The Tampa Bay Lightning has boasted one of the deepest blue lines in recent memory. Currently boasting one of the best in the league in Victor Hedman, they also have youngster Mikhail Sergachev and Ryan McDonagh. After capturing two Stanley Cups and building their loaded team, a change is coming. Long-time New York Ranger and Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Ryan McDonagh have been approached by management about a possible trade. The player currently has a no-movement clause in his contract, which he would need to agree to waive it. Currently carrying a cap hit of over $6 million, it could be tough to move.
Why Move McDonagh
We live in a salary cap world, and you cannot keep everybody around. The team has two free agents they would love to stay around in Ondrej Palat and Nick Paul. It has been reported that Nick Paul has signed a 7-year extension with a cap hit of $3.15 million per season. In a perfect world, they want to keep McDonagh around. A defensive defenceman is a leader and is well respected in the locker room. It is a tough decision, but Tampa Bay has a way of bringing in contributors to replace.
The Statistics
This photo illustrates the impact he made this season. The 33-year-old defenceman did very little to impact the offense, but he was good on his end. Even at his age, he is still a valuable piece to have on the blue line and provides leadership and experience to the lineup.
During the 2021-22 season, Ryan McDonagh finished third in points among defensemen with 26. He managed to score four goals and 22 assists. Where he excelled the most is he led the team in blocked shots with 137 and averaged 5.16 blocks per 60 minutes. The veteran blueliner can still log big minutes and contribute to the team.
The Next Chapter
It remains to be seen where the veteran blue liner ends up. Ultimately, he controls his fate as he has his no-movement clause to waive. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion would have plenty of suitors. You can never have too many defensemen in your lineup. He still has some hockey left in the tank, and any team with cap space could come calling. It won’t cost a ton, as Tampa is just trying to unload the cap space.
A 33 year old 2nd pairing defenseman with 4 years left on his contract at $6.75 mil/yr isn’t going to be easy to move without heavy rentention or a good young player on a great contract leaving with him.
You’d have to throw in a high pick or a roster player for another team to eat the contract. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes.