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Tyler Motte Leaves Game With Injury

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Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News is reporting that San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture will miss the team’s home opener on October 12th against the Vegas Golden Knights. Couture remains week-to-week currently but has started some light skating over the last few days. Couture suffered a lower-body injury prior to the start of training camp and failed his physical which has kept him out of pre-season action. This will be the first time Couture starts a season on the IR.

The Sharks are likely to use Tomas Hertl in Couture’s usual spot centering their first line. While Hertl can play on the team’s top unit, it does create a domino effect on an already thin forward group. Mikael Granlund appears likely to center the team’s second unit which could be problematic given how much he struggled last season.

The Sharks appear poised to finish the season near the bottom of the standings and seem prepared to take their time with Couture’s injury. Couture is only halfway through his eight-year contract and could become a tradeable asset for the Sharks if he is able to get healthy and contribute this season.

In other evening notes:

  • Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted that Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Motte left the game in the second period of their 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators. The 28-year-old took a puck in the hand with just under six minutes left in the middle frame and did not return to the game. Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper told reporters that the team will know more about Motte’s condition at some point tomorrow. Motte signed a one-year deal in the offseason after setting a career-high with 19 points last season in 62 games.
  • Pierre LeBrun reported on TSN Insider Trading that the Toronto Maple Leafs and pending unrestricted free agent forward William Nylander are continuing contract extension discussions into the season with both sides remaining tight-lipped on the proceedings. LeBrun added that Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving had a face-to-face discussion with Nylander at training camp as the sides try and work towards a resolution. LeBrun finishes by saying that it appears from the outside that all parties are on the same page as far as getting the deal done.

Lightning Place Andrei Vasilevskiy On LTIR, Recall Waltteri Merelä

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The Tampa Bay Lightning officially placed goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy on LTIR today as he recovers from back surgery, per CapFriendly. In a corresponding move, the team also brought forward Waltteri Merelä back up from AHL Syracuse, and he could make his NHL debut in a few hours against the Nashville Predators. Merelä was sent down temporarily yesterday to help the Lightning optimize their LTIR capture before opening-night rosters were due, which they did to the tune of $2.

Vasilevskiy underwent surgery late last month and was given an eight-to-ten-week timeline for recovery. That puts him well within the bounds of LTIR, which requires a player to miss at least ten games and 24 days. That means Vasilevskiy won’t return until next month at the absolute earliest, although an early December return is much more likely. The all-world netminder started 60 games for the Lightning last season, going 34-22-4 with a .915 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average. Those were, unbelievably, his worst numbers since becoming the Lightning’s starter in 2016. Since the Lightning did not make any waiver claims over the past few days, Vasilevskiy’s absence leaves 28-year-old Jonas Johansson, with just 35 NHL appearances under his belt, as their starter for the next two months.

The Lightning signed Merelä, 25, to a one-year, two-way contract worth $870K this summer. Undrafted, the 6-foot-2 right wing has enjoyed back-to-back strong seasons with Liiga’s Tappara and made one appearance for Finland at the 2023 World Championship, scoring a goal. After a strong camp, Merelä was not technically on the team’s opening-night roster but was expected to suit up in today’s game regardless. The pending restricted free agent does not require waivers to go to AHL Syracuse, where he could find himself later on in the season if he can’t hold onto a roster spot.

With Vasilevskiy on LTIR and Merelä recalled the Lightning have $8.55MM remaining in their LTIR salary pool, per CapFriendly. While that’s a lot of flexibility, they won’t be able to take advantage of it for any significant amount of time. The Lightning will need to shed $950K in salary to activate Vasilevskiy when healthy.

Waivers: 10/08/23

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Oct. 9: Four players on this list were claimed today: A.J. Greer (Calgary), John Ludvig (Pittsburgh), Ivan Prosvetov (Colorado), and Lassi Thomson (Ottawa). All others have cleared and are expected to be assigned to their team’s respective AHL affiliates, aside from Boyd, who PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports remains on the Coyotes’ active roster for now.

