With defenseman Zach Bogosian off to the Minnesota Wild thanks to yesterday’s trade, the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled blueliner Philippe Myers from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.
Bogosian spent the Lightning’s last game on the team’s bottom pairing next to Calvin de Haan, so with the trade yesterday Tampa Bay needed a new defenseman to fill that spot on the right side of the team’s blueline. In comes Myers, a six-foot-six veteran of over 150 NHL games.
Myers, 26, is an undrafted player who was acquired by the Lightning in the 2022 Ryan McDonagh trade. Optimistic that they could unlock the upside Myers once flashed as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, the Lightning signed Myers to an extension promising him a $1.4MM AAV through the end of this season.
Myers failed to secure a full-time spot with the Lightning last season, though, and ended up playing in 52 games for the Crunch, scoring 29 points to go alongside 88 penalty minutes. With this recall, he’ll get another chance to make his mark in Tampa.
Winning the cup kills a team’s depth.