Tampa Bay Lightning Free Agency Outlook, Potential Fits

Tampa Bay Lightning Free Agency Preview/Outlook, Salary Cap Situation, Restricted Free Agents, Team Needs, and Potential Fits

Free Agency took on a new look Wednesday after the Tampa Bay Lightning inked superstar Steven Stamkos to an eight-year $8.5 million dollars/year contract.

GM Steve Yzerman was able to keep the core pieces intact for now, but the team could face difficult decisions next summer with numerous players up for new deals (i.e. Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Jonathan Drouin, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy).

As it stands, Tampa Bay has a little over $63 million dollars committed to the 2016-17 salary cap. They still need to re-sign RFAs Nikita Kucherov, Vladislav Namestnikov, Alex Killorn, and Nikita Nesterov. If the Lightning do anything in free agency, it would consist of depth signings that only count against the cap when the player is called up from the AHL to fill in for injuries.

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It was a season of distractions for Tampa Bay in 2015-16. Toronto media managed to make a spectacle of the Steven Stamkos situation, and the Lightning had a disgruntled demoted player who chose to go home opposed to suiting up for their AHL affiliate.

Still, the team managed to put together a record of 46-31-5 (97 points) on the shoulders of Vezina candidate Ben Bishop.

Heading into round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tampa Bay drew a sputtering Detroit Red Wings team that narrowly clinched a postseason spot. Pavel Datsyuk would only play five more playoff games before the Lightning knocked off the Red Wings.

Tampa Bay faced off against the New York Islanders in round two. The Isles were coming off a surprise victory over division winner Florida Panthers. It marked their (NYI) first playoff series victory in decades. The Lightning were too much though for an inexperienced Islanders squad defeating them in five games.

May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) shakes hands with Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist (72) following game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center. Pittsburgh won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Don Wright-USA TODAY Sports /

Heading into the Conference Final, the team was riding high on confidence, even without star center Steven Stamkos in the lineup the previous two rounds. Tampa had their sights set on a back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearance. Unfortunately, they lost star netminder Ben Bishop early in the series. The team turned to Andrei Vasilevskiy, who played solid in Bishop’s absence, but ultimately fell short in a heartbreaking game seven loss.

Given Vasilevskiy’s emergence coupled with impending expansion, Tampa Bay will likely be forced to move one of two netminders before next June.

Tampa Bay Lightning Free Agency Outlook/Preview

Salary Cap Committed to 2016-17: $60,020,833 (updated following Carle buyout)
Number of Players Signed: 39

Notable Unrestricted Free Agents: Mike Blunden, Jonathan Marchessault, Mike Angelidis, David Broll, Philippe Paradis

Notable Restricted Free Agents: Alex Killorn, Vladislav Namestnikov, Nikita Kucherov, Nikita Nesterov, Kristers Gudlevskis

Following the Steven Stamkos signing, Tampa Bay finds themselves in a very difficult position in terms of having enough money to re-sign remaining RFAs.

It should be a top priority to get Nikita Kucherov signed. The team could explore potential trade scenarios for either Alex Killorn, Vladislav Namestnikov, or both given that the pair are set to be left exposed in expansion.

Tampa Bay Lightning Free Agency Team Needs

Top-Four RH Defense Upgrade, Defensive Depth