One reality of the NHL’s flat salary cap is that the trade deadline simply isn’t as fun as it could be if there was a little more wiggle room for deals to be made. For a team that only has a little bit of available space like the Tampa Bay Lightning, they either have to get creative with who they target, bribe third parties with futures to take on salary to stay compliant in a blockbuster trade, or they will have to target low-cost players who can have an impact in the playoffs, but simply aren’t the show-stoppers you would hope for.
However, if you enjoy discussing the sport, that doesn’t mean that you can’t dream. There are a number of impact players still on the trade market, both as rentals and for the long-term, that the Lightning would be elated to add to their roster.
So, with the trade deadline less than a week away and rumors swirling around every team, let’s take a step back from reality and have a little bit of fun today by discussing three players the Lightning would love to add to the roster if we didn’t live in the real world.
Brock Boeser – Vancouver Canucks
For the first dream target, I’m going to start with a player that many might not expect: Brock Boeser. In recent years, Boeser’s stock has fallen significantly, so it’s easy to forget just how incredible of a player he can be when healthy and fully engaged.
In fact, Boeser has a bit of a history with Tampa Bay, as he had one of his best NHL moments while playing in the city. As a rookie in the 2018 All-Star Game in Tampa, he helped the Pacific Division win the All-Star Game and took home the Most Valuable Player award, becoming just the second rookie to earn this achievement in NHL history. Not bad for a weekend of work.
Yes, that was years ago and a different time in his career, but I can’t help but think that there is still a lot of potential left in Boeser’s career. He is just 26 years old after all, so he has years of prime games ahead of him that the Lightning could unlock.
That is, of course, if he didn’t make $6.65 million a year until 2025. At that cap hit, the Lightning simply could never fit him into their roster and stay compliant without trading an equally significant roster piece. So, for now at least, this fun story will remain just a fleeting idea.
Erik Karlsson – San Jose Sharks
So hear me out. At the 2018 Trade Deadline, it was heavily rumored that the Lightning were interested in Erik Karlsson, who was on the trade block despite being one of the best defensemen in the league. While Tampa Bay would eventually throw down a blockbuster deal for Ryan McDonagh, the thought of Karlsson playing next to Victor Hedman and creating one of the most dominant Swedish pairings in league history was impossible to ignore.
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Fast forward a few years, and it is very obvious that the Lightning made the right choice. Karlsson has struggled with injuries and an albatross contract, where McDonagh won two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay before being traded by the franchise to clear cap space.
However, Karlsson is currently on pace for the best season in his impressive career, as he is putting together scoring numbers that rival the best defensemen to ever play the position.
So, while Hedman and Karlsson may not be the players they were in 2018, the thought of these future Hockey Hall of Fame defensemen playing next to each other would be undeniably exciting. This is impossible due to Karlsson’s massive contract, of course, but it would be quite the spectacle as long as they continued playing up to the level they are known for.
Jacob Chychrun – Arizona Coyotes
If the Lightning hadn’t committed so many future assets to acquire Brandon Hagel at the 2022 Deadline, there’s a world where they would instead take those picks and prospects and use them to acquire defenseman Jacob Chychrun. The reasoning here is simple. Chychrun is on a team-friendly contract until 2025 while being a top-two defenseman on the ice.
Any team would love to add this to their roster, as his cost-controlled contract would be a boon to the cap-strapper Lightning. Plus, adding a top right-shot defenseman would fill a massive hole for the franchise as they really haven’t found a long-term solution for this position.
Of course, the odds of this happening now are essentially zero. Given how many teams are vying for his services, the Lightning likely would have needed to start the conversation with their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks and build a deal from there. However, at least they spent those assets well, as Hagel has been a great fit with the franchise and is well-worth what they gave up for him.
Don’t Expect Fireworks From Lightning the Deadline
I’ve written a trade deadline piece similar to this one the last few seasons because it gives me a reason to look around the league and ask, “What If?” While I once stumbled into a trade that actually happened, typically this is nothing more than just some fun to break up what is an often a weird week of rumors and refreshing web pages.
Especially this season, don’t expect Tampa Bay to be major buyers on the trade market. I do believe they will make at least one move, but it will be for depth that won’t stress the team’s limited resources. However, as a team that is filled to the brim with star talent, these are the only deadline moves you need to make in order to stay in contention.