A New Beginning for Tampa Bay Lightning’s Gage Goncalves
The Tampa Bay Lightning made a bold move on Monday by placing forward Gage Goncalves on waivers. This decision indicates that the team is eager to shake things up and improve its struggling bottom-six group.
The Struggles of Goncalves
Goncalves, a second-round pick in 2020, has had a challenging season so far. With just one goal and one assist in 26 games, he has been unable to make a significant impact on the ice. His playing time has decreased in recent weeks, and he even found himself as a healthy scratch for two of the past six games.
If Goncalves clears waivers on Tuesday, he will be reassigned to AHL Syracuse. The Lightning are expected to add a 13th forward before their upcoming game in Boston.
Bottom-Six Woes
Tampa Bay’s bottom two lines have been struggling to generate offense. Despite ranking first in the league in scoring, the team has only managed one 5-on-5 goal in the last eight games from their bottom-six forwards. This lack of production has put pressure on the team’s top lines to carry the scoring load.
Players like Luke Glendening, Cam Atkinson, Zemgus Girgensons, and Mikey Eyssimont have struggled with negative plus-minus ratings, highlighting the challenges faced by the bottom-six forwards.
Looking to the AHL for Solutions
The Lightning have yet to leverage their forward talent at the AHL level, apart from the brief call-up of Goncalves in early November. Players like Conor Sheary, Jesse Ylonen, Dylan Duke, and Niko Huuhtanen have been performing well in the AHL and could provide a much-needed boost to the bottom-six group.
Conclusion
As the Lightning strive to improve their bottom-six forwards, the reassignment of Goncalves and the potential call-up of AHL talents signal a new direction for the team. It remains to be seen how these changes will impact the team’s performance moving forward.
FAQs
Q: Why did the Lightning place Gage Goncalves on waivers?
A: The team is looking to shake up its struggling bottom-six group and improve offensive production.
Q: Who are some AHL players that could help the Lightning’s bottom-six forwards?
A: Conor Sheary, Jesse Ylonen, Dylan Duke, and Niko Huuhtanen have shown promise in the AHL and could provide a boost to the team.