Oct. 8: It’s expected to be a busy day on the waiver wire, as NHL teams are making their final adjustments to the roster they’ll bring into the start of the 2023-24 season. There have already been numerous notable names exposed to the waiver wire thus far this preseason, and that list could only expand today. All players from yesterday’s waiver wire have cleared.

Anaheim Ducks

D Lassi Thomson
G Alex Stalock
F Andrew Agozzino

Boston Bruins

F Patrick Brown
F A.J. Greer

Arizona Coyotes

F Travis Boyd
F Zach Sanford
G Ivan Prosvetov

Carolina Hurricanes

D Dylan Coghlan

Chicago Blackhawks

F Joey Anderson

Colorado Avalanche

F Riley Tufte

Dallas Stars

F Riley Damiani

Detroit Red Wings

F Zach Aston-Reese

Edmonton Oilers

F Raphael Lavoie
F Lane Pederson
D Ben Gleason

Florida Panthers

F Zac Dalpe
D John Ludvig
D Casey Fitzgerald

Los Angeles Kings

F Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Montreal Canadiens

F Joel Armia
D Gustav Lindström

Ottawa Senators

F Bokondji Imama

Pittsburgh Penguins

G Magnus Hellberg
F Colin White
D Mark Friedman
F Vinnie Hinostroza
F Radim Zohorna

St. Louis Blues
F Mackenzie MacEachern
D Calle Rosen
G Malcolm Subban
F Nathan Walker

Tampa Bay Lightning

D Zach Bogosian
F Gabriel Fortier

Toronto Maple Leafs

G Martin Jones
F Kyle Clifford
F Dylan Gambrell
D William Lagesson
D Maxime Lajoie

Vancouver Canucks

F Jack Studnicka
D Christian Wolanin

Vegas Golden Knights

F Grigori Denisenko

Winnipeg Jets

D Kyle Capobianco
G Collin Delia
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

The big surprise here out of Arizona regards Boyd. The versatile 30-year-old veteran doesn’t have an exorbitant contract (just $1.75MM through the end of the season) and has scored 69 points across the last two seasons.

He’s been something of a breakout player for the Coyotes as his 17-goal, 35-point 2022-23 was far and away his best season in his career, so it’s definitely a surprise to see him exposed on waivers.

For Anaheim, the move to waive Stalock likely means that Lukáš Dostál has won the Ducks’ backup goalie job behind John Gibson, as should Stalock clear the Ducks will have the option to send him down to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

In Edmonton, it comes as a little bit of a surprise to see Lavioe waived. The 23-year-old power forward was drafted just outside of the 2019 first round, and took a real step forward in his development last season. He became a genuinely impactful AHLer, scoring 25 goals and 45 points. He’s a name to watch in terms of players with the potential to be claimed out of this group.

Anderson-Dolan finally made the NHL on an extended basis last season, and scored 12 points in 46 games. He even got some playoff action under his belt, but seeing as he was a near-point-per-game scorer in his last season in the AHL, it seems the Kings could prefer to have him start the season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

Rosen appears the likeliest candidate from the Blues’ group of waived players to be of interest to other teams, as he’s owed just a $762.5k cap hit this season and impressed in 49 games of NHL action last season. He scored 18 points in that span and could interest teams in need of some additional defensive help.

Out of Tampa is Bogosian, and it’s reported that the Lightning are hoping to put the veteran blueliner in a position to land on another team where he can play a bigger role than he’d be offered in Tampa. The 33-year-old won a Stanley Cup for the Lightning and it seems that the organization is looking to do right by the player while also turning to other options to staff their defense.

One of the biggest names on waivers comes out of Toronto, as Jones played in 48 games last season but now finds himself exposed to 31 other clubs. With an $875k cap hit, the veteran netminder could end up claimed by teams in need of instant goaltending support, such as the Lightning who don’t have much depth after the injury to superstar Andrei Vasilevskiy.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Austin Watson

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12:10 PM: The Lightning have officially announced Watson’s signing, confirming a cap hit of $776,665.

