Lightning continue to Roll

[swamprat]

On 4/18/2019 at 5:08 PM, Jonesy Bull said:

It really was a perfect storm (to steal Triple B's comment) that went against the Lightning, and the #1 seed doesn't usually have to play a #8 seed team the caliber and a team that was peaking at the right time like Columbus was.

2005/06. The Red Wings won the President's Trophy (58 wins 124 points) and dominated the Edmonton Oilers in game 1 of the playoffs, but lost the next 4 games. Detroit won the cup 2 years later. FWIW, that was Steve Yzerman's last season as a player.

 

[Guest Jonesy Bull]

Now Stevie Y is heading off to Detroit - like we didn't see that coming.

There is no way to replace him, but I hope our new GM can at least keep the train rolling and keep the team ultra competitive for years to come.  I guess only time will tell.

[Triple B]

1 hour ago, Jonesy Bull said:

Now Stevie Y is heading off to Detroit - like we didn't see that coming.

There is no way to replace him, but I hope our new GM can at least keep the train rolling and keep the team ultra competitive for years to come.  I guess only time will tell.

Only problem here is SY taking key people from the organization ..... especially in the scoutin/developing areas.

[Triple B]

As painful as it was, if you're destined to not win the Cup, I prefer the quick ripping off of the band aid that we had to what Toronto fans went through .... and to an even greater extent, what Vegas fans endured ....

[Paisa el Toro]

On 4/12/2019 at 8:48 PM, NewEnglandBull said:

Talk about pooping the bed...Jesus. The curse of the presidents trophy is in full bloom...

Poop The Bed Disease strikes again!

[DELdaBull]

No higher seed advanced in the 1st round. 

What a mess. 

[Triple B]

2 hours ago, DELdaBull said:

No higher seed advanced in the 1st round. 

What a mess. 

Playoff hockey in the age of league forced parity ...

[Guest Jonesy Bull]

3 hours ago, DELdaBull said:

No higher seed advanced in the 1st round. 

What a mess. 

In some ways this makes it harder to accept.......the road to the Cup just got THEORETICALLY less difficult.

**** it Lightning for pooping the bed.  UGH

[Triple B]

Vinik season ending email ....

Quote

May 2, 2019

Dear Triple B,

To state the obvious, the 2018-19 season did not end as we all hoped it would. I am the first to admit our collective disappointment at losing in four games in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While we take great pride and satisfaction in our team’s accomplishments in the regular season – winning 62 of our 82 games and the Presidents’ Trophy, both fantastic achievements - we accept full ownership and responsibility for our result in the postseason. Nobody is more disappointed than our players and the hockey operations department, inclusive of Julien BriseBois, Jon Cooper, our coaches, and staff. Me, too.

That said, we remain very bullish on our future and the extremely talented core of players that Julien (and Steve Yzerman before him) have assembled. We don’t want to overreact to this year’s disappointment. We fully expect to have one of the best teams in the National Hockey League entering the 2019-20 season and we will, once again, be a recognized contender for the Stanley Cup.

As we move into the summer of 2019, I would like to acknowledge Steve Yzerman’s departure to Detroit and thank him for all his work in Tampa Bay over the past nine years. When I purchased the Lightning franchise in 2010, Steve brought us instant credibility in accepting the role of General Manager and he did a fantastic job in turning the Lightning into a model franchise year-in, year out. As Steve moves on, we wish him luck and express our gratitude for his work in Tampa Bay.

When we named Julien BriseBois our General Manager in September 2019, I enthusiastically expressed our confidence in him being the right man to lead us to the Stanley Cup. Nothing that has transpired in the last eight months leads me to feel differently. I remain confident we will win the Cup, and I believe it will happen with Julien as our General Manager and with Jon Cooper as our head coach.

We are extremely fortunate to have excellent people throughout the organization and a solid long-term plan to be competitive every year. Our hockey operations department will continue to have access to every resource necessary to compete for and win the Cup. As usual, I intend to let Julien and his staff do their jobs, and I thank CEO Steve Griggs and his great team on the business side for helping provide the resources necessary to win in today’s NHL.

While Julien and his team get to work over the coming months bolstering our roster and preparing for the 2019-20 season, I assure you that you’ll continue to see the same organization this summer that you have seen for the past several years: an active, community-based franchise doing all that it can for the people of Tampa Bay and our great fan base. We thank Tampa Bay for its continued support of the Lightning (201 consecutive sellouts – incredible!), and we’ll continue to do all that we can to demonstrate our appreciation, inclusive of our community hockey development efforts and our employee - led volunteer program, C.H.A.R.G.E.

Please enjoy your summer knowing we are hard at work on and off the ice to make the 2019-20 season one of the best yet. And know that we will work relentlessly in pursuit of our primary goal: winning the Stanley Cup. And we thank you, our fans, for your relentless support of our team and our organization.

Go Bolts!

Jeff Vinik
Chairman and Governor

 

[Guest Jonesy Bull]

Nice letter from Vinik.....top notch organization as long as he remains owner.....i believe this team will win a stanley within the next 2 or 3 years.

Meanwhile the only team im really rooting against thats left is Boston. Cant stand their players or their fans..Go Blue Jackets - at least this series.