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Brayden Point

Brayden Point Signs Eight-Year Extension

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The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to lock up their key players. On the first day it was possible, the Lightning have signed Brayden Point to an eight-year contract extension worth a total of $76MM. That will take him to an average annual value of $9.5MM for the 2022-23 campaign after his current deal expires. GM Julien BriseBois was clear in his praise of the young forward:

Brayden is a key contributor to the Lightning’s success and one of the most dynamic players in the NHL. To be able to agree to terms with him on a long-term contract is great news for our organization going forward. Not only is Brayden a skilled player, he is also a fierce competitor who fits in well with the pedigree of our team. Our organization looks forward to having him be a big part of this team for many years to come.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports the full breakdown of salary and signing bonuses for Point:

  • 2022-23: $3.5MM salary + $5.5MM signing bonus
  • 2023-24: $5.0MM salary + $6.25MM signing bonus
  • 2024-25: $5.0MM salary + $7.0MM signing bonus
  • 2025-26: $5.0MM salary + $7.0MM signing bonus
  • 2026-27: $4.0MM salary + $5.75MM signing bonus
  • 2027-28: $3.0MM salary + $4.6MM signing bonus
  • 2028-29: $3.0MM salary + $4.2MM signing bonus
  • 2029-30: $3.0MM salary + $4.2MM signing bonus

Point, 25, was available to every team in the NHL during the 2014 draft, but it was Tampa Bay that used the 79th overall pick on him. Two years later he would debut with the club during the 2016-17 season, scoring 18 goals and 40 points en route to finishing tenth in the Calder Trophy voting. It was an impressive rookie season, but still, no one could guess at the level of play the Lightning were about to receive from their undersized center. The following year, he recorded 32 goals and 66 points, becoming the third star forward in Tampa Bay behind Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos. A 92-point campaign and then two straight Stanley Cups came after that, establishing Point as a legitimate superstar and one of the very best centers in the entire league.

Even with a $76MM deal, Point appears to be taking a discount to stay with Tampa Bay. He will match the deals signed in 2018 by Kucherov and 2019 by Andrei Vasilevskiy, tying them for the 15th highest cap hit in the NHL with players like Mark Stone, Alex Ovechkin, and Jamie Benn. That $9.5MM appears to be something of an internal limit for the Lightning, one that has allowed them to build an incredibly dominant team.

Signed through the end of the decade, Point will be in his mid-thirties by the time he reaches free agency again. That means there is at least a decent chance that he spends his entire career in Tampa Bay. If he does, Point very well could go down as one of the best players in franchise history. This core group—Point, Kucherov, Stamkos, Vasilevskiy and Victor Hedman—has already won two championships but does not appear to be breaking up anytime soon. All five players are under contract for at least three more seasons.

Tampa Bay Lightning Win 2021 Stanley Cup Championship

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For just the second time since the turn of the century, the NHL champion reigns for a second consecutive season. The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game Five at home on Wednesday night, cementing their back-to-back champion status after taking home the Stanley Cup in 2020 as well. Young Ross Colton scored the only goal of the game early in the second period and his teammates played tough defense to keep Montreal off the board for a shutout win to seal it.

The 2020-21 season was far different for the Lightning, though. In 2019-20, Tampa was a wire-to-wire favorite, leading the league in goals for and finishing second in goal differential, which earned them a share of the third-best record in the league. This year, the Lightning had their fair share of issues along the way, finishing only third in their own division and eighth overall in the league, falling to eighth in scoring and seventh in differential. Yet, in the postseason they were even better this time around than they were last year. In the 2020 playoffs, the Bolts recorded 3.08 goals for per game and 2.28 goals against per game, finished fifth in power play and penalty kill efficiency, and required extra time to win seven games. This year, Tampa Bay notched 3.26 goals for per game and led the postseason with 1.96 goals against per game, finished third and fourth respectively on the power play and penalty kill, and did not need overtime to win a single game.

