Per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Tampa Bay Lightning have placed forward Tyler Johnson on waivers:

Tyler Johnson (TB) on waivers

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 9, 2020

Obviously unable to trade Johnson, Bolts GM Julien BriseBois finds himself in a spot with few other viable options. Placing Johnson on waivers - regular waivers, not unconditional buyout-related waivers - gives each and every team the opportunity to take Johnson, rather than just the handful to which he was willing to accept a trade. Whether the gamble actually pays off with Johnson being claimed remains to be seen. Already there is some speculation and loose reporting to suggest that the Lightning had a deal in place with a team not on Johnson's trade list, which prompted the move to put him on waivers. We'll know by noon tomorrow.

What has become clear with this move, though, is the fact that Johnson's perceived value on the market is a lot less than his actual value to a team. He's in a unique spot where his actual value is less than his contract value, but his perceived value is less than his actual value. It's an unenviable spot; a double whammy, of sorts.

If this is indeed the end for Johnson's tenure with the Lightning, the only left to do is say: Thank you! His emergence as a triplet was a major factor in Tampa Bay's return to relevance. For that, he'll always be remembered fondly.

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That's not all that BriseBois has been busy with this morning for the Lightning. The team has also reportedly agreed to terms with both Luke Schenn and Pat Maroon, keeping them in the fold after the championship run:

Hearing Pat Maroon (2 x $900k) and Luke Schenn (1 x $800k) have both agreed to terms to return to #GoBolts

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 9, 2020

Given the cost, it's tough to take too much issue with either one of these deals. Maroon is undoubtedly a better contributor than Schenn at this stage of their respective careers, but having Schenn around to fill a 7/8 spot on the blue line is... fine, despite his glaring weaknesses. Maroon, on the other hand, is a huge benefit at that cap number. His impact off the ice was significant, and was cited by many as a major reason the Lightning finally got over the hump this year, but he's also a tremendously effective fourth-line player on the ice. The Lightning are lucky to have him back.


...continuing

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