Marek reported that the Red Wings are expected to set a high price for Bertuzzi, who scored 62 points in 68 games last season and plays the sort of rugged, physical game many teams covet. Marek called the price “something substantial” in his report. Teams such as the Dallas Stars, who are reportedly seeking a player to play next to Tyler Seguin on a more regular basis, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning were all linked by Marek as teams holding varying degrees of interest in acquiring the talented Red Wings forward.
Lightning Rumors
Nick Paul Listed As Day-To-Day
- Lightning winger Nick Paul was a late scratch before tonight’s game against Colorado with the team announcing (Twitter link) that he’s listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old has been a capable secondary scorer in his first season with the team, notching 16 goals with 10 assists in 50 games. Notably, with less than $720K in LTIR room per CapFriendly, Tampa Bay does not have enough space to call up a replacement for him on the roster.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Tampa Bay Lightning
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2022-23 season and beyond. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Current Cap Hit: $89,574,031 (over the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
D Nick Perbix (one year, $842.5K)
Potential Bonuses
Perbix: $82.5K
Perbix has already signed an extension so we’ll cover that later on. His bonuses are games-played based and typically require 80 games to max out. However, there are generally a few tiers for bonuses at this price point so he should receive some of this amount. With Tampa Bay into LTIR, whatever Perbix earns will come off their cap next season.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Rudolfs Balcers ($750K, RFA)
F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare ($1MM, UFA)
D Ian Cole ($3MM, UFA)
F Ross Colton ($1.25MM, RFA)
G Brian Elliott ($900K, UFA)
D Callan Foote ($850K, RFA)
F Alex Killorn ($4.45MM, UFA)
F Vladislav Namestnikov ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Corey Perry ($1MM, UFA)
Killorn’s future with Tampa Bay has seemingly been in question for a while now with the team having to cut from its veteran core each season. Those questions will only intensify now as it’s hard to see how they can afford to keep him. The 33-year-old has a chance at beating his career high in points (59, set last season) which would at least help him hit the open market on a high note. He should be able to get a small raise on a medium-term agreement. Namestnikov also appears to be unlikely to return as he hasn’t fit in during his second stint with the team. He’ll also be hard-pressed to match his current AAV unless he can turn things around down the stretch. Perry and Bellemare are low-cost veterans that Tampa Bay will either want to retain or bring in someone else to replace them at likely a slightly lower cap charge if possible. If they look elsewhere, they’d be in line for similar contracts to what they’re on now.
On the RFA side up front, Colton will be in line for a sizable raise. He potted 22 goals last season and has a chance at 20 this year. Notably, he’ll also have salary arbitration eligibility which could push his next contract past the $3MM range. He’s an important part of their bottom six but they might have to get creative to keep him around. Balcers was picked up off waivers earlier this season and he tested the UFA market last summer after being bought out. Another minimum-priced contract should be coming his way which could keep him around for another year in Tampa Bay.
On the back end, Cole is arguably having a better year than he did last season with Carolina, logging his highest ice time since 2018-19 in the process. Having played on one-year deals for the last two seasons now, he might have a shot at a multi-year agreement at a price tag that’s close to this one. Foote still hasn’t been able to quite lock down a full-time spot in the lineup which will hurt his case even with arbitration eligibility. He should be able to push past the $1MM mark but his next deal shouldn’t be much more than that, even if they decide to tack on a second season.
Elliott has put up numbers that are hovering near the league average this year which is a good return on one of the cheapest goalie contracts in the league. But he turns 38 in April and is going to be going year-to-year from here on out. On merit, he’s worthy of at least a small raise but if he wants to stay with the Lightning, it’ll have to be at this price point at most. With how their roster is structured, Tampa Bay simply can’t afford a more expensive backup netminder.
Signed Through 2023-24
D Zach Bogosian ($850K, UFA)
D Haydn Fleury ($762.5K, UFA)
F Brandon Hagel ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Pat Maroon ($1MM, UFA)
D Philippe Myers ($2.55MM in 2022-23, $1.4MM in 2023-24, UFA)
D Brent Seabrook ($6.875MM, UFA)
F Steven Stamkos ($8.5MM, UFA)
Stamkos isn’t really slowing down and has provided a lot of value on this contract as he continues to be a focal point of Tampa Bay’s attack. Accordingly, he has positioned himself for a raise on his next deal if he wants to go after top dollar. In that case, he could land an eight-digit AAV, especially with 2024 pegged as the summer for the Upper Limit to jump up by a fair-sized amount. But if he wants to stick around with the Lightning, this feels like a situation where he could accept a longer-term contract to help try to bring the cap hit down somewhat relative to market value. Such a deal would take him closer to age 40 which isn’t necessarily ideal but it would keep the price tag closer to where it is now which would allow them to keep the core around as long as possible.
