over it was the play of Ryan Callahan.

Don’t let the barely above 0.5 points-per-game fool you. Callahan was phenomenal after landing in Tampa Bay. He struck up instant chemistry with Valtteri Filppula and Ondrej Palat, and only saw his scoring dry up after being anchored-err-I-mean-paired with Teddy Purcell. It happens.

Callahan improved the Lightning’s penalty kill. He improved their power play. But mainly, he provided intense shifts that set the tone for his teammates. You could see the effect his example had. There were nights the team looked lazy until Callahan hit the ice and ran around recklessly until something went right. It was contagious.

Grade: B+

Looking Ahead: One of the most hotly debated topics in Lightning land is whether or not Ryan Callahan is worth something in the neighborhood of $6 million over the next six years. For me, the term is a bigger problem than the money. We fans are a bit slow sometimes to catch on to updated player values, and if Ryan Callahan isn’t worth $6 million right now, he will be within a year or so, which is when you’ll see players far worse than him demanding that kind of money.

But then there’s the term. Six years is a long time. That said, there’s a certain amount of risk involved in any contract, and term is another thing that more and more NHL players are demanding. And getting. To me, Ryan Callahan has a few intangibles that make such a gamble a little more comfortable. First and foremost, his work ethic is second to none. He has a will to compete. That’s something that won’t go away, even if his physical skills decline. Secondly, even if he loses a step or two, he’ll still be a good skater, which is the thing you generally worry about with a player of his style. And as long as he can keep up, I think his compete level will drive him to be a valuable player. Finally, with so many kids coming up through the ranks, Callahan’s leadership becomes all that much more valuable. He’s the perfect guy to show kids like Jonathan Drouin, Nik Kucherov, and maybe even Steven Stamkos, that grit and determination are sometimes just as valuable as God-given skill.

#44 Nate Thompson

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 20-25 points, more of the same.

GP: 81 G: 9 A: 7 Pts: 16 +/-: 3 PIM: 27

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

It was another steady season for Nate Thompson, who anchored the Lightning’s fourth line, as expected. He also managed to pick up a couple of timely short-handed goals this season.

While Nate’s scoring was down a little from previous years, he seems to be getting only more reliable in his role. He had a revolving door of linemates this season, often being handed guys who were in and out of the lineup. He had a brief period of more offensive duties when he found himself centering J.T. Brown and Nik Kucherov, but Thompson’s most consistent linemate this year was Ryan Malone. And we all know what kind of season Malone had.

Grade: B

Looking Ahead: Nate Thompson is signed through to the end of the 2017 season. And at the end of this year, we got a glimpse of his likely replacement: Cedric Paquette. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Thompson’s time with the Lightning extended beyond that year. Thompson is a solid player who performs well in a very defined role. He might struggle to top 20 points from here on out, particularly under Jon Cooper, who seems to love using his fourth line as a shutdown/energy line. But Thompson will continue to be appreciated for what he is by Tampa Bay fans.

#51 Valtteri Filppula

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 50-60 points, team’s main penalty killer, regular PP duty.

GP: 75 G: 25 A: 33 Pts: 58 +/-: 5 PIM: 20

Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

If ever there was a move that shook Lightning fans’s faith in GM Steve Yzerman, it was the five year, $25 million deal he offered Valtteri “Flip” Filppula on July 1. Filppula was coming off arguably his worst season as a professional.

A year later, and Flip’s deal looks like a steal. He was the ideal second line center for a team that molded its identity over 82 games, and that identity actually looks a lot like Filppula’s. The Tampa Bay Lightning are team that might lack size, but they make up for it with skill and first-rate work ethic, a description is also apt for Filppula’s game.

Flip was acquired to initiate a culture change in Tampa Bay, and I think it’s fair to say the gamble paid off. Filppula, despite being anchored by Teddy Purcell for much of the year, managed a career high 25 goals to go along with 58 points. He was also Tampa’s top defensive center and took the lion’s share of important faceoffs.

Filppula’s best play came post-trade deadline when he found himself on a line with super rookie Ondrej Palat and newcomer Ryan Callahan. The line gelled instantly and could be a mainstay next season should Callahan resign.

