[Unrivaled]

Just saying, Tampa should be forced to sit 2 of their top players or a bunch of depth players.

They took advantage of the salary cap loophole and no one can beat this super team now.

Not even fun to watch them.

[hehfest]

They got a few cheap goals, but goals are goals. They didn't dominate this game. Montreal does need to get back to their game with backchecking better and dumping the puck in and forechecking better. It wasn't there tonite. Also, Armia being out and Evans in.......not sure how I think about that yet. I think they are better with both in and someone else out......but I'd rather have Armia over Evans. I could be wrong about that and Evans could be better than Armia vs. TB too.

Armia taken out by COVID along with head coach. Price had a bad game too. Made some great great saves many times but then let in trickle-types. They need to cut down on these easy point blank TB scoring opportunities too. They can skate with TB.

I do hear your claim and it does look bleak for MTL after game 1.

[Unrivaled]

I'm not a Montreal fan but when you have multiple players from teams who Tampa beat complaining about the cap circumvention...

I think the NHL has a problem.

[hehfest]

I'm not a Montreal fan but when you have multiple players from teams who Tampa beat complaining about the cap circumvention...

I think the NHL has a problem.

Hey good point man, I really haven't paid attention to salary stuff. But, I know they lost nearly NOBODY from last years Cup win. Nearly every team in every sport loses some major players at least one. A reminder that I haven't noticed the Bucs in football lose anyone major either? They must be front-loading everything paying less now and more later, etc.

[Vyasports]

I'm not a Montreal fan but when you have multiple players from teams who Tampa beat complaining about the cap circumvention...

I think the NHL has a problem.

it's an interesting point

[champlain]

I'm not a Montreal fan but when you have multiple players from teams who Tampa beat complaining about the cap circumvention...

I think the NHL has a problem.

This is collectively bargained. Why would the players be against it when doing so would be against their financial interest? You pay players 20 millions over the cap, why would players hate that?

[jjgold]

come back with Canadians game 2

[MinnesotaFats]

Yeah I don't understand the gripe here.

They were one of the best teams in nhl w/ out Krustev who sat all season getting healthy. They used the long term injury rules properly...had they missed the playoffs it'd been their misfortune.

You wanna know why Florida is winning in everything....no state tax and lots of sunshine.

That's why Florida is getting these great players, in every sport, and building playoff teams, in every sport.

Florida is a destination for winners. Canada is not.

[navyblue81]

I disagree with “they’re not fun to watch.” Dude, if you don’t enjoy watching the Lightning, you must hate hockey. They’re one of the most entertaining teams out there.

As for the rules, that’s a Bettman thing to come down on if they’re being broken. I haven’t really studied the details on it so I don’t know. But I wouldn’t blame TB if they did. I’d blame Bettman and the powers that be. I heard Bettman say in his Pc they did everything in the rules, so I guess for now we got to go with that.

[BarkingToad]

I disagree with “they’re not fun to watch.” Dude, if you don’t enjoy watching the Lightning, you must hate hockey. They’re one of the most entertaining teams out there.

True!

[goduke]

It’s just a cycle. Tampa went through many years of failing as a great team. They just hit the stride now. Teams repeat in hockey it happens. You’ll get a new champ next year

[k13]

They barely beat an average Islanders team.

Montreal is not even a playoff team so yeah they should spank them with cap or over cap or whatever.

[goduke]

They barely beat an average Islanders team.

Montreal is not even a playoff team so yeah they should spank them with cap or over cap or whatever.

Radical take. Not a playoff team that is in the finals. Delusional

[Judge Crater]

Yeah I don't understand the gripe here.They were one of the best teams in nhl w/ out Krustev who sat all season getting healthy. They used the long term injury rules properly...had they missed the playoffs it'd been their misfortune. You wanna know why Florida is winning in everything....no state tax and lots of sunshine.That's why Florida is getting these great players, in every sport, and building playoff teams, in every sport. Florida is a destination for winners. Canada is not.

NHL - Absolutely correct, Florida has always been the preferred destination for Canadians in all professions.
Baseball - Not sure, the two small market teams definitely punch above their weight but they are not powerhouses.
CFB - Homegrown talent
NFL - Probably both play and draw worse than average long term
NBA - Seem to play about average, both teams did good when superstars joined them. If Lebron would have joined Admiral Farragut Academy, they probably could have played with anyone.
CBB -Home grown talent, lots of teams, with only Florida consistently good.

[champlain]

Also, most of their players are homegrown. They are not buying Stanley cups like teams do in the nba. Kucherov, Vasilevskiy, Stamkos, Point, Hedman, Killorn are drafted by them. Even if you think they did take advantage of the rules, they still had to play without their best player for the whole year. Nobody is risking missing the playoffs by stashing away a healthy superstar.

[19th Hole]

Sharp team management knows the rules and responds accordingly.

Losers remain losers.

[lakerboy]

NHL honestly has no great teams besides the lightning.
Boston basically window closed
Colorado has too many soft guys
Carolina was just a regular season team. Mrazek starting games lol
Vegas I have never liked. Good team but they always fall at the end.
Leafs another pus sy team

[navyblue81]

They barely beat an average Islanders team.

Montreal is not even a playoff team so yeah they should spank them with cap or over cap or whatever.