The Lightning paid a sizable price to land Hagel thanks to what has quickly turned into one of the bigger bargains in the league. If he continues to score around his current pace, he could make a case to quadruple his current price tag. Even with a higher cap at that time, it might be tough for them to keep both Hagel and Stamkos around. As for Maroon, he’s a fourth liner at this point and will be 36 when he hits the open market. That will likely keep him around this price tag two years from now.
Let’s get Seabrook out of the way quickly. You might have forgotten that he’s here now instead of in Chicago but his situation hasn’t changed as his playing career has come to an end. He will remain on LTIR until this deal expires which means that Tampa Bay is going to have regular cap space for a few more years.
Myers came over during the summer in the Ryan McDonagh trade and while many expected him to be bought out to give Tampa Bay a cap credit, he was instead extended at this lower price. Their cap situation has Myers in the minors right now but if he can lock down a regular spot next season, he could be able to land a deal a bit closer to what he’s getting this year. Bogosian has had a limited role when healthy this season and is more of a depth defender at this point. A deal around what he’s getting now is where his market should fall. Fleury, meanwhile, has had a very limited role and until he can establish himself as a regular, his value is going to remain at or near the minimum salary.
Signed Through 2024-25
D Victor Hedman ($7.875MM, UFA)
D Nick Perbix ($1.125MM from 2023-24 through 2024-25, UFA)
Hedman has been Tampa Bay’s top defenseman for the better part of the last decade and hasn’t shown much in the way of signs of slowing down. At a time when top rearguards are landing more than $10MM when they’re eligible for free agency, he has been a nice bargain for the Lightning and should continue to be for the rest of the deal. When it’s up, his playing time should be starting to dip which could keep his AAV close to this one, especially if he re-signs. Perbix has been a pleasant surprise this season which earned him this low-cost extension not too long ago. It’s a low-risk proposition as if Myers or someone else passes Perbix on the depth chart, the deal can be buried in the minors without any lingering cap charge.
Snapshots: Puljujarvi, Korchinski, Walsh
After a slow start, things haven’t gotten any better for Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi this season. As his ice time continues to dwindle, currently being utilized in a fourth-line role, so does his trade value. The 2016 fourth-overall pick has just 10 points in 49 games this season after a 35-point campaign last year.
With Edmonton expected to go all-in at this year’s trade deadline, Puljujarvi will likely see his Oilers tenure end by March 3 to make room on the roster. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli outlined some potential destinations for the Finnish winger, also reporting that general manager Ken Holland sent a note to all 31 other NHL teams two weeks ago that Puljujarvi was available for trade.
That trade could come sooner rather than later, as the Oilers need to clear salary to activate Kailer Yamamoto from long-term injured reserve. They have at least another few days, as he’s not eligible to return until February 12. Seravalli lists the Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, and Tampa Bay Lightning as potential fits for Puljujarvi in a hockey trade but also says to keep the possibility of a pure cap-dump move to a salary cap floor-hugging team in mind.
- In a mailbag piece released Wednesday, Scott Powers of The Athletic noted that 2022 first-round selection Kevin Korchinski could crack the Chicago Blackhawks’ NHL lineup out of training camp to start the 2023-24 season. Powers said the Blackhawks organization was impressed with his training camp before this season opened, and that “all signs” point to Korchinski being NHL-ready. Still 18, the left-shot defenseman has 40 points in 30 games with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds this season.
- TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that current United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh is the current front-runner to replace Donald Fehr as the NHLPA’s Executive Director. Dreger says an NHLPA board meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, which could yield a vote on whether to instate Walsh as the league’s top player representative. The former mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, has a strong labor union background and is certainly an interesting selection.
Lightning Recall Nick Perbix
- Nick Perbix’s time in the minors was short-lived as the Lightning recalled him today, per the AHL’s transactions log. The defenseman was sent down yesterday when Rudolfs Balcers came off LTIR following the conclusion of his conditioning stint; Perbix had to go down to keep them cap-compliant. Now that Balcers is off the roster (he was sent down after clearing waivers), the 24-year-old could be brought back. Tampa Bay could have kept him down through the All-Star break if they wanted but there wouldn’t have been a cap benefit to do so as they’re still in LTIR where cap room can’t be banked.
Rudolfs Balcers Clears Waivers
Jan 30: Balcers has cleared waivers and can now be officially assigned to the AHL.
Jan 29: The Tampa Bay Lightning have placed forward Rudolfs Balcers on waivers, according to CapFriendly. The move comes after Balcers finished his conditioning loan to the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, today.
Balcers, 25, hasn’t played in an NHL game since November as he was dealing with an upper-body injury. This is not his first time on waivers this season, as he was claimed off of waivers by the Lightning in November.
Balcers’ injury means that he has only played in three games for the Lightning, despite being on their roster for quite a bit of time. In those three games, Balcers scored a goal and averaged just under seven minutes of ice time per game. His full-season total production is five points through 17 games, which is a decline from the rate he scored last year.
