Back on top? Grading the Tampa Bay Lightning's summer of shrewd moves

By Nathan Grella

Modified Aug 15, 2023 03:47 GMT

The Tampa Bay Lightning faced a challenging offseason after their early exit in the first round of the playoffs. The team's cap constraints limited their ability to make significant upgrades, resulting in a series of moves aimed at maintaining roster depth and balance.

Here's a closer look at the Lightning's offseason transactions and grade their efforts:

#1. Signing Tanner Jeannot - Grade: C

The Lightning's decision to sign Tanner Jeannot to a two-year deal worth $2.665 million AAV comes after they acquired him at the trade deadline. While Jeannot showed promise in limited appearances, the contract's value might be slightly inflated for a player with a relatively small NHL sample size.

The grade reflects the potential upside of the signing but also acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding Jeannot's future impact.

#2. Signing Conor Sheary - Grade: B-

Conor Sheary's signing to a three-year deal worth $2 million AAV adds a depth scoring option to the Tampa Bay Lightning's lineup. His experience and ability to contribute offensively make him a valuable addition.

While the contract's terms and value are reasonable, the grade is a B- as Sheary's impact might not significantly alter the team's dynamics.

#3. Signing Luke Glendenning and Josh Archibald - Grade: A+

The Tampa Bay Lightning's signings of Luke Glendenning and Josh Archibald to twin two-year deals worth $800K AAV each stands out as strong moves. These signings provide valuable depth, penalty-killing prowess, and energy to the roster.

The contracts' affordability and the players' specific roles earn this group of moves an A+ grade, reflecting their potential to make a meaningful impact.

#4. Signing Calvin De Haan - Grade: B+

The Tampa Bay Lightning's signing of Calvin De Haan to a one-year deal worth $775K adds defensive depth to their blue line. De Haan's experience and physicality could contribute to the team's defensive stability. The grade is a B+ as the move addresses a specific need while aligning with the team's cap limitations.

#5. Trading away Tampa Bay Lightning all-timers Ross Colton, Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon - Grade: C-

The decision to trade Ross Colton, Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon to multiple teams for a return of a 2nd and two 7th-round picks is a move focused on freeing up cap space.

While these players played roles in the Lightning's success, the team's cap challenges necessitated such actions. The grade is a C- as the returns were modest in comparison to the contributions of the players traded.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's offseason moves reflect their efforts to navigate cap constraints while maintaining roster depth and balance. While some signings, like Luke Glendenning and Josh Archibald, show a clear focus on specific needs and roles, others might carry uncertainty due to limited track records.

The Lightning's trade decisions are reflective of the harsh reality of cap management, albeit potentially at the cost of losing players who contributed to their previous success.