Gary Graf

@NHLTradeAlert Wonder if they were going after Trochek. They could have used another right shot C that's good at face-offs

32 Thoughts (May 4): In talking about Tampa's season, Elliotte said they looked in to trading someone who isn't a top name at the deadline to add an offensive C so they could take some of the load off Brayden Point. Ultimately it didn't happen since it would have required other moves to happen. #GoBolts #NHL

@NHLTradeAlert Geekie, Pelletier, and Duke have earned promotions to the big squad

@gjgraf91 Which AHL players would you have on the team next season?

Tampa fans, how do you feel about the season? • What does the team need to do to get passed the 1st round again? • Is it the offseason to make a big move? • What changes would you like to see them make in the summer? #GoBolts  #NHL

@puckingdiva Good deal. All I remember was there was a bunch of conditions on the pick

@gjgraf91 It’s top 10 protected 💀

i’d rather not have made the playoffs and get a first round pick than make it just to lose in the first round 💀

@Chris_Cole97 @MikeBartner He really hasn't had any albatross contracts. That's been one Hallmark of JBB's tenure

@MikeBartner JBB has given out big contracts and they were bad!

Part of the reason why Tampa has been bounced from the first round in 4 straight years is Julien BriseBois went from a Deadline BEAST to kind of a bum tossing up airballs.

@nick_dece @MikeBartner That injury last year really took a toll on Bjorkstrand.

@MikeBartner Tbh, I think at the time the Bjorkstrand trade was seen as a good one by most. His falloff was pretty hard to predict.

@MikeBartner Also got Duclair the same year they got Dumba

@elektrify @NHLTradeAlert He would have been moved to make the incoming salary cap work.

@NHLTradeAlert His contract is expiring to weird it would be him, also weird Tampa wouldn’t jump at the chance to move him

@BoltsBreakdown The team did have its flaws but this year did feel different because they overcame so much adversity. In the grand scheme, they were still a top 6 regular season team. Some tweaks here and there, and we could be seeing a different result next year

Everyone says the Lightning aren't the same team from 2020/2021 — bravo, they aren't. Julien BriseBois changed everything after 2024. To me, there's two Lightning teams to compare: First Team (2018-2024): • 2018 — Lost in conference finals after holding a 3-2 series lead (shutout games six & seven). • 2019 — Lost in first round after dominating regular season. Two extremely disappointing losses for a team with more to give; then, • 2020 — Cup Champions • 2021 — Cup Champions • 2022 — Cup Finals Julien BriseBois broke it all apart, trading Sergachev, signing Guentzel, letting Stamkos walk, etc., after two R1 exits. Second Team (2025-present): • 2025 — Lost in first round...felt pushed around, like they had more to give. • 2026 — Lost in first round after dominating regular season. Two extremely disappointing losses for a team with more to give; then, .... ———————————————————————— See the pattern? Again, it's not time to break this down. If it took two crushing postseason defeats for '20 & '21 team to finally become champions, then why are we panicking when this team takes two crushing defeats? Just wait till next year, you'll see. #GoBolts

@jayRecher When will we see the next wave of players - Geekie, Pelletier, Duke, and O'Reilly

Lightning exit interviews tomorrow at 9am We should hear from JBB, Coop, Kuch, Pointer, Mac, Hagel and others, mayyybe Heddy? What would you ask if you had the chance to be in that room? #GoBolts #NHL

@PupienusMaxima @JeremyT429 @_Boltergeist_ @Jameis838863 He definitely looked lost positionally. Tampa did him no favors throwing him in to start playoffs after only a couple games down the stretch. Gotta see what the kid has got next year. Let him learn

@gjgraf91 @JeremyT429 @_Boltergeist_ @Jameis838863 He's not slow exactly, but he's pretty bad defensively I do think he can develop still, but he has to be first and foremost a physical presence who doesn't give up the puck easily and in terrible moments

$7.9M in cap space

@bigpaulfla @jayRecher Agreed where was the net front presence

@jayRecher Why didn't you make their goalie more "uncomfortable " in his crease? Why didn't you crash the net. Why all the high slot and perimeter shooting straight into his pads/body? And Jay you have a great show! Thank you for all your outstanding Bolts coverage this year! -#GoBolts

@_Boltergeist_ @JeremyT429 @Jameis838863 Agreed

@gjgraf91 @JeremyT429 @Jameis838863 He's fast but not quick. His skating definitely needs work but people saying he's slow are outing themselves.

@JeremyT429 @_Boltergeist_ @Jameis838863 I don't get why people are saying Geekie is slow. Have you watched him play this year?

@_Boltergeist_ @Jameis838863 I don’t understand why everyone is trying to pretend Geekie is better than he is. It’s like we are using false hope to have a positive outlook. Can he be good? Sure. But he is skating in mud and way less physical than he should be for his size.

@_Boltergeist_ Um sure, let's trade half our defense and keep the 35 and 36 yr olds. Also, let's trade our #1 prospect because he made a couple rookie mistakes in the playoffs at the ripe age of 21.

@ChoppinBravos They could use Grant Holmes look-alike local12.com/sports/reds/ve…

Chapman is going to round off the Atlanta bullpen into god status Iggy, Suarez, Kinley Lee, Chapman Good luck

@ECloskyWTSP Hopefully, some of the youth transitions over. Coop likes to stick with the veterans. It's time to see what they have in Geekie and others. They're going to make mistakes along the way but got to let them learn.

I'll have a succinct set of thoughts on the Tampa Bay Lightning season tomorrow. For now: - Game 7 - Kucherov complaints - Depth scoring won series for MTL - Questions are fair surrounding Point/Hedman - 2026-27 roster is kinda set - Still think this is a damn good hockey team

@stevecarney Get younger

The question for #TBLightning fans has to be, “What do you need to see changed?” Because as much talent as this team has, getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs, even in seven games where each game was decided by one goal, is unacceptable.

@stevecarney Only one of those players needs re-signed, which is Raddysh

PuckPedia projects that Lightning will have ~$13 million in cap space for next season, but also six players becoming UFA (Bjorkstrand, Perry, Chaffee, Sabourin, Raddysh, Carlile*) and Kucherov going into final year of his contract at $9.5 million. #TBLightning