PuckPedia notes that the specific $776,665 cap hit was made to put the Lightning just $2 below the combined cap hits of Brent Seabrook and Logan Brown, two players slated to be placed on long-term injured reserve. PuckPedia writes that because of this optimization, the Lightning will be able to place Vasilevskiy on injured reserve and gain $9.5MM in cap space.

10:42 AM: The Tampa Bay Lightning brought Austin Watson to their training camp and preseason on a PTO, allowing him the chance to make an impression and potentially earn an NHL deal. It appears he has done exactly that, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Lightning “will be signing” Watson “to a one-year, one-way deal.”

The 31-year-old veteran forward has played in 482 career games and is no stranger to the Atlantic Division. Watson has tormented the Atlantic’s teams for the past three seasons as a member of the Ottawa Senators, 254 penalty minutes, 478 hits, and 37 points across 176 games in Canada’s capital.

Watson’s last contract was worth a $1.5MM AAV, but it’s likely that this deal with the Lightning will come in at a lower cap charge. The Lightning will have some cap space to play with, as PuckPedia notes that once Andrei Vasilevskiy and Logan Brown hit long-term injured reserve, the team will add over $10MM in cap space.

A recent report out of Lightning practice from Tampa Bay Times reporter Eduardo A. Encina places Watson outside head coach Jon Cooper’s regular lineup.

That’s understandable, though, as Watson could very well end up a better fit as an enforcer-type presence who is a scratch some nights than an everyday starter.

Looking at how Watson has earned this contract from the Lightning, it’s possible that his impactful preseason performances motivated Tampa Bay management to extend their relationship with the player beyond just a PTO.

Per Natural Stat Trick, Watson has played in three preseason games for Tampa, scoring one goal and one assist. He’s also tallied 22 penalty minutes, fighting twice against Florida Panthers defenseman Casey Fitzgerald.

In addition to those concrete contributions, Encina has reported that Watson “has been a seamless fit” into the Tampa Bay Locker room, adding that he brings an “enforcer” element the team lost when it traded Patrick Maroon to the Minnesota Wild in the offseason.

Although Watson may not receive a nightly role in Tampa Bay the same way he did in Ottawa, it’s still a positive development for his career that he’s reportedly turned this PTO agreement into an NHL contract with the Lightning.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Tampa Bay Lightning

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2023-24 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Current Cap Hit: $90,448,333 (under the $83.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

None that are projected to make the roster or play a prominent role this season.

Signed Through 2023-24, Non-Entry-Level

F Alex Barre-Boulet ($758K, UFA)
D Zach Bogosian ($850K, UFA)
F Logan Brown ($775K, RFA)
D Calvin de Haan ($775K, UFA)
D Haydn Fleury ($762.5K, UFA)
F Tyler Motte ($800K, UFA)
D Philippe Myers ($1.4MM, UFA)
D Brent Seabrook ($6.875MM, UFA)
F Steven Stamkos ($8.5MM, UFA)

Considering the number of times that Tampa Bay has extended its core players as soon as possible under GM Julien BriseBois, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the same thing would happen to Stamkos.  Surprisingly, it hasn’t, an outcome that the captain himself isn’t too pleased about.  While his output slowed last season, he still put up 34 goals and averaged more than a point per game.  At this price point, that’s still pretty good value.  Stamkos will be 34 next summer and in a position to earn another multi-year agreement, likely with a market value around what he’s making now unless he slows down considerably this year.  BriseBois is taking a wait-and-see approach to see if Stamkos still fits on the team moving forward, a question that might not be able to be answered until we know the actual Upper Limit for 2024-25.

