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Around The League - 2023-24 Regular Season

When Lightning coach Jon Cooper first saw Point in the 2014 development camp, he saw the same flaw most other people did with Point. “My first impression of Brayden Point was that he struggled to skate,” Cooper said. “He had all the attributes. He had the hockey sense, the competitiveness, he had all the hockey player traits you need, except shockingly enough, he didn’t have the speed he has now. All he did was improve his skating. He’s gone from an OK, decent skater to an exceptional skater.”

As soon as the Lightning took him, they turned him over to Stacy Roest, who does much of the development work with the team. Roest put Point onto Barbara Underhill, a former World Champion pairs skater who has helped a number of NHLers improve their stride. Among those working with Point was Jamie Heffernan, a golf pro by profession who is also a consultant with the Lightning. He was one of the first in hockey to use the Zenolink 3D motion capture technology system as a tool to analyze skating. The result is the current version of Brayden Point, an elite skater who can play both ends of the ice and could very well end up winning the Conn Smythe Trophy this season.
 
Some teams get it, and are proactive....others prefer being reactive
Stevie Y took a gamble that pending concussion lawsuits would force a change in the game towards speed & skill during a time heavy teams (Kings, Bruins, Ducks) were all the rage back in 2010....
 
Maybe the Isles don't have the sharpshooters of Tampa, but I thought they played it dumb despite being the better team for most of it. . They had a 5 minute power play shortly after opening the scoring in the first, and didn't force it. And at 1-1, same thing. Overcautious hockey in the offensive zone, passing their way from good opportunities to poor ones. Its not like they were sitting on a lead, which still would have made it a bad strategy. What did they think was going to happen? Could see it coming a mile away. It was only a matter of time before they would have a zone breakdown, and one of the sharper players on Tampa would put it end the net, if not in regulation,then OT. Tampa was easily there for the taking, and Isles messed it up. Maybe just a team that has overachieved in the playoffs, and came back to earth a bit.

I realize I am not a fan of Eberle or his game at all. He is exactly the type of player Bergevin would overpay to get.
 
Lots of bad decisions by NYI in that game. They had so many opportunities but failed to take advantage of any. I don't think they'll come back in this series.

And yeah Eberle has been bad.
 
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