General Manager Julien BriseBois spoke to the media at Amalie Arena on Friday morning as part of the Lightning’s Exit Interviews for the 2024-25 Season.
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26 Comments
Between the boot and the blade!?! Sheesh!
Yet you still lost. Scoring isn’t the problem. Too soft. When we were winning cups, we had enforcers and guys that would battle in the corners. To protect our players.
We need that again. Not one mention of what the team needs. We need more toughness period.
No you don’t have all the pieces. You need them. So according to him he needs nothing. BriseBois has to go.
well spoken
True!!
Team is in good hands. Next year!
The past three years have been disappointing. But I can’t complain with the job he’s done. We should’ve stopped being legitimate contenders a few years ago. But he has built this team and made us younger in the process. I think it’s really unlucky we’ve gotten stuck playing Florida the past two years because they are clearly the best playoff team in the league. We will break through soon.
Just another mouthpiece that wants to act like they weren't far off the mark. They played harder in this than they did all year and that's the problem. They need better, tougher D men!! I don't even like to ask why they got rid of some of those great players last year!!!
He keeps talking about they have this they have the score they have that, well you know what they don't have a spot in the playoffs and they won't be playing for the cup!!!😬
Bad spot. We have a few young talented players who will one day have success, but it won't be with Kuch and Pointer and Heddy. We have a gap. Our 3-6 D and 7-12 forwards just not good enough (yet) or built for playoff toughness. Tough window to be in.
So many excuses from Julian Brisebois If they are so good why did they loose in 5 games in the first round?
As much as I’ll never forgive him for letting Stammer go it’s undeniable that he’s an excellent GM. His ability to spot talent and manage the Cap is outstanding.
You left out we have no heart no fight back no will no playoff toughness get a tougher these little guys don’t cut it in the playoffs find players Moroon Luke Schen
to protect your stars ! Yes build a team like the champs it doesn’t matter who run into in the playoffs geez 🙄 anyone can see that if you don’t you’ll get bounced and humiliated Read my post JBB
That’s what you get for not signing Stamkos. Your powerplay looked like sh!t. You got rid of one of the best snipers in NHL history for a net front tap in guy. Completely destroyed your 1-3-1 powerplay. ggs
What an absolute yap fest. You guys lost, and lost bad. Stamkos one tee on the PP would have been the difference. You can’t replace that with a left handed net front guy like guentzel.
Bring back Steven Stamkos in the summer to signed?
Getting rid of Stamkos for Guentzel was a ballsy move and man did it pay off; Guentzel was the best performer in the playoffs and was amazing during the regular season.
Bjorkstrand should be a big boost to the defense; Gourde has yet to show me it was worth it.
Hedman was noticeably not as good as previous playoffs; especially missed passes and keep the puck in the offensive zone and almost no hits for being a big guy.
As talented as this team is; the forwards need to improve their two way game and the defensemen need to get better.
Atkinson, Perbix, Girgensons, JoJo and Gourde should all be up for trade for a better backup goalie and a top defenseman.
Proud Lightning fan for almost 30 years ,upwards and onwards forget the past The Tampa Bay Lightning are here to last .Our OFFENSE was better had more variety, their D was just too good,
If JBB gets rid of Nick Perbix and brings in any other defender I’d be happy.
Enjoy the golf courses and the Tampa strip clubs. In a month or so you’ll be seeing the Panthers on that 120 inch tv you got winning the cup – from a Panther fan who’s heard too much about how great the Lightning are lol
With all due respect to heddy and everything he’s done I just feel like going from stammer to him as captain kinda feels off idk that’s just me
Go back and get the big rig bring him out of retirement😅
Well then why were so terrible against in the playoffs. Yu guys were terrible. None of those stats matter. You have a great team but you didnt play like it.
This is my GM
Let’s be real: Tampa Bay didn’t win its Stanley Cups on spreadsheets. We won them through loyalty, grit, and culture—things that started in the locker room, not in the analytics department. Unfortunately, under Julien BriseBois, we’ve slowly drifted from that identity. And it shows.
The Yzerman Era Built the Culture.
Our Winning Cup run in 2020 wasn’t random—it was the culmination of what Steve Yzerman started building after the 2015 Finals run. When veterans like Vinny and Marty moved on, we rebuilt with guys who had character and bite. Yzerman brought in glue guys like ( Maroon, Bogosian, Goodrow, Coleman JBB but same vision) McDonagh. All of them were warriors. The reason why we brought McDonagh back.
• Maroon: 3x Cup winner, brought unmatched playoff energy
• Coleman + Goodrow: 23 points combined in 2020 playoffs and dominated the shutdown line
• McDonagh: Led all Lightning D-men in blocked shots during both Cup runs (2020–21)
These weren’t flashy players. They were heart-and-soul guys who turned the tide in big moments. And guess what? Once we started moving those pieces, the Cup runs stopped.
BriseBois Is Turning Us Into the Leafs
We’re heading into Toronto Maple Leafs territory—built on skill, but soft when it matters. BriseBois seems more concerned with models than with locker room chemistry. Trading away depth guys like Eyssimont? A mistake. He had 7 points in 15 playoff games and played with bite. Meanwhile, we hold onto underperformers with no presence in big games, NICK PERBIX!!
And let’s not ignore this: since those players left in 2022, our team goals-against average has jumped from 2.59 (2020–21) to 3.12 (2023–24). That’s a culture stat as much as a defensive one.
Depth Wins Cups, Not Just Stars.
Back then we kept guys like Paquette and Coburn—players who knew their role and thrived in it. Now? We’re cycling through fringe players with no identity. Chaffee, Girgensons, and Liliberg may not be big names, but they play with that same grit we used to value. Keep them. Build that foundation again.
The Coaching + System Needs a Reset Too
The zone defense isn’t working. We look lost in our own end half the time, and the numbers back it up—our expected goals against (xGA) has been climbing year-over-year. We need coaches who understand our identity. Bring back guys like Derek Lalonde or send a too good to be true offer to Rick Tochett—coaches who get the balance between analytics and culture. In terms of the cap year we lost alot from the cap, but we threw the blueprint out the window is the point.
The Stamkos Decision Was a Culture Killer, it doesn’t matter what all the average fans think… people who don’t understand that don’t understand that the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win.
Letting Stammer walk was a massive hit—not just for the fanbase, but for the room. He was our leader, our captain, and a guy who still put up 40 goals and 81 points last season. 5 goals in 5 playoff games last season, yes on the PP, but what happened this year?? He also hit like a truck, fought when he needed to and was one of the best in the dot. Sure, Guentzel is a great addition, but you don’t build Cup winners by giving up heart for highlight reels.
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Bottom Line:
We won Cups because we had an identity. Loyalty, grit, and a brotherhood in the locker room. BriseBois needs to stop chasing numbers and remember what made this team special. The Cup window doesn’t stay open forever. It’s time to course-correct before we waste it.
This teams defensive unit needs completely upgraded. Including the big guy with a C! Also we need some forwards with size. Kuch gets manhandled on the boards then sulks all game.
Panther fan but love TB too. Lets keep that cup in Florida ehh. Not worried i love the game but if we were out im all in w TB, that team is Dynasty n will be for a long time to come.
People don’t know how much these guys battle n play w injuries. Hockey is not only the fastest sport in the world, its the toughest sport too. Its a bond of brothers that play for each other, no sport is like ours.