Motte was a late-summer signing after Josh Archibald decided to not play this year.  This is the second straight summer where his camp has misread the market, resulting in a lower-than-expected contract.  Assuming he has a similar showing this year as he has had lately, a small raise should be achievable as long as he doesn’t set his sights too high again early in free agency.  Brown comes in after being non-tendered by St. Louis and if he can earn a spot in the lineup when he returns from an injury that will keep him out at the start of the season, he could get a small raise or at least more guaranteed money next year.  Barre-Boulet is listed here as he’s tied for the lowest cap hit in the league which gives him a shot at a spot on the fourth line.  Primarily a minor leaguer the last two years, he’s likely to stay around the minimum salary next year.

Among the blueliners, Seabrook’s career has been over since late 2019.  He’ll be on LTIR for one more season and then the Lightning can try to work back to being a non-LTIR team, ideally giving them a chance to back a bit of in-season flexibility.  Meanwhile, Myers isn’t even on the roster now as a decision to extend him around this time last year didn’t pan out as he’s already cleared waivers.  However, they’ll still carry a $250K charge even with him in the minors.  Considering what they’re currently over their LTIR ceiling by, that small amount is notable.  Myers will likely wind up with a deal close to the minimum next summer.

Bogosian’s days of being an every-game player are done but he can still hold his own on a third pairing.  With his usage the last few years though, it’s hard to see him getting more than this on the open market next year.  Tampa Bay brought in de Haan this summer and it’s possible he winds up platooning with Bogosian in that part-time role.  Barring him having a bounce-back year, this is the range he’ll be in price-wise moving forward.  Fleury is another player on a sub-minimum contract which gives him some value from a depth perspective.  He has had a very limited role the past couple of years and at this point, he might be heading for a two-way deal next summer.

Signed Through 2024-25

F Michael Eyssimont ($800K, UFA)
F Luke Glendening ($800K, UFA)
D Victor Hedman ($7.875MM, UFA)
F Tanner Jeannot ($2.665MM, UFA)
G Jonas Johansson ($775K, UFA)
D Nick Perbix ($1.125MM, UFA)

The Lightning paid a high price at the trade deadline to land Jeannot and they weren’t exactly rewarded for their investment.  He’s poised to have an important role this season and if he can get close to his 2021-22 performance, he could be in line for a decent-sized raise with the premium power forwards typically get.  Eyssimont opted to take some job security over testing the open market in the summer, understandable considering he was a waiver claim last year.  If he can secure a full-time spot with Tampa Bay, he could set himself up for a small bump, even if he stays on the fourth line.  Glendening is basically a faceoff specialist who can kill penalties at this point of his career.  He might have left some money on the table to sign with Tampa Bay but his value is going to be limited moving forward.

The same can’t be said for Hedman.  While he couldn’t match his career-best 85 points from 2021-22, he still produced at better than a 50-point pace while averaging nearly 24 minutes a night.  While he’ll be 34 when his next contract starts (turning 35 early the following season), he should still be capable of covering 20 minutes a night while playing in all situations.  A small pay cut might be needed but he’ll have plenty of interest if he gets to the open market.  Perbix had a nice rookie season after being a college free agent signing.  He’ll be tasked with covering a regular role on the third pairing and if he can hold that down for two years, he’ll hit the market in his prime (at 27) which could allow him to possibly double this AAV at that time.

Johansson was a bit of a curious signing to be Tampa Bay’s backup given his lack of NHL success but keeping the cost as low as possible (in this case, it couldn’t be lower) was a priority.  Now that he’ll be thrust into the number one role for a couple of months, this will be his chance to show the league that he’s a capable netminder at the top level.  A good showing in this stretch – even though it’s not his free agent year – might be enough to allow him to push for a seven-figure AAV next time out.

Signed Through 2025-26

D Darren Raddysh ($762.5K in 2023-24, $975K in 2024-25 and 2025-26)
F Conor Sheary ($2MM, UFA)

Sheary comes over from Washington after two consecutive seasons of being a capable secondary scorer.  The risk here is relatively low for the Lightning as if he even produces 30-35 points, they should get a good return on this deal.

