By Michael Wax
Leave it to GM Julian BriseBois to create an atom bomb.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-acquired D Ryan McDonagh and a 2024 4th round pick (via Edmonton) from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a 2025 2nd round pick and 2024 7th round pick.
McDonagh was initially acquired by the Lightning during the 2018 draft deadline, along with JT Miller, in exchange for a package of picks, prospects, and F Vlad Namestnikov.
In parts of five seasons in Tampa, McDonagh put up 20 goals and 79 assists for 99 points in 267 regular season games. He made the playoffs in each of his five seasons with Tampa, including winning the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cups as a reliable defensive defender on a shutdown pair with Erik Cernak. McDonagh chipped in two goals and 21 assists for 23 points in 89 playoff games through those five years, the 8th most games throughout that time, trailing only other members of the Lightning.
The Lightning traded McDonagh in the 2022 offseason to Nashville in exchange for forward prospect Grant Mismash and defenseman Philippe Myers in an attempt to clear cap space. This past season, McDonagh had 32 points in 74 games with Nashville and helped them return to the playoffs.
The biggest question for the Lightning now lies in other offseason moves. With this trade, the Lightning re-acquire McDonagh’s AAV of $6.75M for two more seasons (2024-25 and 2025-26). With players like Steven Stamkos and Anthony Duclair set to hit free agency on July 1, and the Lightning currently with $5.035M in cap space with a roster of 18 following the trade, things could get very interesting in the coming weeks.
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