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Lightning Agree To Seven-Year Extension With Nick Paul

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Nick Paul made a very good impression on the Lightning after being acquired from Ottawa at the trade deadline.  He did well enough, in fact, to earn a long-term contract as the team announced that they’ve signed the forward to a seven-year contract with an AAV of $3.15MM.  CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal breaks down as follows:

2022-23: $750K base salary, $3.4MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2023-24: $2.15MM base salary, $2MM signing bonus, full no-trade clause
2024-25: $3.25MM base salary, full no-trade clause
2025-26: $3MM base salary, full no-trade clause
2026-27: $1.5MM base salary, $1MM signing bonus, 16-team no-trade clause
2027-28: $1.5MM base salary, $1MM signing bonus, 16-team no-trade clause
2028-29: $1.5MM base salary, $1MM signing bonus, 16-team no-trade clause

The 27-year-old had a career year in 2021-22, picking up 16 goals and 16 assists in 80 games between the Senators and Lightning but his production in Tampa Bay was certainly noteworthy as he collected 14 points in 21 contests despite seeing his average ice time drop by more than three minutes per game to 14:06.  Most of that time was spent on the wing but that changed in the playoffs as he mostly played down the middle.  His production dropped to just five goals and four helpers in their 23 postseason matches but he took 382 draws in what was largely a checking role while his playing time jumped to over 18 minutes a night in the process.

Paul had been believed to be seeking a multi-year deal with an AAV around the $3MM mark while with Ottawa, a price they clearly didn’t want to pay which resulted in him being sent to Tampa Bay for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick.  His showing down the stretch and in the playoffs certainly bolstered his market and he was able to surpass the $3MM threshold while getting close to a max-term agreement in the process.

Of course, this contract further tightens Tampa Bay’s salary cap situation.  They now have more than $87.6MM in commitments for next season, per CapFriendly, with a projected minimum-sized roster.  They’ll have some relief with Brent Seabrook’s $6.875MM remaining on LTIR but that doesn’t give them much room to work with as they look to find a way to keep winger Ondrej Palat and defenseman Jan Rutta in the fold; both players are pending unrestricted free agents.  On Thursday, it was reported that the Lightning were working with blueliner Ryan McDonagh to see if there’s a suitable trade he’d be open to which would give them some flexibility with the veteran carrying a $6.75MM cap charge for the next four years.  GM Julien BriseBois can check off one key item of his summer to-do list but there is still some work to be done.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report the two sides were closing in on an agreement while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the seven-year term.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Tampa Bay Lightning Considering Ryan McDonagh Trade

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After barely missing out on their third consecutive Stanley Cup championship, the Tampa Bay Lightning may be forced to do some drastic reshuffling of the core. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the team is working with Ryan McDonagh to find out if there is a fit somewhere else in the league. McDonagh has a full no-trade clause and can essentially decide where he plays at this point.

Friedman notes that the team wants to retain both Nick Paul and Ondrej Palat (among others) who are set to become unrestricted free agents. Moving McDonagh would essentially be a cap move, given the $6.75MM hit he carries through 2025-26.

It’s shocking news, given how good McDonagh has been for Tampa Bay since arriving in 2018. Acquired from the New York Rangers along with J.T. Miller for a package that revolved around Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, and draft picks, it was a move that was critical in building the squad that won two years later. McDonagh has averaged nearly 22 minutes a night with the Lightning, eating up the toughest defensive assignments to allow Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, and others to contribute more at the offensive end of the rink.

Now 33, with nearly 1,000 tough, physical games under his belt, it might be prudent for the Lightning to get out from under McDonagh’s contract before it becomes an issue. He is signed longer than any other defenseman on the roster and yet is several years older than most. Despite his continued strong play, and the fact that he is “hugely popular” in the locker room according to Friedman, the Lightning need to make a change somewhere if they’re going to keep Palat and Paul.

The team already projects to be over the cap for next season, though Brent Seabrook’s contract will provide a little bit of long-term injured reserve wiggle room. Jan Rutta, a depth defenseman that has been useful over the last few years, and Riley Nash, who stepped into the lineup in Brayden Point’s absence this postseason, are also both scheduled to become UFAs.

There have been other players jettisoned from the Lightning over the years. Miller, Tyler Johnson, and Yanni Gourde left with money still on their contracts. Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow couldn’t be re-signed because of higher bidders on the market. Still, none of those moves seem as important as a McDonagh move would be, given how integral he has been to the defense over the last several years. His absence would leave a gaping hole on the second pairing, one that the team doesn’t appear to have an internal candidate for.

Perhaps a player like Cal Foote could step into an increased role, but a McDonagh move could leave the Lightning looking outside the organization for an answer. A cheaper answer, it would be, and likely one that isn’t quite as effective as the veteran–at least for the time being.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Darren Raddysh

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June 30: The Lightning have officially announced the contract, confirming the details.

June 29: While one Raddysh brother departed the Tampa Bay Lightning organization earlier this year, the other will be sticking around. Per CapFriendly, the team has extended defenseman Darren Raddysh on a two-year, two-way deal that carries a cap hit of $762,500. The 26-year-old older brother of now-Chicago Blackhawk Taylor Raddysh was a pending Group VI unrestricted free agent.

Raddysh’s deal earns him a guaranteed $350,000 each season. He made his NHL debut this season while the Lightning had some health issues on defense, going pointless in four NHL contests.

After winning the OHL championship in 2017 with the Erie Otters and being named the league’s defenseman of the year, it hasn’t been the smoothest professional career for Raddysh. He showed positive steps in the New York Rangers organization, notching 15 points in 24 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2020-21 season, but his numbers took a step back again in Syracuse in 2022.

In 61 games, he had 25 points, but his defensive play was decent enough to work himself up the recall list for the Lightning. He’ll remain high on their minor-league depth chart for the time being.

Julien BriseBois Announces Lightning Injuries; Talks Free Agents

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The Tampa Bay Lightning front office now has to begin the work on next season, hoping to rebuild a team that came close to winning three Stanley Cups in a row. Anyone who watched the Final could tell that the list of injuries (on both sides) was long, and today general manager Julien BriseBois met with the media to explain some of those ailments.

Joe Smith of The Athletic relays that Brayden Point was dealing with a torn quad, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare had a meniscus injury, Anthony Cirelli had an AC joint sprain and will require surgery, Brandon Hagel had a fractured foot, Corey Perry had an AC joint sprain, Nick Paul had an AC joint sprain and an MCL sprain, Nikita Kucherov had a meniscus injury, and Ryan McDonagh had a “mangled” finger.

BriseBois also spoke about some of the team’s pending free agents, noting that they hope to bring back Paul, Ondrej Palat, and Jan Rutta if possible. Whether that is possible under the salary cap remains to be seen, though the Lightning are the last team anyone should rule out for finding creative solutions.

Paul, 27, was reportedly looking for a contract with an average annual value close to $3MM when he was still with the Ottawa Senators, though that number has likely increased thanks to incredible playoff performances. The 6’3″ forward can play both center and wing, kill penalties, line up next to skilled players, or provide energy from the bottom-six. He averaged more than 18 minutes a night in the postseason, scoring five goals including two game-winners.

Palat meanwhile is a franchise icon in Tampa Bay, having played his entire career for the organization to this point. Originally selected 208th overall in 2011, he now has 423 points over 628 regular season games and is one of the most versatile two-way wingers in the NHL. He has an eye-popping 12 game-winning goals in the playoffs, and led all players with 11 even-strength goals in this year’s tournament. Now 31, there will be plenty of teams trying to bring in his experience should the Lightning be unable to retain him.

Latest On Brayden Point

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The Tampa Bay Lightning need to win two straight games in order to defend their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, including a pivotal Game Six tonight. Today, Lightning coach Jon Cooper told the media that the Lightning would be without star center Brayden Point, just as they were for their Game Five victory. Cooper called Point’s injury “severe,” but did not rule him out for Game Seven, should the Lightning manage to keep their season alive.

Point was originally injured in Game Seven of the Lightning’s first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Point has only gotten into two games since his injury, both in the Cup Final. He has one assist since the injury and five total points in his nine playoff games this year. Point is an elite center (he had 58 points in 66 games) but it’s clear he’s been operating at a significantly diminished level since the injury. Winning the Stanley Cup is obviously the first priority for the Lightning, but looking ahead to next season one can only hope that the attempts to re-integrate Point into the lineup don’t in any way set back his recovery. The Lightning have shown they can still win without Point, as they did against the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers, but his absence could ultimately come with a cost if the Lightning do end up narrowly losing the Stanley Cup to the Avalanche.

Final Notes: Kucherov, Toews, Point

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The Tampa Bay Lightning were able to respond with a strong effort in game three last night to pull closer in their series against the Colorado Avalanche, but it wasn’t without a cost. Nikita Kucherov and several others left the game at various points with injuries, though it seems they may have escaped without too much issue. Today, head coach Jon Cooper explained to reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic that though it is not yet certain, he expects Kucherov to play in game four.

Here are a couple of other notes from the Stanley Cup Final:

  • Devon Toews, whose cross-check was the reason Kucherov left the game in the first place, is not expected to receive any supplementary discipline from the league. Smith notes that the league felt the play was properly penalized by the on-ice officials, who gave Toews a two-minute minor. It was not the only borderline play in the game but since the Department of Player Safety has not yet issued any hearings, it’s safe to say that there aren’t any suspensions expected from last night.
  • Brayden Point, who missed game three and was replaced by Riley Nash, is doubtful for game four. The 26-year-old forward played in both of the first two games of the series but is still dealing with the injury that took him out of round one against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Point recorded just one shot through those first two games and was a shadow of the dominant player he can be at full strength.