Raddysh didn’t play a lot during the regular season but logged more than 25 minutes a game in the playoffs, giving him enough leverage to get a two-year, one-way extension back in June, a pretty good outcome for someone who has cleared waivers in each of the last two training camps.  That shouldn’t be the case this time around and as a capable producer in the minors, this could be a team-friendly deal if he’s able to become a secondary point provider from the back end.

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Players Still On Training Camp Tryouts

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While there have been many players who had been in training camps on tryout deals cut over the past week or so, there are quite a few whose fates have not yet been determined.  Here’s a rundown of players who are still on PTO agreements with their respective teams.

Boston Bruins

F Danton Heinen

Edmonton Oilers

F Adam Erne
F Sam Gagner

Gagner did not play in the preseason as he works his way back from hip surgery.

Florida Panthers

F Brett Ritchie

New York Islanders

F Jackson Cates

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Libor Hajek
D Mark Pysyk
F Austin Wagner

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Austin Watson

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Noah Gregor

Vegas Golden Knights

F Max Comtois

Some of these players will likely receive an NHL contract but cap-strapped teams will wait until it’s absolutely necessary to convert them to a guaranteed deal, either to optimize their LTIR pool or to try to save a day or two worth of cap space.  Meanwhile, other teams could also come calling if a waiver target doesn’t make it to them.  One way or the other, their fates will likely be decided soon.

Tampa Likely To Turn Towards Waivers For A New Goalie

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Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/23

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With AHL camps set to start in the coming days, there will be some more cuts coming across the NHL today.  We’ll keep track of those moves here:

Anaheim Ducks (via team Twitter)

G Gage Alexander (to San Diego, AHL)
F Davis Codd (to San Diego, AHL)
F Ben King (to San Diego, AHL)
F Blake McLaughlin (to San Diego, AHL)
D Luka Profaca (to San Diego, AHL)
G Tomas Suchanek (to San Diego, AHL)
D Nick Wolff (to San Diego, AHL)

Arizona Coyotes (via team Twitter)

D Maveric Lamoureux (to Drummondville, QMJHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

D Vsevolod Komarov (to Quebec, QMJHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team release)

D Noel Hoefenmayer (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Alex Peters (released from PTO, to Bakersfield, AHL)
G Olivier Rodrigue (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Carter Savoie (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via team release)

F Owen Beck (to Peterborough, OHL)
D Tobie Bisson (to Laval, AHL)
F Gabriel Bourque (to Laval, AHL)
F Jared Davidson (to Laval, AHL)
D Stanislav Demin (to Laval, AHL)
F Isaac Dufort (to Laval, AHL)
G Zachary Emond (to Laval, AHL)
D Olivier Galipeau (to Laval, AHL)
F Brandon Gignac (to Laval, AHL)
D Noah Laaouan (to Laval, AHL)
F Nathan Legare (to Laval, AHL)
G Strauss Mann (to Laval, AHL)
F Riley McKay (to Laval, AHL)
F Filip Mesar (to Laval, AHL)
F Jan Mysak (to Laval, AHL)
F Jakov Novak (to Laval, AHL)
D Christopher Ortiz (to Laval, AHL)
D/F John Parker-Jones (to Laval, AHL)
F Joshua Roy (to Laval, AHL)
F Xavier Simoneau (to Laval, AHL)
F Ty Smilanic (to Laval, AHL)
D Jayden Struble (to Laval, AHL)
D Miguel Tourigny (to Laval, AHL)
F Alex-Olivier Voyer (to Laval, AHL)
G Joe Vrbetic (to Laval, AHL)
F Nolan Yaremko (to Laval, AHL)

New York Rangers (via team release)

F Alex Belzile (to Hartford, AHL)
F Anton Blidh (to Hartford, AHL)
F Turner Elson (to Hartford, AHL)
D Connor Mackey (to Hartford, AHL)
F Riley Nash (to Hartford, AHL)
F Adam Sykora (to Hartford, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team release)