Though it may not explain every difference between this season and last, it is hard to argue against the x-factor this season for the Lightning being Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov, the 2020 postseason scoring leader, missed the entire regular season after undergoing off-season hip surgery. While this cost Tampa one of the best players in the league, which could explain their regular season drop-off, the added salary cap space allowed the team to keep their championship roster together against all odds. Kucherov then returned to health in time for the playoff and again led the field in scoring – and by a wide margin. Having a fresh, energized Kucherov in the lineup was key to the Bolts’ success, especially as they faced several defensively skilled teams. While opinions differ on the integrity of how Tampa Bay managed Kucherov’s injury, the team stayed within the NHL’s rules and it led to a second consecutive title. While some may also argue that the Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cups came in the 2020 “bubble” playoffs and following a shortened 2020-21 season, it is difficult to see this roster not finding success under normal circumstances as well. Kucherov was followed in the 2021 playoff scoring race by four teammates – Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Alex Killorn – to round out the top five, while Conn Smythe Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy had the best goaltending numbers of the postseason and was clutch when it mattered most, including a shutout to clinch all four series. The likes of Ondrej Palat, Anthony Cirelli, and Ryan McDonagh were also phenomenal for Tampa.

As for the other Stanley Cup finalist, the efforts of the Montreal Canadiens were valiant and will not soon be forgotten. The team with the worst regular season record in the postseason stunned two top-five teams en route to a completely improbable and unforeseen trip to the championship round. They will get a chance at revenge soon – Tampa Bay and Montreal will be back together in the Atlantic Division again next season, alongside several other top teams.

Poll: Who Will Take Home The Conn Smythe Trophy?

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While four teams are still left in the running, the end of the season is near enough that Conn Smythe Trophy speculation can begin in earnest. In recent years, future Hall of Famers have put up giant playoff performances en route to championships, as Alex Ovechkin, Victor Hedman, and Sidney Crosby have all added a playoff MVP to their résumé.

But now, we turn our attention to the players grabbing headlines during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning look poised to repeat as champions on the back of a fully healthy core. The Vegas Golden Knights are struggling and facing elimination, but always seem to turn it on when it matters most. The New York Islanders continue to play disciplined defensive hockey, and the Montreal Canadiens continue to ride an underdog wave.

The Lightning have many candidates, as the teams to fall to them know all too well. Nikita Kucherov has absolutely tormented opponents on the power play since returning from injury, leading the playoffs with 27 points in just 16 games. Brayden Point has also terrorized opponents on the scoresheet, tallying an incredible 13 goals in 16 games. Tampa Bay’s trifecta wouldn’t be complete without an incredible performance from goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who’s posted a .936 save percentage to pair with an 11-5 record.

Should the Islanders move on, there’s no real clear-cut candidate from their squad. It speaks as a testament to the strength of a team the Isles have assembled. Everyone’s eyes should turn immediately to Mathew Barzal, however. After a slow start, Barzal is approaching the team lead for both goals and points. Nods should also be given to Josh Bailey and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who sit tied for the team lead with 13 points in 17 games. Brock Nelson and newcomer Kyle Palmieri share the team lead in goals with seven, and could also receive votes.

For the Golden Knights, Max Pacioretty and Alex Pietrangelo should be classified as the leading candidates. Pietrangelo has been playing his best hockey as a Knight, tallying 11 points in 18 games while playing almost 25 minutes a night. Max Pacioretty leads the team in points per game, having scored 11 in 12 since returning from injury. While Marc-Andre Fleury received earlier consideration, a string of recent mediocre performances likely put him behind Pacioretty and Pietrangelo for contender status.

And for the upstart Habs, it’s veteran Carey Price who’ll undoubtedly take home the hardware should they win it all. The 33-year-old netminder has posted a .933 save percentage in 16 games, playing every game for Montreal during the playoff run. Free-agent acquisition Tyler Toffoli could receive some love too with 14 points in 16 games.

So now we ask you – who’ll be taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy at the conclusion of these playoffs? Vote below!

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Trade Rumors: Ekman-Larsson, Mrazek, Virtanen, Tampa Bay

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Name a top trade target or impending free agent and they seem to be linked to the Edmonton Oilers. While the team clearly needs to help superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have cap constraints because of those players as well and holes to fill all over the roster. The team must be confident that they can perform some cap magic, as they have their sights set on making a big splash this off-season. TSN’s Darren Dreger backed up previous rumors today that the Oilers have been talking to the Arizona Coyotes about elite defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. In fact, Dreger notes that discussions have been preliminary, but the interest is serious. It’s a complex situation given the cap situations in both Edmonton and Arizona, but the teams appear to be working through their options when it comes to moving Ekman-Larsson, a proven top-pair commodity. Of course, it’s worth noting that Ekman-Larsson has a full No-Movement Clause and could nix a deal to Edmonton if he chooses. Dreger adds that the Boston Bruins also remain interested; Ekman-Larsson may very well prefer landing alongside Charlie McAvoy on the top pair of a perennial contender.

