Season opener totally snuck up on me. Any word on how Koepke has looked?

hasn't done much of anything

no good, no bad

It wasn't as bad as last year, but still I don't know about watching the 1st game next year

Also, the "Igor is better" chant was completely unnecessary and tbh just wrong tonight. Vasy was better, Shesterkin just had a lot more help

Team sucked outside of Vasy and maybe a couple others. That should be the first and last game with Foote on the top pairing, as he was awful. None of the defenseman stood out in a good way really, and neither did most of the F. Outshot badly, outworked badly, outplayed badly. Split the big 3 up and get Killorn as far down the lines as possible. See if maybe Names with Kuch can work again. Something like:
Names-Point-Kuch
Paul-Stamkos-Hagel
Killorn-Colton-Koepke
Maroon-PEB-Perry

Hedman-Myers
Sergachev-Cernak
Fleury-Foote

Obviously weren't good, but I don't think we were this bad either. I think the current lines should get at least one more game. Point especially looked good and if he can start finishing his chances or feeding Stammer and Kuch for open shots that line will easily be in the conversation for best line in the league

And then have 3 lines that do very little offensively until Cirelli gets back, no thanks. Hagel needs to be with a C who can set him up well, which is either Stamkos or Point(maybe Cirelli later). Rather have two lines that can produce effectively, rather than being a 1 line team and then just stink when they get shut down.

Don't forget Paul and especially Colton are pretty good offensive players. If they can get it going and Koepke's shot starts working like we know it can, then that could be a very good line.

Cirelli isn't the move offensively gifted guy around (relatively speaking). Having him with Point stifles Point's offensive production. They're apparently really good buddies but it's never really worked on the ice.

I'd like to see Paul get some time with Kuch and either Stammer/Point for a couple reps and see what happens.

I wouldn't push for Point with Cirelli, only that Cirelli and Hagel could work. Once he is back, I would hope to see something similar to
Hagel-Point-Kuch
Paul-Stamkos-Colton
Killorn-Cirelli-Names
If Names thrives up on the top line(if he's given the chance), keep him there and move Hagel or Colton to the 3rd. Cirelli, as you said, has been better defensively, so maybe him with Killorn and one of Colton or Names will work on the 3rd. Names isn't a great two way player, so I'd rather see him try and help offensively on the 1st or 2nd line. Several combinations could work, but imo not just throwing the big three together and hoping they can carry the team. Killorn looks like he's an anchor, and one can only hope they try someone different up there and on the PP.

The only games I can't watch are NHL Network games. And here we are in the 1st week of the season and there are already 2 NHL Network games

Well I'm tardy to the party.
Wasn't able to watch much of game 1 and now we're already down 0-1...

How you doing now?

Steve! They don't ask how they ask how many 😋

Did you send this before or after Columbus' tying goal? Lol

Just before. Legit hit send and boom goal. 😋

Vladdy has been great.

If we can get others to fill in the Top 6, he is going to make a great third liner

In Europe currently so haven't been watching the games but glad to see Stammer is still staying hot from last year and Vasy being Vasy

Stammer going for the Rocket Richard this season

He's playing like he's mad that Matthews is now the most recent player to get 60 goals

Another pathetic performance from about everyone. The defense is one of the worst I've seen in a long time. Every game Tampa gives up 40+ shots to a good team reminds me what a great decision trading McD and letting Rutta walk continues to be....

We should have shipped Killorn and never signed Cole and kept McDonagh.

Love Rutta, but we didn't need to pay him what Pitt gave him.

Wish we had a Taylor Raddysh on our team...

Rutta may have been paid a few hundred k more than I thought he'd get, but Tampa had no problem paying Cole more, Names the same, and, for this year, Myers. The extra years may have made a difference I suppose, but with the cap apparently going up soon, hard to see it not being worth keeping him. McD was going to have to go, but it didn't have to be at that point. He may have lost a step, maybe not, but moving him when they did did severe damage to the team's chances at another Cup run this year. They shipped him out for garbage and let Palat go, but Killorn was untouchable? Lol. At least there's only 79 games left of Killorn pulling the team down.

Names has been ok and will be a solid bottom 6 guy this year. We didn't have a forward prospect absolutely ready to take the job.

I think Myers will come good once he get more familiar with the system. Goodrow was a questionable move at first.

Cole and Myers were brought in as cover for Foote and Sergy who both need to take a step this year. We've been living like kings these last two year now we have to deal with the realities that sometimes teams have growing pains.

As for moving Mac. Do you gamble on the young guy taking a step or gamble on the old guy not regressing and becoming and anchor that you cant move?

Perbix getting the call up. Get excited!