If he ends up clearing waivers, Balcers will head back to the AHL level in Syracuse where he’s had success. Balcers has 117 points in 149 career AHL games, so he should be able to help the Crunch’s scoring attack should he end up there.
Otherwise, teams across the league will have a chance to reinforce their group of forwards with Balcers should they want to place a claim. Balcers is available at a league-minimum price, and has 170 NHL games on his resume.
Tampa Bay Lightning Interested In Luke Schenn
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Luke Schenn had a nice time together. Two years, two Stanley Cup championships. Then they parted ways, with one choosing security and proximity to family. Now it seems that they might want to rekindle an old fling. The Lightning have shown interest in re-acquiring Schenn from the Vancouver Canucks, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Schenn, 33, won back-to-back championships with the Lightning before signing a two-year deal with the Vancouver canucks in 2021. That contract is about to expire, and the physical depth defender has drawn some interest from all over the league as the perfect deadline addition.
He’s relatively cheap, costing just $850K against the cap, right-handed, and has 15 years of experience in the NHL. He’s also in the midst of his best per-game offensive season, with 14 points in 43 games so far in Vancouver.
Schenn has over 200 hits already this season, easily leading the league. While that isn’t always indicative of success (the other team has to have the puck for you to deliver a hit), it may be exactly what the Lightning are after.
Friedman notes that they are also looking for “a forward with an edge.” They’ve targeted players like Blake Coleman, Barclay Goodrow, and Nick Paul in the past to great success.
The Lightning won’t be the only team considering Schenn, but if they are set on him, they’ve shown a willingness to pay whatever it takes at the deadline. Tampa Bay is focused on championships, and has enough faith in their scouting and development system to move high draft picks. Schenn shouldn’t cost a first-rounder or anything, but he’ll be a nice chip for the Canucks as the deadline nears.
Tampa Bay Lightning Assign Rudolfs Balcers On Conditioning Stint
The Tampa Bay Lightning assigned forward Rudolfs Balcers to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch today on a conditioning stint, according to a team release.
The move signifies Balcers could be close to returning from an upper-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Thanksgiving. Claimed on waivers earlier in the season from their intrastate rival Florida Panthers, Balcers has suited up just three times for his new team.
It has been a very tough go of things for Balcers in 2022-23. He was somewhat of a surprise free agent, left unqualified by the San Jose Sharks after a respectable 23 points in 61 games last season. Florida picked Balcers up but then waived him after he scored twice in 14 games. He’s added one goal in his three Lightning appearances.
This figures to be Balcers’ first AHL action since 2019-20 as a member of the Ottawa Senators organization. He scored 36 goals in 33 games with AHL Belleville, and he’ll hope to keep up strong numbers in a short stint with Syracuse to show the Lightning he’s still ready for NHL action.
Mikhail Sergachev Fined $5,000
- Mikhail Sergachev’s wallet is a little bit lighter after he was handed a $5,000 fine for punching Conor Garland in last night’s Tampa Bay Lightning-Vancouver Canucks game. The play went unpenalized by the on-ice officials, causing confusion among anyone watching the game. The Lightning are lucky Sergachev isn’t getting sat down for a game, though perhaps that has to do with the fact that Garland attempted a similar shot a few seconds earlier. Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet reports that Sergachev apologized to Garland after the game and that the Vancouver forward was “used to it” because he has “played like a rat” since he was 16.
Evening Notes: Dumba, Wiesblatt, Meyer
It seems as though Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba has been on the trade block for years on end. Now, rumors are once again starting to build up regarding the 2012 seventh overall pick. TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on today’s edition of Insider Trading that both the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers have shown interest in Dumba, who is a pending unrestricted free agent.
Both teams still have playoff aspirations, desperately trying to add defensive depth. Dumba’s offensive production has taken a step back this season, as he’s recorded just 11 points in 39 games. It’s a far cry from his 50-point campaign in 2017-18, as injuries have mounted up.
Ottawa seems to have a larger hole of the two teams mentioned on the right side, but they do sit further out of playoff positioning than the Oilers. With Minnesota solidly in playoff positioning, they would undoubtedly be looking for roster players in return for the 28-year-old Dumba.
- San Jose Sharks 2020 first-round pick Ozzy Wiesblatt has spent the entirety of 2022-23 in the professional ranks but is still technically eligible for another year of junior hockey. In anticipation of a potential return to juniors, the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks traded for Wiesblatt’s rights today. In 17 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, Wiesblatt has managed five points in a limited role. A return to junior hockey for the latter half of the season would likely make some sense, especially on an already-strong Winterhawks squad.
- Even more injury troubles struck the Columbus Blue Jackets today, as forward Carson Meyer left their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury, per the team, and did not return. The Ohio-born forward had yet to record a point in 12 NHL games this year, but mustered over a point per game in the minors. A sixth-round pick in 2017, Meyer is continually challenging his way up the organizational ranks.