The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals each completed several trades on a busy second day of the NHL Draft
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were active during draft rounds 2 through 7 on Saturday, each making several moves to reshape their rosters for next season and beyond.
Tampa Bay sent two-time Stanley Cup winner Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and backup forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles, freeing up more than $11 million in salary cap space. That could be enough money to keep captain and franchise figurehead Steven Stamkos or sign a major free agent. It will also create plenty of room to lock up defensive cornerstone Victor Hedman to a long-term contract extension.
The Lightning have rejuvenated their back line by adding 24-year-old defenseman JJ Moser, as well as talented forward Conor Geekie and two draft picks for Sergachev, who is under contract through 2031 and earns $8.5 million annually. A second-round pick in 2025 and a fourth-round pick this year allow Tampa Bay to replenish its talent pool after making eight straight playoff appearances, winning two titles and reaching the Finals three times.
That window for competition remains wide open, and general manager Julien BriseBois now has the flexibility to restructure on the fly as free agency begins Monday. Stamkos staying is a possibility, and now the Lightning have the opportunity to sign one or more of the best wingers available, which include Jake Guentzel, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Marchessault.
The Capitals already completed their hunt for big names last week by acquiring highly paid center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Kings for goalie Darcy Kuemper. On Saturday, they filled that void in goal by acquiring Logan Thompson from host Vegas for two third-round picks.
Thompson is expected to split time with Charlie Lindgren next season, in a tandem that costs less than $2 million in total, with each goalie having one year left on his contract. Thompson, 27, was an All-Star and played 37 games for the Golden Knights during their 2022-23 Cup run before being injured before the playoffs.
Long before his name was engraved on the trophy, Thompson first attended the NHL Capitals’ development camp following the championship celebration in the summer of 2018. He played for Washington in two consecutive talent shows, completed a training camp with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League in 2019, and played for South Carolina in the ECHL, earning his first contract.
“I’m grateful to Washington’s goaltending department every day,” Thompson told The Associated Press at the 2023 All-Star Weekend. “They’re the reason I’m here. They’re the only team that gave me a chance three years ago. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Washington also traded fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo for the 43rd pick and acquired American-born defenseman Cole Hutson. Washington also picked up Ilya Protas, the younger brother of Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas, in the third round. Malenstyn, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who scored 21 points in 81 games in his first full NHL season and gives the Buffalo Sabres valuable forward depth as they try to end the league’s longest playoff drought.
Among other things, St. Louis traded Kevin Hayes and a 1925 second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for a later buyout of the remainder of his contract, and Boston sent Jakob Lauko to Minnesota in exchange for Vinni Lettieri. This was a center swap that also involved draft picks.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
