Michael Stuart: Lightning Ink Point to Long-Term Extension, Sign Multiple Depth Pieces

The Seabrook trade was the best thing for the Bolts! Now you need Boychuk for a perfet pairing!!!

Wait until Seabrook makes a miraculous comeback for the playoffs!

Point deserved every penny. Dude is a bonafide boss. The definition of "clutch". You look up "game breaker" in the hockey dictionary and there is a photo of Point.

To the bolts gm please school the sabres gm on how to be a successful gm! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!

To the bolts gm please school the sabres gm on how to be a successful gm! Please!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Rsh

I bet the LTIR rules will be a hot topic of debate the next time the CBA is renegotiated.

Seriously, the Lighthing were one of the only teams who wanted to change the rules after the 2015 Patrick Kane episode. Nobody else was interested. Now, the tables have turned.

I've been saying it - fans of opposing teams shouldn't be hating on the Lightning for exploiting loopholes in the CBA, they should be questioning why their own GM's aren't doing the same thing. There is no shortage of LTIR contracts in the league. Everyone could get in on this.

PEB will be loved in Tampa. He does not take shifts off, is positionally sound and defensively responsible. We've missed him in Philly since Vegas drafted him Great pickup for Tampa.

I'd like to see what the 2023-24 Tampa Bay salary structure looks like after they give extensions to Sergachev, Cirelli, and Cernak.

I'd like to see what the 2023-24 Tampa Bay salary structure looks like after they give extensions to Sergachev, Cirelli, and Cernak.
- tkecanuck341

People used to say this a couple years ago with respect to Kucherov, Point, and Vasilevskiy. Plenty of time to get it figured out one way or the other.

JBB should take a vacation now. He's earned it. 👍

PEB will be loved in Tampa. He does not take shifts off, is positionally sound and defensively responsible. We've missed him in Philly since Vegas drafted him Great pickup for Tampa.
- GPerogie

Underrated player.

I bet the LTIR rules will be a hot topic of debate the next time the CBA is renegotiated.

Seriously, the Lighthing were one of the only teams who wanted to change the rules after the 2015 Patrick Kane episode. Nobody else was interested. Now, the tables have turned.

I've been saying it - fans of opposing teams shouldn't be hating on the Lightning for exploiting loopholes in the CBA, they should be questioning why their own GM's aren't doing the same thing. There is no shortage of LTIR contracts in the league. Everyone could get in on this.
- GalacticStone

Tampa is just better at exploiting the Cap than other teams are. I'm also surprised teams don't do it more often.

I'd like to see what the 2023-24 Tampa Bay salary structure looks like after they give extensions to Sergachev, Cirelli, and Cernak.
- tkecanuck341

I will consult my crystal ball for some wild guesses. If all three of those players continue on their current trajectory, I imagine that Serg will get something in the neighborhood of 6m or 7m, Cirelli will get the Palat/Johnson/Gourde deal at about 6m, and Cernak will get about 5m. Term, who knows. Probably too much term and too many NTC's get thrown around.

How they will make this work will look like how it is working now. An untouchable core of elite players remains locked up and a rotating cast of bargain plugs and promising rookies will fill out the holes. Tax breaks and players taking discounts will continue, and the exploitation of LTIR will likely continue.

Tampa is just better at exploiting the Cap than other teams are. I'm also surprised teams don't do it more often.
- gergeswillems

Maybe now they will. Lots of LTIR contracts out there waiting to change hands. It's the only way under the current cap to keep an elite roster together.

I will consult my crystal ball for some wild guesses. If all three of those players continue on their current trajectory, I imagine that Serg will get something in the neighborhood of 6m or 7m, Cirelli will get the Palat/Johnson/Gourde deal at about 6m, and Cernak will get about 5m. Term, who knows. Probably too much term and too many NTC's get thrown around.

How they will make this work will look like how it is working now. An untouchable core of elite players remains locked up and a rotating cast of bargain plugs and promising rookies will fill out the holes. Tax breaks and players taking discounts will continue, and the exploitation of LTIR will likely continue.
- GalacticStone

If your contract values hold true, then Tampa will have 9 players taking up $71M in cap space. That leaves somewhere between $10-14M in cap space to sign the 14 remaining players, depending on if the flat cap holds or not.

JBB should take a vacation now. He's earned it. 👍
- gergeswillems

If JBB wins a 3rd Cup in a row, I wouldn't be surprised to see him quit while he's on top and leave the cap problems for someone else.

If your contract values hold true, then Tampa will have 9 players taking up $71M in cap space. That leaves somewhere between $10-14M in cap space to sign the 14 remaining players, depending on if the flat cap holds or not.
- tkecanuck341

All of this assumes the cap goes up. If it doesn't, things will get a little nuts. Robidas Island might get crowded.

If JBB wins a 3rd Cup in a row, I wouldn't be surprised to see him quit while he's on top and leave the cap problems for someone else.
- tkecanuck341

I bet every GM in the league is pissed at Bowman in Chicago right now.

All of this assumes the cap goes up. If it doesn't, things will get a little nuts. Robidas Island might get crowded.
- GalacticStone

You get Robidas Seabrook for 3 years! 🤣

You get Robidas Seabrook for 3 years! 🤣
- gergeswillems

Seriously though, I mean there are roster limits and minimum amount of skaters needed to fill out an active roster. A team can only exile so many players to Robidas Island. So putting too many players on that island risks leaving the active roster short if a rash of injuries happens. Or, at least that's my limited understanding on how that poop works.

If JBB wins a 3rd Cup in a row, I wouldn't be surprised to see him quit while he's on top and leave the cap problems for someone else.
- tkecanuck341

It's funny how all I heard was "Tampa can't trade Johnson! It'll cost 4 firsts and your best 2 prospects and Sergachev plus Cernak and and...blood!" Because reasons!

JBB trades him for the Seabrook zombie contract. Gives up a 2nd and says eat my Stanley Cup silver Polish. 🤣

It's funny how all I heard was "Tampa can't trade Johnson! It'll cost 4 firsts and your best 2 prospects and Sergachev plus Cernak and and...blood!" Because reasons!

JBB trades him for the Seabrook zombie contract. Gives up a 2nd and says eat my Stanley Cup silver Polish. 🤣
- gergeswillems

Pretty much exactly how it played out.

I bet every GM in the league is pissed at Bowman in Chicago right now.
- GalacticStone

They started it with the Kane Loophole.

They started it with the Kane Loophole.
- tkecanuck341

All so Chicago could acquire C Andrew Vermette for the playoffs. Hawks said Kane wouldn't be back until "Conference Final at the earliest!" I still took Kane in my playoff pool. Everyone laughed at me. I said "you're not buying this crap are ya's?"

Needless to say I won my playoff pool and enjoyed my 500 bucks. 🤣

It's funny how all I heard was "Tampa can't trade Johnson! It'll cost 4 firsts and your best 2 prospects and Sergachev plus Cernak and and...blood!" Because reasons!

JBB trades him for the Seabrook zombie contract. Gives up a 2nd and says eat my Stanley Cup silver Polish. 🤣
- gergeswillems

Traded Johnson and a 2nd and gained almost $12mil in cap space, brilliant!

If your contract values hold true, then Tampa will have 9 players taking up $71M in cap space. That leaves somewhere between $10-14M in cap space to sign the 14 remaining players, depending on if the flat cap holds or not.
- tkecanuck341

They will be fine. There's always a handful of dumb GMs to help teams free cap up.