Brayden Point Out For Stanley Cup Final Game Three

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A storyline of these playoffs has been the last-minute availability and absence of key players, and tonight’s Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals doesn’t appear to be any different. The most notable absence is that of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point, who did not take the ice for warmups. Point had missed the entirety of the second and third rounds for Tampa after suffering a a lowery-body injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Seven of their first round series. Point had been listed as a game-time decision heading into tonight, but that decision appears to be made. With the Lightning down 2-0 in the series, they will need a stepped-up team effort at home to not only make up for Point’s absence, but to get back in the series as a whole. Forward Riley Nash will take Point’s place.

Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Simon Ryfors

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While the roster gets ready to try and climb back into the Stanley Cup Final, the Tampa Bay Lightning front office is still hard at work for the future. The team has signed Simon Ryfors to a one-year, two-way contract for next season.

Ryfors, 24, is coming off his entry-level contract and would have been an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at the end of the year. Undrafted, he was signed after exploding onto the SHL scene with a 25-goal season in 2020-21. That kind of offensive production came out of nowhere for the young forward, and this season saw another nice step forward in his development.

In 72 games for the Syracuse Crunch, Ryfors ended up with 11 goals and 35 points, working his way through several different lineup roles in the process. Whether he’ll be able to make it to the NHL at some point is still unclear but the Lightning obviously saw enough in him this year to add him to Syracuse’s lineup for another season.

Poll: Who Wins The 2022 Stanley Cup Final?

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With the only multi-day break in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final occurring between Games 1 and 2, both the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning have plenty of time to process the events of a tight first game and adjust for the rest of the series. The Colorado Avalanche took a crucial overtime win at home to kick off the series, but both teams had their own flashes of brilliance to open the series.

As the Lightning have shown so far in these playoffs, though, no series lead against them is safe. One thing they can count on is the improvement of two important players: Brayden Point and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Point had an assist in 17:59 of ice time in Game 1, his first game in over a month and first game since the First Round. As he gets back to game speed, his ice time and compete level will only go up throughout the series, making the matchups tougher for the Avalanche and Jared Bednar. Vasilevskiy was also noticeably off his game at points on Wednesday, having issues tracking some pucks early in the game. He settled in, though, and as he has throughout these playoffs, will only get better as the series goes on.

The Avalanche are still waiting on Nazem Kadri to return to the lineup, who continues to practice and improve as he battles a thumb injury. Even if/when Kadri returns, he won’t be at 100%, and with how well the unit of Valeri Nichushkin, J.T. Compher, and Andre Burakovsky performed in Game 1, it might be better to try Kadri in a more limited role regardless. That would surely help the matchup game for Bednar, who would suddenly have a huge weapon to throw out with his depth forwards. Andrew Cogliano was also a full participant in today’s practice and could return for Game 2 on Saturday.

The question remains: will the Avalanche be able to hold onto their series lead and end the Tampa Bay run of championships despite their injuries and disadvantage in the crease? We ask you, PHR readers, to give us your take. Vote who you think will win the 2022 Stanley Cup Final in the poll below.

[Mobile users, click here to vote!]

Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Sean Day

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While the Lighting’s main focus has to be on tying their Stanley Cup Final series against the Colorado Avalanche, that hasn’t stopped their front office from getting some offseason work done early. Today the Lightning announced that they have re-signed defenseman Sean Day to a one-year, two-way contract. Per CapFriendly, the deal carries a $750k cap hit, a $750k NHL salary, a $200k AHL salary, and $225k in total guarantees.

Day, 24, is perhaps best known for being one of the few players granted exceptional status by the Ontario Hockey League. As an “exceptional player,” Day joined an elite group of OHL players including John Tavares, Connor McDavid, and Aaron Ekblad. Unfortunately, Day did not live up to his exceptional-status billing. While he wasn’t a bad OHL-er by any means, he struggled to be a true difference-maker until he got older and ended up on three different OHL teams during his five-year major junior career.

Day was drafted with the New York Rangers’ top pick at the 2016 draft, going 81st overall. The Rangers signed Day to his entry-level deal and at the conclusion of his OHL career plugged him into their minor league system. He bounced between the AHL and ECHL levels for his first two professional seasons before his contract was terminated, he became a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the Lightning’s affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, Day become an AHL regular and this past season registered his most successful year as a pro, scoring 40 points in 69 games. Day averaged just under 19 minutes of time on ice per game, and his breakout AHL year led him to his first NHL call-up. Day got into two NHL games this year and averaged 10:43 time on ice per game.

Day’s one-year extension gives him the chance to stay in Syracuse and continue a career trajectory that’s pointed upwards ever since the start of 2021-22. While he may never end up fulfilling the potential he held as a junior, he seems to be on his way toward carving out a role as dependable organizational depth for one of the top franchises in the NHL.

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