2 Players the Lightning Should Re-Sign, 2 They Should Not

The Tampa Bay Lightning have some decisions to make this offseason, especially regarding some pending unrestricted free agents who might be looking for new homes come July 1. While the salary cap will see a solid increase to $104 million next season, the Lightning still need to be wise about how they use it.

They’re finally starting to see some relief after multiple seasons of cap headaches. But the wrong moves could easily set them back. Here’s a look at two players who would make sense to keep around and two who management should let walk.

Keep: Darren Raddysh, Defenseman

If some team wants to overpay him, the Lightning should balk. But the team has every reason to bring Darren Raddysh back on a reasonable contract. This season, he had a career year on a steal of a cap hit at $975,000. He put up 22 goals and 70 points, the same number of points as the previous two seasons combined.

He’ll be 31 in February, and whether or not he can come close to repeating that success is anyone’s guess. The average annual value of his next contract will determine if it’s worth finding out.

I think the limit that the Lightning should go on average annual value (AAV) is $5 million. It would be wise to limit the deal to four seasons as well ($20 million total). There is likely a team that will go beyond that, and I wouldn’t fault him for seeking the bigger payday. However, from a team perspective, this should be the upper limit.

Let Walk: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Right-Winger

The acquisition of Oliver Bjorkstrand in March 2025 looked really good at the time. He and Yanni Gourde were expected to give the Lightning solid scoring depth when they were considered a top-heavy team. It just didn’t pan out.

Bjorkstrand suffered an injury that cost him an opportunity to play in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This season, he was healthy, but he only scored 12 goals and 32 points through 80 games. It was his fewest goal total since the 2017-18 season, and his point total was the lowest since 2016-17, when he only played 26 games.

With a cap hit of $5.4 million and two first-round picks now belonging to the Seattle Kraken, the cost to acquire him was high. Those picks were top-10 protected, but the 2026 pick is officially gone, and unless the Lightning tank next season, the 2027 pick is gone, too. Management essentially paid to get Yanni Gourde a few games early, but at least his cap hit is half of Bjorkstrand’s.

There’s no reason to re-sign him in an attempt to justify the move. The Lightning should wipe their hands clean. Keep the cap space and move on.

Keep: Declan Carlile, Defenseman

Yes, Declan Carlile is set to be an unrestricted free agent; he qualifies under the Group 6 UFA criteria, and his age and limited time in the NHL allow him to explore other opportunities. It might not be a re-signing people are begging for, but the reality is that he’s an option in the system.

The team’s defensive depth was tested often this season, and his cap hit is low enough that it would be logical to ink him to another deal to provide defensive depth. Last season, he made the league minimum, $775,000. The minimum salary is set to go up to $850,000.

An ideal contract would include an AAV of $900,000 and a two-year, two-way contract. That’s more than doable. If Tampa Bay doesn’t re-sign him, it’s not the end of the world, but it wouldn’t hurt.

Let Walk: Corey Perry

That reunion was fun, and he was solid in the regular season after the deadline. But Corey Perry was absent in the playoffs. If he wants to keep playing, the Lightning should let him find somewhere else. His cap hit was low, and it will likely be low again. However, his roster spot should be used on a young player.

Some top prospects are on the verge of being NHL-ready and made noise this season. Give them the chance instead of turning to members of a previous run to the Stanley Cup Final. The team has had some recent reunions – Ryan McDonagh, Gourde and Perry – to varying levels of success. It’s time to look to the next generation to keep the window open.

Time will tell how money, the desire for playing time and the decisions of other teams will play a role in where these four players land. Other potentially available players will influence the Lightning’s decision-making. We’ll see how their fates play out.