Grade: A-

Looking Ahead: Next season should give us more of the same from Filppula, particularly if he finds himself on a line with chemistry. He’s also going to see more duties as Tampa Bay’s chief powerplay operator next year, which could see him score closer to a point-per-game. As great as this season was, and I doubt there’s anyone who doesn’t think it was a smashing success, the best could still be yet to come.

#71 Richard Panik

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 40-45 points thanks to a bit of PP time.

GP: 50 G: 3 A: 10 Pts: 13 +/-: -9 PIM: 21

Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Richard Panik has become one of the biggest enigmas in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. He clearly has the tools to be an impact player for the Lightning, but as we saw this season, particularly early on, he has yet to figure out how to dial his considerable skillset in at the NHL level.

Panik made the team as part of the “Tampacuse” line, along with fellow 2012/2013 Syracuse top-liners Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat. However, within a handful of games, it was clear that while Johnson and Palat were settling into the NHL pace, Panik was struggling to get comfortable. He often looked out of place, as if he wasn’t quite sure what he should be doing at any given moment, which led to pedestrian play and the occasional boneheaded decision. It also, of course, led to a demotion to the AHL.

The demotion turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Panik. In the AHL, along with his stint in the Olympics, he seemed to find his game. He remembered that it’s based heavily on driving hard toward the net and using his speed and heavy frame to bully his opponents. He wound up scoring 11 points in 13 games with Syracuse.

When he returned to the NHL near the end of the season, Panik looked a lot more like we expected him to look at the year’s beginning, which is to say, a lot more like himself.

Grade: D

Looking Ahead: Panik is likely looking to put his rookie season behind him. He’s had enough NHL experience now to know what to expect, and also to know what’s expected of him, and what it will take to succeed at this level. Most of us, I believe, were pretty happy with Panik’s play upon his return to Tampa Bay, and I would expect to see more of that. Next season will effectively be a do-over.

#86 Nikita Kucherov

My 2013/2014 Forecast: —

GP: 52 G: 9 A: 9 Pts: 18 +/-: 3 PIM: 14

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

With 13 goals in 17 AHL games, Nikita Kucherov quickly played his way out of Syracuse and into the Tampa Bay Lightning lineup. In Tampa Bay, the whirlwind continued, and Kucherov scored on his first shot and first shift in the NHL. After that, things got a little inconsistent.

Of course, that’s to be expected – Kucherov made his NHL debut at least a full year ahead of schedule, maybe two, and was handed pretty sheltered minutes in the NHL. He never did see significant time with a scoring line, nor was he used much on the powerplay despite getting decent results in what limited time he was used.

For the first couple of months of his NHL career, Kucherov was snakebitten. He scored the occasional goal, but given the fact that he had a stretch of about a dozen games where he seemed to have a breakaway in each one, it always seemed like he was capable of more. A lot more. But he couldn’t quite finish on the plethora of chances he was getting.

That lack of finish led to confidence issues, and confidence issues led to uneven play. By year’s end, Kucherov found himself watching games from the pressbox as often as not.

When grading Kucherov’s performance, however, it’s important to remember: he wasn’t really supposed to be here. So expectations can’t be high. The fact that he showed flashes of what’s to come, and proved that he can already play at an NHL level, speak highly for what’s to come.

Grade: B-

Looking Ahead: Kucherov can’t take a roster spot for granted next year. There’s a lot to be said for giving him the full year in Syracuse he was supposed to get this year. But Tampa Bay’s door won’t be closed to him either. He’ll have a slight inside track at next year’s training camp, and I would expect him to be training hard in the off-season to build up his strength. While Kucherov didn’t set the world on fire with his rookie year, he also did nothing to discourage the belief that he could wind up a perennial 30 goal man. The talent is there, and it was obvious.

#91 Steven Stamkos

My 2013/2014 Forecast: 50 goals, 100 points, career year, leads by example with defensive zone effort.

GP: 37 G: 25 A: 15 Pts: 40 +/-: 9 PIM: 18

Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The drama in Tampa Bay was hot and heavy this year, and no one felt its effects more than Steven Stamkos. First there was the broken leg, then there was the missed Olympic opportunity, and finally there was the trade of his long-time friend and mentor, Martin St. Louis.