  • The Oilers are also known to be eyeing an addition in goal and have kicked the tires on a number of netminders on the trade block. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the latest name on that list is the Carolina Hurricanes’ Petr Mrazek. LeBrun believes that Mrazek could be more of a fallback option if Edmonton cannot add Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray or Arizona’s Darcy Kuemper or can’t woo Jacob Markstrom in free agency. Of course, if Mrazek is even available for trade, it may mean that Carolina has already landed one of those three Oilers targets for themselves. Mrazek had a fine season for the ’Canes, but the team is looking to upgrade at starter. Unfortunately for Edmonton, Carolina’s castoff would still be an upgrade for them.
  • From GM Jim Benning’s comments since his Vancouver Canucks were eliminated from the postseason, it should come as no surprise that he is listening to offers for restricted free agent forward Jake Virtanen, according to Dreger. Virtanen has failed to live up to the expectations of being the 2014 sixth overall pick, but is still due a significant upgrade over his expiring $1.25MM AAV. The cap-strapped Canucks have greater needs than Virtanen’s third-line scoring totals and may be able to put his cap space to greater use via trade. Dreger reports that there is plenty of interest in the 24-year-old power forward, who could still grow into the dangerous scorer that he was in junior.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are less than a day removed from taking home the 2020 Stanley Cup title, but GM Julien BriseBois is already back at work. LeBrun speculates that Tampa must clear at least $10MM in cap space in order to re-sign RFA’s Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak and to rebuild a defense with numerous pending UFA’s. As such,  BriseBois can’t afford to waste any time with free agency approaching. LeBrun notes that the two most talked-about names on the Lightning roster right now are forwards Tyler Johnson and Yanni Gourde. However, he notes that both players have full No-Trade Clauses and would have to accept any trade. As a result, LeBrun believes there is a growing suspicion that the Bolts may trade a player or two that no one is suspecting in order to clear cap space. That could mean one of the RFA’s themselves is dealt, or perhaps it could be a player lacking trade protection, such as Brayden Point or Andrei Vasilevskiy. One way or another, the Cup-winning roster will look very different next season.

Atlantic Notes: Krug, Point, Kulak, Ruggiero

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After falling just short of winning the Stanley Cup in 2019, the Boston Bruins went home a little earlier than they hoped for this season, falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round. However, much of the criticism in Boston falls to the team’s lack of physicality against the Lightning’s bigger forwards, who really took advantage of the Bruins, especially against their smaller defenseman, Torey Krug and Matt Grzelcyk.

The Bruins saw this issue coming and traded for Nick Ritchie at the trade deadline to give the team a little added size, but Ritchie had some issues adjusting to the team immediately after the trade as the league was shutdown shortly thereafter and still didn’t fully adjust in the bubble during the playoffs.

With the need to get bigger and stronger this offseason, NBC Sports Joe Haggerty writes that the Bruins may be already thinking that it might make more sense to let the undersized Krug walk via free agency this year and take the money to invest in a blueliner who can provide more size and physicality rather than invest $7-8MM on bringing Krug back.

  • Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point remains an unknown before Game 4 today. Head coach Jon Cooper refused to give an update on Point, saying “You’ll see in a couple hours,” Cooper said (via NHL.com’s Bryan Burns). Point sat out Game 3 with an undisclosed injury, although he has been practicing. Point has picked up 23 points in 15 playoff games so far and would be a big boost for the team if he returns.
  • Assuming the Montreal Canadiens are able to sign defenseman Joel Edmundson after acquiring the blueliner in a trade with Carolina Saturday evening, The Athletic’s Arpon Basu (subscription required) writes that could be bad news for defensemen Brett Kulak and Victor Mete. With Ben Chiarot, rookie defenseman Alexander Romanov and potentially Edmundson playing on the left side, both Kulak and Mete will either have to fight for the seventh spot or the team could move one of the blueliners over to the right side. The scribe notes that Kulak, who was impressive in the playoffs, might be a potential trade candidate. He has averaged more than 17 minutes of ATOI over the past two years with the Canadiens. General manager Marc Bergevin wasn’t that posiitve on Kulak’s outlook, however, pointing out after the playoffs that while he could be a solid defender if he continues to play like he did, his inconsistency over the regular season has to be kept in mind as well.
  • While the Florida Panthers eventually hired Bill Zito to be their new general manager, it did do an extensive search for candidates, looking at former Islanders GM Garth Snow to NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday, also added another former candidate in Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medalist Angela Ruggiero. “During their search, the Panthers contacted four-time U.S. Olympian and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Angela Ruggiero and asked her if she wanted to interview,” Friedman reported during Saturday’s Headlines. Ruggiero, 40, is the current CEO and co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab and asked the Panthers for a few days to consider whether she wanted to interview. By the time she got back to Florida, they had already hired Zito. Ruggiero has some experience in the front office with the New York Islanders years ago before going to Harvard for her MBA, but she could be a future candidate for other GM positions.

Snapshots: NHL Draft, Suter, Point

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The 2020 NHL Entry Draft will be held a few days earlier than expected, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that it has been moved up to October 6-7. The change is thanks to a playoffs that is moving along briskly, with the first game of both conference finals already in the books.

An earlier draft only makes it even more imperative for teams like the Arizona Coyotes to get a new GM in place over the next few weeks, though it’s already probably too late for a new executive to really make his mark on the draft process. Even though four teams are still working to win the Stanley Cup, the offseason is fast approaching.

  • Pius Suter is headed back to Switzerland for the time being, as expected. The 24-year old Chicago Blackhawks forward has been loaned to GCK Lions of the Swiss second league until training camp starts in North America. Suter signed a one-year deal with the Blackhawks a few months ago after winning the MVP in Switzerland’s top league.
  • Brayden Point has become one of the very best players in the entire NHL, and Chris Johnston of Sportsnet examines his early case for the Conn Smythe trophy this year. Point now has 23 points in 14 postseason games and is an obvious leader on the Tampa Bay Lightning roster, but is in just the first year of a contract that carries a $6.75MM cap hit. While he’ll still be a restricted free agent in 2022 when this deal expires, Point will be owed a $9MM qualifying offer and could easily become one of the highest-paid players in the entire league.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Tampa Bay Lightning

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With the holiday season wrapping up, PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as we get closer to the halfway point. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

What are the Lightning most thankful for?

The fact that they are still in it.

After a dominant 2018-19 season in which Tampa Bay ran away with the Atlantic Division and the President’s Trophy with a dominant 62-16-4 for 128 points and no significant changes to its team, most expected another dominant season once again. That has not happened with the team, almost luckily, sitting in third place in a challenging Atlantic Division as a recent six-game winning streak has improved their record to a more respectable 23-13-4 record. The team seems to have found its game in the last few weeks and hopefully will force their way back to the top of the standings.

Who are the Lightning most thankful for?

Victor Hedman.

The 2017-18 Norris Trophy winner has had several great seasons, but the 29-year-old is on pace for career highs across the board. Through 38 games, Hedman has nine goals and 30 assists, which would translate to a point-per-game season, something he’s never accomplished in his remarkable career. Of course, with so many strong defensive candidates this year, he might have a hard time trying to get nominated for the award, but the defenseman has been a rock for Tampa Bay in a tough first half.

What would the Lightning be even more thankful for?

Better goaltending.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, the 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner had a dominant season last year, posting a 2.40 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 53 appearances. However, this year has been a totally different story as the 25-year-old has been less impressive with a 2.83 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Those numbers aren’t terrible, but hardly numbers you’d expect to see out of last year’s Vezina Trophy winner.

Unfortunately, the team isn’t getting better help from the backup position. The Lightning brought in veteran Curtis McElhinney to create a dominant tandem with Vasilevskiy, but the 36-year-old has struggled in his first year in Tampa after an impressive season with the Carolina Hurricanes last year. He currently has a 3.19 GAA and a .904 save percentage in 11 appearances. The team needs both netminders to bounce back and have a dominant second half.

What should be on the Lightning’s Holiday Wish List?

The team hasn’t gotten the dominant individual performances that they did a year ago. Nikita Kucherov has been impressive, but is well below his 41-goal, 128-point season that netted him the Hart, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay trophies a year ago. Kucherov so far has just 14 goals and 43 points, which would be solid numbers for almost everyone else on the team, but not so much for Kucherov. The team has seen a number of forwards slip as Brayden Point, Mathieu Joseph and Yanni Gourde, to name a few, have struggled more this year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Hall Of Fame, Point, Greene

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The American Hockey League has announced their 2020 Hall of Fame class, which includes Robbie Ftorek, Denis Hamel, Darren Haydar and Fred Thurier. The induction ceremony is scheduled for January 27th. Thurier, one of the first real stars of the AHL, will be honored more than 20 years after he died at the age of 82. When he retired in 1952 he had the most points of any professional hockey player and then subsequently served as a linesman for nearly a decade.

More notes from around the league:

  • Not only will Brayden Point be back on the ice tonight for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he’ll be centering what should be one of the most talented lines in the NHL. According to Mark Masters of TSN, Point will skate between Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov on the team’s top line, a trio that totaled 318 points last season. That will be quite the task for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are trying to bounce back after losing consecutive games to the Montreal Canadiens and St. Louis Blues.
  • The New Jersey Devils won’t have captain Andy Greene in the lineup as they try to bounce back against the Edmonotn Oilers tonight. Greene is being evaluated for an upper-body injury and has already been ruled out. The 36-year old defenseman has already been asked to do a little less this season, averaging fewer than 19 minutes a night through the first three games. If that number continued, it would be the lowest number Greene has averaged since 2008-09.

Kalle Kossila Placed On Waivers, Gemel Smith Clears

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have put Kalle Kossila on waivers today according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, indicating that the forward is ready to return from injury. Kossila will likely start the season with the Toronto Marlies should he clear, though there’s a chance the NHL club would want to see what he can do as well after signing him to a two-year contract earlier this summer.

Now 26, Kossila was an undrafted free agent signing out of St. Cloud State in 2016 after he dominated the college ranks to the tune of 54 points as a senior. The undersized forward actually didn’t take long to make an impact at the AHL level, but never got much of an opportunity with the Anaheim Ducks. Now in Toronto he could serve as some injury insurance but will most likely play a big role on the Marlies as they try to get back to the Calder Cup.

In addition, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Gemel Smith actually cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, though his placement there wasn’t reported yesterday. Smith has played in three games for the Lightning this season, but with Brayden Point nearing a return the team can afford to move out a forward. Point was taking part in powerplay practice today and could potentially return on Thursday against the Maple Leafs.

Atlantic Notes: Point, Paquette, Caufield, Athanasiou

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Tampa Bay center Brayden Point appears to be close to returning to the lineup.  Bryan Burns of the Lightning’s website notes (Twitter link) that Point could be ready to go for the Canadian portion of their upcoming road trip which comes on Thursday.  Point was one of the prominent restricted free agents this summer and eventually agreed to a three-year contract, one that allowed the team to not have to move anyone else out to fit him in but also guarantees him a $9MM qualifying offer one year in advance of being eligible to become an unrestricted free agent.  Meanwhile, Burns notes that center Cedric Paquette is still two weeks away from returning after sustaining an undisclosed injury late last month.

More from the Atlantic Division:

  • While most players that go the college route plan to be there for a few years, that doesn’t appear to be the case for Canadiens winger Cole Caufield. The 2019 first-rounder told Guillaume Lefrancois of La Presse that he’s hoping to turn pro at the end of his freshman season at Wisconsin and join Montreal for a potential playoff push.  If that was to happen, he would still be eligible to have his contract slide a year as long as he played in nine games or fewer.
  • Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou is listed as a game-time decision for their season-opener tonight in Nashville, reports MLive’s Ansar Khan. He sustained an undisclosed injury early in the preseason and just returned to practice on Friday for the first time.  Athanasiou is coming off his first career 30-goal season and is slated to become a restricted free agent with salary arbitration eligibility this summer.

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