Équipe: 2021-22 Lightning de Tampa Bay

Date de création initiale: 1 juill. 2021

Publié: 1 juill. 2021

Mode - plafond salarial: Basique

The Lightning become cap compliant through an expansion draft side deal and the placing of Victor Hedman on LTIR to start the season. The team will need RFAs Ross Colton and Cal Foote to come back on only slight raises from their ELCs. I’ve also pegged Jimmy Vesey, Colton Sceviour, and Alex Goligoski as vets who might be convinced to join the team on one-year league minimum deals. Finally, putting Hedman on LTIR has allowed the team to resign David Savard to a three-year deal. The team actually ends up with more than 500k in cap space, to which they will likely add with other injuries and creative AHL assignment of fringe players such that they might even be able to bring Hedman back before the playoffs or add some depth at the deadline. I see this team easily competing for first in the Atlantic division.

The biggest challenge I see for Tampa going forward is the lack of identifiable NHL caliber prospects in their system. Following this season, Palat and Maroon will need new contracts and the team lacks both the cap space to sign them or the young players to step into their spots in the lineup.

BONUS: I reunited the Triplets line for fun. I doubt it happens, though.