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Round 1 - Florida Panthers (A1) vs Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)


Guess the series outcomes!  

89 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins in how many games?

  2. 2. BONUS: Who makes more saves throughout the series?



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3 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Lightning are cooked. 2 Cups is a fantastic achievement. They are over. 

 

Here's hoping, I was rooting for them as they went for the first of back to back cups but they've more than had their share of success

 

They can gradually decline and suffer for a while, they've earned it

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2 hours ago, Coconuts said:

Lightning down 3-0, they're probably done short of a monumental collapse 

 

Wooooo

 

It seems Tampa is just a little bit weaker than Florida - enough for them to keep falling short

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7 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

It seems Tampa is just a little bit weaker than Florida - enough for them to keep falling short

 

Their D isn't what it used to be, that's for sure 

 

Florida's also been stifling their powerplay, which has been key to their regular season success, Lightning are 1/10 in their last 10, 2/12 overall

 

3 minutes ago, D-Money said:


He’s been just brutal this series. 

 

Couldn't happen to a more arrogant Bolt 

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7 hours ago, Coconuts said:

Lightning down 3-0, they're probably done short of a monumental collapse 

 

Wooooo

Not monumental. It's a core of a team getting older. Making the Stanley Cup Finals 3 years in a row and winning 2, catches up with you eventually.

They lost last year in first round as well. Getting swept by a younger, hungrier team is not shocking.

BriseBois doesn't have a 1st round pick until 2026. He's going have some tough decisions to make.

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8 hours ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

Not monumental. It's a core of a team getting older. Making the Stanley Cup Finals 3 years in a row and winning 2, catches up with you eventually.

They lost last year in first round as well. Getting swept by a younger, hungrier team is not shocking.

BriseBois doesn't have a 1st round pick until 2026. He's going have some tough decisions to make.

 

I don't disagree, but that's also not what I was conveying. When I said the Bolts are likely done short of a monumental collapse I was referring to Florida collapsing and giving up a 3-0 series lead, which almost certainly doesn't happen. 

 

Tampa is likely approaching their decline, no bones about it. Stamkos and Hedman aren't getting any younger, their defense isn't what it once was, they've spent picks like candy, and their prospect pool is likely one of the worst in the league. 

 

They have the pieces to be a playoff team going forward but their days of contending are probably done. Younger and prime aged players of note include: Kucherov, Point, Hagel, Sergachev, Vasilevskiy, Cernak, and Cirelli. Kucherov is elite and may age like an elite player, but he'll also be 31 in June. Vasi will be 30 in July, he's a top of the league tender and may age like one. 

 

Overall, the Bolts simply don't have the depth they had when they made three straight runs any more and Stamkos and Hedman will not be easy players to replace. They should continue to be competitive, maybe a dark horse team, but their days as clearcut contenders are probably done. Thing is, they'll be hard pressed to find cost effective top end talent due to a lack of drafting and developing it.

 

Stamkos is 34 going on 35, Hedman is 33 going on 34, they are undoubtedly approaching the twilight of their careers even if they continue to play at a high level, they've been the franchise pillars for years and when they're done those will not be easy holes to fill.

 

There's a good chance smart management could enable the Bolts to transition into a lesser but still competitive team, avoiding an ugly retool/rebuild, but they should still be on the downswing in the near future. Kucherov dragged them to the playoffs this year, but one can't count on him having the kind of season he has this season every season going forward. 

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