It’s time for another dose of NHL rumours. The NHL Draft has come and come, but the party really begins tomorrow. Unrestricted free agents will be able to sign with any club they want to starting on Monday. There could be some new faces in new places to start the week. Players could be putting on unfamiliar sweaters coming Monday. The Tampa Bay Lightning are already undergoing a drastic makeover and they won’t be done. This editions of NHL rumours looks at Tampa Bay targeting a prized free agent forward.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Tampa Bay Lighting Chasing Free Agent Forward
Rumour: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in the latest 32 Thoughts column said the Lightning might be chasing after Jake Guentzel when free agency opens on Monday.
Analysis: Guentzel is one of the prized targets in the free agency period. The forward has made an impact with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes. There are a number of teams after the Omaha, Neb. native. However, this is the first that we’ve heard the Lightning being in the mix.
Tampa Bay has already made some big moves in trading Mikhail Sergachev and Tanner Jeannot in separate deals. This helped clear over $10 million in salary cap space and allowed the Lightning some breathing room. However, General Manager Julien BriseBois has some tough choices. Team captain Steven Stamkos is going to hit the open market and he may not come back. This decision could mean the Tampa Bay lineup will have a new look to it.
What’s the Ask from the Guentzel Camp?
Friedman mentioned Guentzel’s ask was eight years and $8 million per season according to his sources. The insider added that it looked an agreement was in place and the two sides were grinding away on a deal. However, it seems that Guentzel wants to test the free agent market due to the negotiations taking longer than expected.
The market may have shifted and Guentzel could benefit from the renewed interest. It’s his right to get the best deal he can for himself and he’ll have no shortage on suitors if he hits the open market. New Carolina General Manager Eric Tulsky may decide to trade Guentzel’s negotiating rights in order to salvage something. Trading negotiating rights isn’t unheard of as the Dallas Stars traded the rights to Chris Tanev to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The New Lightning Lineup
There will be some anger from the Tampa Bay fan base if Stamkos does leave the team. However, Guentzel does bring plenty of scoring pop to the lineup. He proved that he wasn’t a product of just sharing a line with Sidney Crosby in his tenure with Carolina.
Adding Guentzel would have him join talented scorers like Hart Trophy finalist Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Tampa Bay would miss the leadership and scoring punch of Stamkos. However, Guentzel could soften the blow a bit if he can put together some solid seasons.
The Lightning will miss Stamkos’ leadership, but there are plenty of veteran players on the roster. It’ll be a new day in Tampa Bay this July.
Main photo by: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
