Also sign forwards Atkinson, Girgensons, acquire defensem*n McDonagh, Moser
© David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By Corey Long
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2024-25 regular season, which starts Oct. 4. Today, the Tampa Bay Lightning:
2023-24 season: 45-29-8, fourth in Atlantic Division; lost in Eastern Conference First Round
Key arrivals
Jake Guentzel, F: The 29-year-old signed a seven-year contract July 1 and will play on the top line with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Guentzel had 77 points (30 goals, 47 assists) in 67 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes last season. ... Ryan McDonagh, D: The 35-year-old veteran begins his second stint in Tampa Bay after being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on May 21 for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. A key part of the Lightning's Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2020 and 2021, McDonagh will be a vocal leader in the locker room. He had 32 points (three goals, 29 assists) and 139 blocked shots in 74 games last season, and will be in a top-four role. ... J.J. Moser, D: The 24-year-old avoided salary arbitration by signing a two-year contract on July 11. Moser was acquired in a trade with the Utah Hockey Club on June 29 along with forward Conor Geekie, a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. With 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 80 game last season, Moser will play a key role on Tampa Bay's revamped defense. ... Cam Atkinson, F: The 35-year-old signed a one-year contract July 2 after the Philadelphia Flyers bought out the final season of his contract the day before. He had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 70 games last season and could play on the second line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. ... Zemgus Girgensons, F: The 30-year-old signed a three-year contract July 1 after 10 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, and had 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 63 games last season. A physical presence with 1,239 career hits, Girgensons will fill a bottom-six role and likely be asked to kill penalties.
Jake Guentzel on signing with the Lightning
Key departures
Steven Stamkos, F: The former captain signed a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators on July 1. Stamkos played 16 seasons with Tampa Bay and is the Lightning all-time leader in goals (555), points (1,137) and games (1,082). He won two Stanley Cup championships with Tampa Bay (2020, 2021) and had 81 points (40 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games last season. ... Mikhail Sergachev, D: Traded to Utah on June 29 after seven seasons with the Lightning. Sergachev had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 34 games last season and missed more than two months with a fractured left tibia. ... Anthony Duclair, F: Signed a four-year contract with the New York Islanders on July 1. Duclair was acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on March 7, and had 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 17 games. ... Tanner Jeannot, F: Traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 29 for a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Jeannot struggled with injuries and had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 55 games last season. ... Mathew Dumba, D: Signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars on July 1. Acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on March 8, Dumba had two assists in 18 games with Tampa Bay last season. ... Tyler Motte, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 2 after he had nine points (six goals, three assists) in 69 games last season in a bottom-six role. ... Calvin de Haan, D: Signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche after he had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 59 games last season. ... Austin Watson, F: The unrestricted free agent had four points (two goals, two assists) and 93 penalty minutes in 33 games last season.
On the cusp
Conor Geekie, F: The No. 11 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft was acquired as part of the trade with Utah that also included Moser. The 20-year-old had 99 points (43 goals, 56 assists) with Wenatchee and Swift Current of the Western Hockey League last season, and appeared in two playoff games with Tucson of the American Hockey League. With good size (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) and skating ability, he will get an opportunity to open the season on the Lightning roster. ... Emil Lilleberg, D: The 23-year-old signed a two-year contract that begins next season after having five assists in 37 games with the Lightning following his promotion to the NHL on Jan. 6. The fourth-round pick (No. 107) in the 2021 NHL Draft projects as the No. 7 defenseman to begin the season. ... Maxwell Crozier, D: The 24-year-old made his NHL debut on Jan. 13 and had two assists in 13 games. A fourth-round pick (No. 120) in the 2019 NHL Draft, Crozier also appeared in three playoff games last season. He will have a chance to make the team out of camp, but will likely be the top defenseman for Syracuse of the American Hockey League.
What they still need
The departure of Stamkos (19 power-play goals) will have an effect on what was the top power-play in the NHL last season (28.6 percent). Losing Duclair also leaves a void up front. Secondary scoring is a question mark, and someone will need to step in to provide that on the second and third lines. The hope is Atkinson, now 18 months removed from neck surgery, can fill one of those roles. If he is closer to his 2021-22 form (50 points; 23 goals, 27 assists in 73 games), that will give the offense a big boost. Forward Conor Sheary struggled to find a role last season, which resulted in 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 57 games, but should get another chance to establish a spot in the middle six.
They said it
"When I look at the end result, I believe we are a better defensive team and a deeper team and that makes us a better team in the short term. We have a better [prospect] pipeline and that means in the long term we've also improved our odds of having success." -- Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois
Fantasy focus
Guentzel will help the Lightning's offensive production after losing Stamkos to the Predators. Guentzel is a proven goal-scorer, hitting the 40-goal mark twice in his NHL career. He adds scoring and production potential to their top line and could see individual fantasy upside by playing with Point and Kucherov. Guentzel is also known for being a playoff performer; he had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 11 postseason games with the Hurricanes last season and has 67 points (38 goals, 29 assists) in 69 career playoff games. -- Anna Dua
NHL Tonight on Guentzel trade
Projected lineup
Jake Guentzel -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel -- Anthony Cirelli -- Cam Atkinson
Conor Sheary -- Nicholas Paul -- Mitchell Chaffee
Michael Eyssimont -- Luke Glendening -- Zemgus Girgensons
Victor Hedman -- Darren Raddysh
J.J. Moser -- Erik Cernak
Ryan McDonagh -- Nick Perbix
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson
