Per their Twitter, the Tampa Bay Lightning confirmed that they have traded defenseman Ryan McDonagh to the Nashville Predators. In exchange, the Lightning receive defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Grant Mismash from Nashville. It doesn’t appear that any salary has been retained in the trade. With the Lightning needing to make some tough salary cap decisions if they wanted to keep a majority of their core together, one name that was rumored to be on the move was McDonagh, and GM Julien BriseBois was able to make it happen. McDonagh carries a cap hit of $6.75MM for each of the next four seasons.
In McDonagh the Predators acquire a sturdy shutdown defenseman and veteran of 783 career regular season NHL games, in addition to 185 playoff games, including Stanley Cup Championships with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021. Originally the twelfth-overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, McDonagh was traded to the New York Rangers two years later in the Scott Gomez deal. The defenseman went on to play in 516 regular season games for the Rangers, captaining the team from 2014-15 until his trade to the Lightning during the 2017-18 season. After the trade, the Predators still project to have just over $18.1MM in available salary cap space this offseason, which should be more than enough to make necessary moves and extend franchise-icon Filip Forsberg.
According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, it doesn’t appear the Lightning plan to buyout Myers’ contract (link). By keeping Myers in the fold, the Lightning still free up $4.2MM. With the departure of fellow right-shot defenseman Jan Rutta possible, Myers could serve as a replacement, having just one year left on his contract as opposed to unpredictable term and salary for Rutta. In speaking to the media, including The Athletic’s Joe Smith, BriseBois said that if the league wasn’t in a flat-cap situation, he would have never even thought of making the deal and asking McDonagh to wave his no-trade clause. Speaking of that clause, McDonagh currently carries a full no-trade clause, meaning the Lightning had to specifically seek his permission in order to make this trade, an experience BriseBois told Smith was not a pleasant one. As to replacing McDonagh, BriseBois told Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times that the plan is to elevate the role of defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and continue to fill out the defense corps. Though a different handedness, that would seem to be in line with the choice to keep Myers rather than buy him out.
With the trade, Tampa Bay ships out a left-handed defenseman for a right-handed one in Myers, however he may not be with the team for long, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman points out, the team can buyout Myers’ contract and actually receive a cap credit of $617K this season, then owe just $633K in 2023-24. Right now, Myers is under contract through the 2022-23 season at $2.5MM. Though Myers’ cap hit is certainly not bad, it is somewhat high for a team fighting for every dollar to stay under the cap ceiling. Another option for the Lightning could be to trade Myers, avoiding his cap hit this year, but if they see value in having the cap credit this year with the cap hit next year, they may be inclined to simply buy him out now. With the credit, the Lightning would in effect pick up $7.13MM in cap space they did not have at this time yesterday (link).
Last, but certainly not least, is Mismash, who was a second-round pick, 61st overall, by Nashville in 2017. The forward played four seasons at the University of North Dakota, where he had 71 points in 117 college games before turning pro last season. In 57 games with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL last season, Mismash had six goals and six assists.
Well ok then.
Making room for Foote
Why do teams keep doing Tampa favors?
They did themselves a BIGGER favor! LOL
And McDonagh keeps his salary in a no-tax state! WIN WIN WIN!
And next you will hear of a Forsberg signing!
I rather think Nashville did themselves a favor, getting a good defenseman that cheaply. With the cash to re-sign Forsberg and a couple of their roleplayers such as Trenin and Kunin, the only thing holding Nashville back from serious contention is if some of their older players — and this is a team relying pretty heavily on 30-something players — start to slip.
Absolute giveaway. Fletcher couldn’t cook up something to get him on the Flyers? With Ellis out McDonough would have been the perfect replacement for a couple of years!!! Poile with an absolute heist!!!!
what cap space?
Tampa bout to re ink Palat
Nashville still has about 18 mil in cap if they want to re sign forsberg
Not a happy day for this islander fan
Now they have to get rid of Myers
no. they don’t johnny. we need the extra cap money next year. not this one.
So the solution to the Preds mediocrity is to acquire yet another Dman? :0
Poile clearly has a very unhealthy attraction to Dmen. An intervention must take place.
So WHO plays the right side??? It is kinda weak. Luazon, Carrier, Fabro, Will Ek go to the right side ?
Oh, Poile will probably trade for another Dman to fill that spot.
Isn’t it amazing that a GM who is lauded for drafting top Dmen feels he has to yet again trade for one? Just bewildering
If Tampa buys out Myers they have created $7.36M in cap space thru this deal.
The rich keep getting richer. But if Edmonton did this the league would say they can’t recapture any money on the buyout for some reason.
sour grapes much
We need to even things out Karl Marx style and show these rich what life’s about!
glorifying Karl Marx. how 2020 of you artem.
what a peabrained comment wreckage. yes… the league would give tampa bay privileges they wouldn’t edmonton.
clearly you never watch any Lightning hockey to see how much “favor” we get from refs. the refs didn’t miss a too many men on the ice that allowed a GAME WINNING GOAL IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL. the refs didn’t miss a hook on the GAME WINNING GOAL IN GAME 6. no, nothing to see there. just your bitter b*tth*rt delusion that we get favorable treatment. LMAO.
PS doubt they would buyout a guy when that would kick 600k against the cap next year. we don’t need anymore savings this year. we need them next year when we have to re-up with Cernak, Cirelli, and Sergachev.
“bitter b*tth*rt delusion”? Project much? I’ve never heard such a bunch of complaining, excuse-prone, crybabies in my life. Bolts had 7 men in the ice just prior to your “smoking gun” accusation which BTW is a routine line change much like last season against the Islanders when Tampa had 7 players on the ice…again and no call. The reason? Because it isn’t called during the regular season either unless the player going off touched the puck and was clearly beyond 5ft of the bench. It’s certainly arguable that MacKinnon was still more than 5ft when Kadri took possession but it’s also a fact that MacKinnon was nowhere near the play and had zero influence on it. Again, if you need reference just go back and look at the Bolts/Isles game last season. Missed call or not, it’s discretionary whether the refs call it. Much like the slash from Moron (Maroon) on Manson’s leg. Blatant but not called. The numerous shoves and punches by Perry on Kuemper. Blatant but not called. The facts are this. Tampa is an awesome team with a great coach. Colorado was their equal and beat them. The officiating didn’t decide the series. Tampa wasn’t cheated out of anything. Be proud of what they accomplished but for God’s sake… stop the whining. It’s a bad look and doesn’t play well for a team that has certainly benefitted from more than their fair share of blown, missed or non-calls. Back to the original thread, I wish McDonagh all the best in Smashville!
Nashville may not be the only team without a long term plan, but they are the team most clearly lacking a plan. Taking any of Poile’s moves on their own and they don’t look bad. It’s just that when you look at them all together they don’t lead anywhere. Ok. This deal isn’t bad. But does it make them a cup contender? No. Resigning Forsberg isn’t a bad idea in a vacuum. But it just more solidly solidifies them as the 12th best team in the league. Making the playoffs most years. Advancing to the second round now and then. But never challenging for a cup.
Spot on analysis. And what doesn’t get addressed is the glaring hole in the lineup, that being capable 2nd line wingers to play on Granlund’s line. Kunin and Tolvanen are nowhere near good enough to be slotted on any 2nd line. Wouldn’t 6+ million be better spent on addressing that need instead of another Dman?
Sigh.
Wish McDonagh the best in Nashville. He had complete control with the NTC and decided to help out the team, classy move on his part. Guy is a complete warrior and leader, Preds are going to love him. Lightning have a big gap on defense to fill.