F Jordy Bellerive (released from PTO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Elliot Desnoyers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Jacob Gaucher (released from PTO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Helge Grans (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

F Adam Gaudette (to Springfield, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (via team release)

G Ben Gaudreau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Bennett MacArthur (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Cole Koepke (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walcott (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walker (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Declan Carlile (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Devante Stephens (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Emil Lilleberg (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Evan Fitzpatrick (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Felix Robert (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gabriel Dumont (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gabriel Szturc (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Gage Goncalves (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Hugo Alnefelt (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ilya Usau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jack Finley (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Jack Thompson (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jaydon Dureau (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Joe Carroll (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Logan Brown (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Louka Henault (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Lucas Edmonds (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Maxwell Crozier (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Maxim Groshev (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mitchell Chaffee (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Roman Schmidt (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Sean Day (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Shawn Element (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Tristan Allard (to Syracuse, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)

D Layton Ahac (to Henderson, AHL)
F Tyler Benson (to Henderson, AHL)
D Jake Bischoff (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jakub Brabenec (to Henderson, AHL)
D Daniil Chayka (to Henderson, AHL)
D Lukas Cormier (to Henderson, AHL)
F Adam Cracknell (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jakub Demek (to Henderson, AHL)
F Mason Morelli (to Henderson, AHL)
G Jiri Patera (to Henderson, AHL)
D Christoffer Sedoff (to Henderson, AHL)
G Jesper Vikman (to Henderson, AHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via team release)

F Brad Lambert (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Daniel Torgersson (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Nikita Chibrikov (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Simon Lundmark (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Dmitri Kuzmin (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Artemi Kniazev (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Tyrel Bauer (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Dean Stewart (released from PTO, to Manitoba, AHL)
G Oskari Salminen (to Manitoba, AHL)
G Thomas Milic (to Manitoba, AHL)

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Examining Tampa Bay’s Goaltending Options

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One hallmark of Tampa Bay’s success in recent years has been strong goaltending from veteran Andrei Vasilevskiy.  The team has had so much confidence in their starter that they’ve gone quite cheap with their backups over the last few seasons.  The risk to that approach, of course, is Vasilevskiy getting injured, a reality they’re now facing for at least the next two months after he underwent back surgery.

At the moment, the Lightning have Jonas Johansson as their projected starter, a netminder who has seen action with Buffalo, Colorado, and Florida but has a save percentage of just .886 in 35 career appearances.  Sure, that should improve behind a strong Tampa back end but his track record shouldn’t be particularly confidence-inspiring for management.  An upgrade would certainly be helpful.

Of course, an upgrade is quite difficult for them to be able to afford.  While Vasilevskiy will be LTIR-eligible, the fact he’ll return means that Tampa Bay is basically limited to replacing him with a low-cost netminder that can be waived and sent down upon Vasilevskiy’s return.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the low-cost options that are out there.

Waiver Candidates

Magnus Hellberg (PIT): Hellberg is no stranger to being in this situation as he was plucked off waivers twice last season by teams in this very situation, looking for a bit of short-term veteran depth.  His NHL track record is limited and his numbers are no better than Johansson’s but he’d at least give them a bit more of an experienced option.

Martin Jones (TOR): Jones was a late signee in free agency, eventually accepting a cheap one-way deal with an eye on being Toronto’s AHL starter.  He played in 48 games with Seattle last season and while he had a save percentage of just .886, his career numbers are a bit better.  If they want someone that can still handle a short-term starters’ workload, he’ll garner some consideration.

Alex Lyon (DET): The veteran impressed down the stretch last season with Florida and actually went into the playoffs as their starter before Sergei Bobrovsky got on his run partway through the first round.  His NHL numbers last year (2.89 GAA, .912 SV%) came in less than a three-month span which is around how long Vasilevskiy will be out.  Could those numbers be repeatable (or close to it) in Tampa Bay?