Islanders beat Boston in 6. They’re a pretty solid team. Series prolly ends in 6 if Kuch didn’t get hurt. They also spanked NYI 8-0 in one of the games. Kiddos to NYI for making it a series even though I thought the Bolts were quite a bit better. I had TB under 6 games so lost my bet there.

[swordsandtequila]

Just saying, Tampa should be forced to sit 2 of their top players or a bunch of depth players.

They took advantage of the salary cap loophole and no one can beat this super team now.

Not even fun to watch them.

Stop your fukn' whining already. We get it, you don't like the Lightning. I don't recall any bitching when Chicago did the exact same thing in 2015 with Patrick Kane...when they beat the Lightning. The difference being the Lightning didn't go out and sign a bunch of high dollar free agents, they pulled from their own. One of the best run franchises (arguably the best) in the big 4 sports, quality farm system, solid drafting and trades, continuity at the top with an excellent owner, gm and coach. That's why they're in their 3rd Stanley Cup final in the last 7 years.

[swordsandtequila]

Ask the Canadians if they'd like a do-over on the Jonathan Drouin-Mikhail Sergachev trade. Maybe the Kings would like Eric Cernak back, considering they got all of 7 games from Ben Bishop. And not to forget the Rangers, thank you very much for Ryan McDonagh. The Bolts flipped a couple of promising forwards (who they produce like the Rays do pitchers) and a lame duck goalie for three top 6 defenseman. Don't blame the rules, blame your respective front offices.

[hehfest]

come back with Canadians game 2

Thanks for the fade!

[k13]

Radical take. Not a playoff team that is in the finals. Delusional

They would not be in the playoffs if not for stupid covid format. Simple as that.

20 games under .500 is a playoff team??

Time for a spanking.

[k13]

Montreal +2.5 -110 for the series...lol

[goduke]

They would not be in the playoffs if not for stupid covid format. Simple as that.

20 games under .500 is a playoff team??

Time for a spanking.

The schedules aren’t even set up correctly. Canada teams all played Canada teams. Regular season record this year didn’t matter. I could argue that their record would have been better had they play Buffalo a million times like some teams.
And I didn’t say they were going to beat Tampa. I’m on record saying they would make the finals and lose to Tampa. But your take they don’t deserve to be there is garbage. They were built for playoff hockey

[KVB]

NHL honestly has no great teams besides the lightning.
Boston basically window closed
Colorado has too many soft guys
Carolina was just a regular season team. Mrazek starting games lol
Vegas I have never liked. Good team but they always fall at the end.
Leafs another pus sy team

Agreed, NYI and Montreal brought grit, not great teams.

Still fun to watch when I did get a chance to just watch.

[icon]

Just saying, Tampa should be forced to sit 2 of their top players or a bunch of depth players.

They took advantage of the salary cap loophole and no one can beat this super team now.

Not even fun to watch them.

Different strokes I guess. I love watching the Canadiens get their shit pushed in by a much better team.
Can't stand the Habs and their fans.

Go Bolts!

[thomorino]

They are following the rules. Kicherov didn’t count against the cap because he missed the regular season. Your issue with the rules not Tampa, other teams like the Islanders were over the cap too.

[Unrivaled]

20 mill over the cap buys you a Stanley Cup.

NHL has become a joke honestly.

[Kindred]

Then go watch the NBA cause nothing like that happens there

Or just take tampa to win at 5-1 early in the season rather than cry about it when they win

[RM Logic]

20 mill over the cap buys you a Stanley Cup.

NHL has become a joke honestly.

No one anywhere cares about a cap. Teams in every sport can manipulate the cap especially the NFL.

[MiDNiTe]

Followed the rules, didn't cheat and one of the best front office teams in the business

[Unrivaled]

Followed the rules, didn't cheat and one of the best front office teams in the business

Not fun to watch though unless you are a Tampa fan.

Their team top to bottom is so good plus they have the best goalie.

[MiDNiTe]

Not fun to watch though unless you are a Tampa fan.

Their team top to bottom is so good plus they have the best goalie.

They will probably lose 2 guys now, wonder who they will trade

[lakerboy]

Zero chance they win 3 in a row.

[swordsandtequila]

20 mill over the cap buys you a Stanley Cup.

NHL has become a joke honestly.

Cap rule been in place since 2005. And you think the Lightning are the first team to take advantage of it

Then go watch the NBA cause nothing like that happens there

Or just take tampa to win at 5-1 early in the season rather than cry about it when they win

Followed the rules, didn't cheat and one of the best front office teams professional sports

Fify

Not fun to watch though unless you are a Tampa fan.

Their team top to bottom is so good plus they have the best goalie.

Yeah, not like they drafted well, traded well, built a great farm system, or hired great staff from coaches to scouts

This story sums it up: https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/sto...salary-cap-era

Every team in the league had multiple chances to draft Kucherov, Point, Palat, Cirelli. 18 teams passed on Vasilevskiy. The game winner tonight was scored by a 3rd/4th liner taken 118th. Tyler Johnson is a top 6 forward on every other team in the league. He was undrafted, as was Yanni Gourde. Hockey "experts" panned the Bolts for giving up 1st round picks for Coleman and Goodrow. Who's laughing now? Quit whining and give credit where credit's due.