TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 Patrick Maroon. Lightning continue to add veteran talent on the cheap. Tampa, FL is the latest stop for the well travelled Maroon who is coming fresh off a Stanley Cup win. $900K on a one year deal. When the Bolts moved out Adam Erne just over a week ago, some wondered where the needed "grit" would come from....well, if he stays healthy, here is Erne's replacement. From NHL.comhttps://www.nhl.com/news/pat-maroon-signs-contract-with-tampa-bay-lightning/c-308097054?tid=281072352 I never was a big fan of Maroon (like Kevin Shattenkirk), but, once again, for the price, and the term, even I can't complain. And if Maroon can help bolster and add "the missing ingredient" to the forward ranks, then it may be the best 900K TB has ever spent on a player contract! Maroon, Shattenkirk, Witkowski, Luke Schenn…. all seem like "spare parts" But that is $4M spread out over four players that could end up playing key roles in supplementing the Lightning's main core and MAYBE enough to push them to a Cup this season. And if the Bolts don't like what any of them brings, they are all done after this season, with the exception of Witkowski, to whom the team gave an extra year at $700K to. So, I guess "Welcome to Tampa Bay Pat Maroon?" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey-78 Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 What's Pat's plan? Usually players at his age after winning the SC don't settle for this kind of money and term. I guess he wanted Tampa more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 25, 2019 Author Share Posted August 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Hockey-78 said: What's Pat's plan? Usually players at his age after winning the SC don't settle for this kind of money and term. I guess he wanted Tampa more than anything. Hopefully, his plan is to be a back to back Stanley Cup champion. Presumably, he and his family are fine financially, he has a ring, so its not about the money, but rather for a legit shot (with him playing a big role) at another Cup. And since it is only for one season, he doesn't have to relocate his family (unless they ARE doing that for his post career)….and then maybe sail off into the sunset....LITERALLY....when things are done. Because even if the Bolts don't win, he STILL has a fresh Cup ring. I've always thought Maroon was a bit overrated, however, that isn't to say he doesn't have value. And at 900K, you just simply can't get better value than that: a proven SC winner who can score a bit, hit, and hopefully, still has the heart of a champion on the ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 I was confused by the Erne trade, Tampa needs a physical player or two and losing both Erne and Callahan replacing them with skilled kids in the bottom six didn't make a lot of sense. This signing is the perfect landing spot for Maroon. Same with Schenn, not a big fan but his rugged game as a 7th defender is smart. The one move that didn't make sense to me was the signing of McBackup, Domingue was more than capable as the backup last year, he played well, he went 21-5 with a 2.88 goals against, is still young-ish signing a career backup who is quite literally a decade older than Domingue while keeping Domingue in the organization makes little or no sense to me. @TropicalFruitGirl26 maybe you can explain that one to me. Easily the most curious move of the offseason for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted August 25, 2019 Author Share Posted August 25, 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, yave1964 said: I was confused by the Erne trade, Tampa needs a physical player or two and losing both Erne and Callahan replacing them with skilled kids in the bottom six didn't make a lot of sense. This signing is the perfect landing spot for Maroon. Same with Schenn, not a big fan but his rugged game as a 7th defender is smart. The one move that didn't make sense to me was the signing of McBackup, Domingue was more than capable as the backup last year, he played well, he went 21-5 with a 2.88 goals against, is still young-ish signing a career backup who is quite literally a decade older than Domingue while keeping Domingue in the organization makes little or no sense to me. @TropicalFruitGirl26 maybe you can explain that one to me. Easily the most curious move of the offseason for me. Hmmm....only Julien Brisbois would know for sure, but I don't think moving Erne and going, "Hey, we can replace him with a veteran winger for cheap!" was the plan. I think moving Erne because the Bolts had ALEXANDER VOLKOV in the AHL ready (similar player to Erne, but with a bit more offensive upside) was the plan. But then, Maroon just sorta fell into their lap, and for 900K, they couldn't pass up the chance to sign a SC forward who has some of the makeup of what they need (and lost) by not having either Erne or Callahan around. As for the goalie situation, yes, that is an odd situation, but since I saw McBackup signed, I did give this some thought....nothing I read about, nor do I have any insider info...……………………...I'd need a subscription to The Athletic, have a podcast, or be highly opinionated and feel like I am the smartest 'know all' in the room for that ...………….but, just some thoughts... The Bolts simply weren't completely convinced that Louie Domingue was happy being just a backup. Furthermore, while Domingue DID do some good work, he was also subject to some comebacks by the other team where he was just flat out beat by the shooting forwards (and made to look pretty bad in the process), only to be saved by TB's high scoring offense. Given that, the fact that Vasilevskiy is going to be to the Lightning what Brodeur was to the Devils (i.e. playing 162 games per season...not quite the Cup winner....yet), AND the Bolts felt they'd be better off with a travelled veteran like McElhinney who won't be asking for much in salary and is content in working once a week maybe...….PLUS, Domingue might at least fetch the Bolts a 4th, 5th or 6th round pick in a trade with a goalie starved team, and I think I see why McBackup is there and Domingue basically is odd man out. Condon and Wedgewood are purely AHL fodder....but CAN be brought up in a pinch should either Vasy or McB go down...no more career AHLer Eddie Pasquale to put in net on a SC potential team. My take on all that anyways. Edited August 25, 2019 by TropicalFruitGirl26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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