"Alex Killorn is terrible and not worth his contract."
"Steven Stamkos is washed"
"Vasy lets in too many easy goals"
"Will Gourde ever score again"
These are just some of the statements you might see on social media if you follow some Bolts fans. You would think that the Lightning were in last place. This team is in 1st place. They have 76 points at the break. That is first in the NHL. The next closest team in the entire sport is Calgary with 69 points. Tampa Bay has been the best team all season long and we should learn to appreciate it.
Sure, we can always get better. Sure, we have to clean up certain things to bring home the cup. Sure, all of this record stuff goes out the window if we ultimately fall short. Still, we can appreciate that we have a pretty good team down here in Tampa.
Let's look at some of the common sentiments in further detail though.
Is Alex Killorn Worth His Contract?
My biased opinion is that he is and that this is a dumb question. He is a huge contributing member of one of the top Stanley Cup contending teams. Who cares if others think he's worth it?
Let's dig into the issue though...
Alex Killorn is tied for 41st in the NHL in +/- (the 5th highest Bolt)
He plays on the leagues top power play unit
He is also a part of the 5th best PK in the league
Killorn has 11 goals (T-119)
Killorn's salary is 4.45 million a season which is 7th among forwards for the Lightning
That salary is very fair for a player that contributes like he does
Additionally, Killorn is one of the most clutch players on the team and dominates in the postseason
I thought we wanted to win the cup here....
All of that information doesn't really matter though, Killer is staying. He has a no-trade clause even if they wanted to trade him. Bolts management is too smart though to think about getting rid of this key person. We get to enjoy Alex Killorn until 2023!
On to the next complaint....
Steven Stamkos is far from done
Stammer had two goals yesterday
He has 26 so far for the season
He is an All-Star
That one didn't even make sense. Next....
What about Vasy?
Oh you mean the guy that set a team record for saves, the day he returned from injury?
How anyone can criticize Vasy as a Bolts fan just blows my mind
He's an all-star too btw
Ya, But Yanni Got Paid and He Can't Score NOW!
Yanni scored again last night and he is the energy guy on the team!
He has 5 Game Winning Goals this year!
THIS TEAM IS IN 1st Place
Yes, we should look to improve
Yes, we need to figure out the rotations with 14 great F and 7 great D
Yes, we should be open to trades
More importantly though, we should enjoy the ride and step back from the ledge.
It's ok to stand pat and enjoy the team we got though too.
To steal a line from Buck Showalter "I like our guys"
- Noland
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