Cayden Primeau (MTL): This one would be a bit more of a gamble considering his very limited NHL experience.  However, he has been a multi-year starter in the minors now and at 24, it’s possible there’s still some upside.  Could he be this year’s Connor Ingram where a change of scenery helps him to unlock his potential?  If Tampa Bay thinks so, he could be an under-the-radar option if Montreal doesn’t opt to carry three goalies instead.

Alex Stalock (ANA): If Anaheim decides to start Lukas Dostal in the minors, this one won’t be an option for Tampa.  However, if he is on waivers, he could be an intriguing option after putting up a .908 SV% in 27 games with Chicago last season, his first extended NHL action since 2019-20 after dealing with myocarditis.

Anthony Stolarz (FLA): Stolarz is coming off an injury-riddled season but he’s only a year removed from posting a .917 SV% on an Anaheim team that had struggled considerably.  His cap hit would make it quite difficult for them to potentially keep him after Vasilevskiy returns but he is one of the more proven goalies likely to hit the waiver wire in the coming days.

All of these players are on contracts that can be fully buried in the minors without any salary cap penalty.

Trade Options

Eric Comrie (BUF): With Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the fold, it’s quite possible that the Sabres decide to go with the young duo which would leave Comrie as the odd one out.  With a $1.8MM AAV, Tampa Bay would need the Sabres to retain a decent chunk of that (if not the 50% maximum) so it’d be understandable if Buffalo asked for a draft pick in return.  Given that there will be other goalies available for free (and Comrie himself could be waived, too), this might not be their preferred route at this time.

Dan Vladar (CGY): This has been a popular speculative option but it’s not necessarily the most viable for Tampa Bay since he has a two-year deal and a $2.2MM cap hit which is something they can’t afford when Vasilevskiy returns.  Tampa Bay would need to come close to matching money in a trade as a result, meaning they’d have to part with a regular on their roster although he’d give them a higher-upside second-string option.

Free Agent Options

Brian Elliott: Elliott is no stranger to the team as he served as the backup over the past two seasons.  Things went quite well in 2021-22 but that certainly wasn’t the case last season with numbers that were among the worst in his career.  If familiarity with the organization and systems is important to the Lightning, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them at least consider the possibility of a reunion.

Jaroslav Halak: Last month, Halak indicated that he wants to keep playing but doesn’t want to be in a third-string/reserve role.  This short-term vacancy would seemingly fit him well.  He’d be guaranteed some consistent playing time and if he can outplay Johansson, it’s possible that he could push for a season-long opportunity.  He had a .903 SV% in 25 games with the Rangers last season, a better mark than many others on this list.

Internal Options

Tampa Bay has two other goalies on NHL deals, neither of which have made an NHL start.  Hugo Alnefelt is viewed as a possible goalie of the future but didn’t have a great year with AHL Syracuse.  Ideally, he needs frequent playing time and that’s easier to get with the Crunch.  Matt Tomkins is the other goalie in the system.  He exercised an opt-out in Sweden to sign with the Lightning back in May.  The 25-year-old hasn’t been more than an AHL backup in North America and it would be tough to rely on him in the NHL for any sort of extended stretch.

With Vasilevskiy’s surgery occurring now instead of in-season, Tampa Bay will have considerably more options over the next couple of weeks if they decide to add someone from outside the organization.  At this point, their best bet might be via the waiver wire where the list above certainly isn’t exhaustive; there will be plenty of netminders for them to choose from to give them a bit more stability in the short term.  They just might have to wait a week or two for the better options to become available.

Logan Brown Won't Be Available To Start The Season

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Lightning center Logan Brown is dealing with an injury that will keep him out for the start of the season, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The 25-year-old inked a one-year, two-way deal with Tampa Bay at the beginning of free agency after being non-tendered.  He played in 30 games last season with St. Louis and was expected to push for a spot at the end of the roster in training camp, an outcome that now won’t be happening.  Encina adds that blueline prospect Roman Schmidt will also miss the start of the season due to injury.

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