The Tampa Bay Lightning probably had the least surprising season of any team in the NHL, but that’s far from a bad thing. As they have for the last few seasons, the Lightning has just been chugging through the regular season while maintaining a strong record. Tampa Bay sits third in the Atlantic division with 63 points, and a first-round rematch against the Toronto Maple Leafs seems inevitable.
While Tampa continues to do its thing, the March 3rd trade deadline presents an intriguing opportunity. The Lightning has made some big deadline deals in the last few years, which has helped them reach three straight finals. With how strong their division is, Tampa needs all the firepower they can get heading into the playoffs.
However, Tampa has a big hurdle to overcome when acquiring new players. As always, the Lightning has little to no cap space to work with, so they will have to shed salary to bring in more players. Even still, they will likely have to make small deals without room for the big names.
With that in mind, what should Tampa do before the trade deadline? Here are a couple of moves that could help the Lightning win another Stanley Cup.
2. Re-acquire Luke Schenn from Vancouver
The first move that Tampa should consider making is reuniting with an old friend in Luke Schenn. The 33-year-old defenseman won two Stanley Cups with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021 while rotating in and out of the lineup. In the 2021 offseason, he signed a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks, who he played with before Tampa. With his contract almost up (and the Canucks being a train wreck) he could be on the move again.
A few teams have inquired about Schenn, but a reunion with Tampa makes a lot of sense. The Lightning could use some rotational help on defense, and Schenn’s familiarity with the system should be a big draw. He also has a low cap hit of just $850,000 and shouldn’t cost much to acquire.
If the Lightning does go after Schenn, then one player, in particular, might go the other way. 2017 first-round pick Cal Foote hasn’t developed as the team would have hoped, and he has been a healthy scratch for much of the season. Add in the fact that his father and Colorado Avalanche legend Adam Foote just became an assistant coach with the Canucks, and a Schenn-Foote swap just makes too much sense. If the Lightning wants some cost-control talent on defense, this may be the best move.
1. Acquire a capable bottom-six forward
This move would be continuing a recent trend that has worked wonders for Tampa. The Lightning acquired bottom-six forwards Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow at the 2020 trade deadline for a hefty price, but winning back-to-back Stanley Cups made it more than worth it. After both left in free agency, the Bolts acquired Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul at last year’s deadline to help replace them. If this kind of move has worked so well before, then it makes sense to do it again.
There are plenty of players who could fit this role for Tampa. TSN’s Shawn Simpson named Ottawa Senators forward Tyler Motte as a potential option, who would fit the bill perfectly. Motte’s cap hit is only $925,000 and the cost to acquire him would be low.
Motte is exactly what a team like TB will be adding at the deadline. A solid bottom 6 forward on a low dollar deal, that won’t cost more than a 3rd round pick.
— Shawn Simpson (@TSNSimmer) January 25, 2023
Motte is just one of many players who would fit this role for Tampa. The Lightning has plenty of star power to make another deep run, but the depth is a bit more questionable. Reinforcing that depth on the cheap should be the team’s top priority at the deadline this season.
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