The Tampa Bay Lightning have a slate of notable pending free agents, including veterans Ryan McDonagh and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Today, Lightning general manager Julien Brisebois told the media, including team reporter Benjamin Pierce, that contract negotiations with the representatives of its pending free agents will be tabled until after the season. Brisebois also added that despite doing so, the club still plans on retaining McDonagh beyond this season.
Brisebois said that when they re-acquired McDonagh, they informed him that “the plan was to not only have him finish his contract here, but sign another contract after that.” He added that his expectation is that McDonagh will do just that. Brisebois pointed to Yanni Gourde and his six-year contract extension as the model for what he’s “hoping and expecting will happen after the season” with McDonagh. Even at 36 years old, McDonagh remains an effective all-around defenseman. He scored 31 points in the regular season for Tampa, three points in five playoff games, and averaged 20:35 time-on-ice per game including the most short-handed ice time on the team.
Some other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- Brisebois provided some additional detail on the status of injured center Nick Paul. Brisebois said, via team reporter Gabby Shirley, that Paul’s injury is one “he had been dealing with most of last season.” He added that “everything” the team tried to heal the injury “wasn’t working,” leading the player and team to address the matter via surgery. The original news of Paul’s injury was covered in more detail earlier today here.
- Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis told the media today, including TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie, that he currently views Kirby Dach as the club’s second-line center behind captain Nick Suzuki. Dach had an impressive first season in Montreal, scoring 38 points in 58 games. But injuries have been a persistent issue for Dach, even including 2022-23, and as a result it would be fair to question whether Dach has the ability – and availability – to stick in such an important lineup spot. But Dach, the 2018 third-overall pick, certainly possesses the natural ability and potential to do it.