The season’s start was eye-opening. For 16 games, Steven Stamkos was not just his old self, he was better. He was more physical, more defensively responsible, and he was still scoring a boatload of goals. For 16 games, Stamkos gave Sidney Crosby a run for his best-player-in-the-world money. Then game 17 happened.

We all remember it. We have the image burned into our brains and that image isn’t going anywhere. So let’s fast forward to March. Steven Stamkos returned to a very different Lightning world. Martin St. Louis was gone, and Stamkos was suddenly the captain of his team. By all accounts, he embraced the captaincy and thrived in the role.

On the ice, Stamkos was probably never better than 90% of himself after returning, and in reality he probably wasn’t that much. Fortunately for us, 90% of Steven Stamkos is still better than 99% of players in the world. He fell back to relying mostly on his one-timer to provide offense. (It turns out broken legs don’t hinder one-timers.) Some nights he seemed to have the old jump back in his legs, and other nights it wasn’t there at all. That affected his ability to play physically along the boards and it affected his ability to play the sound 200 foot game we saw early in the season. It was to be expected.

It’s hard to put a grade on Stamkos’s year. The first portion was clearly an A+, but the injured portion deserves an Incomplete, since we weren’t seeing Stammer in full possession of his powers. That said, life isn’t fair, and neither was school, so I’ll give Stammer a sad little B+.

Grade: B+

Looking Ahead: There’s no reason to believe Stamkos won’t return to the form we saw briefly in October and November. His will to succeed in the NHL is second to none, and that should drive him through any obstacles his injury throws at him over the summer. He should come to camp this fall finally at 100%, and ready to lead by example again. Despite losing his long-time wing-man and BFF Marty St. Louis, the Lightning have plenty of offensive weapons to surround him with. One of those weapons is Ondrej Palat, who, given his style of play, should be able to work wonders with Stamkos. If Stamkos can stay healthy for a full year (accidents, we’ve all learned, do happened), he should be able to finally start breaking 100 points and challenging for scoring titles.

The Rest of the Gang

A handful of forwards played fewer than 20 games for the Lightning this season but still deserve a little bit of attention.

Most notably, Cedric Paquette was called up near season’s end and performed admirably. Paquette, nicknamed “Dumptruck,” is the prototypical fourth line energy center. While his speed has always been thought to be a weakness, it didn’t seem to hurt him much in Tampa Bay. There were times when his inexperience showed, for sure, but it speaks strongly in his favor that coach Jon Cooper refused to take him out of the lineup in spite of more experienced options being available. Paquette could have an inside track for next year’s team.

Vladimir Namestnikov appeared in four games for the Lightning this season. The rest of the year was spent in Syracuse, where, thanks to a broken hand, he was held to just 56 games. Namestnikov still performed admirably, scoring 48 points, and was one of the few bright spots with the Crunch this year. Expect him to return to Syracuse for a full year in 2014/2015 where he should be one of the AHL’s best players, and compete for a full-time roster spot in Tampa Bay after that.

Tampa Bay’s other enigma (aside from Richard Panik) is Brett Connolly. Connolly had a blazing training camp in which he was arguably Tampa Bay’s best player, but still found himself demoted to Syracuse simply because a top-six role wasn’t available for him. Connolly’s AHL year started poorly, but he was nonetheless called up to the NHL… where things continued to go poorly. In 11 games, Connolly registered a single goal and became more and more invisible until finally he was returned to Syracuse. It took a little while for Connolly to get going there, but he wound up turning in a very good season, scoring 57 points in 66 games. If Connolly is not traded for blue line help in the coming off-season, he’ll surely find a spot on the Lightning roster — he’ll have to clear waivers in order to be returned to Syracuse.

It’s likely that Pierre-Cedric Labrie‘s window of opportunity for an NHL career has closed. Labrie failed to register a point in 13 games, appeared slow by NHL standards, couldn’t seem to use his size to his advantage, and was demoted to the AHL by the end of 2013. In Syracuse he scored six points in 38 games. It’s unknown whether the team plans to resign him for the coming year.

Thanks for reading.

@DfrederickCook