The Tampa Bay Lightning revitalized the career of Ryan McDonagh. McDonagh, 35, looked close to retirement when the Lightning re-acquired him from the Nashville Predators.
“Not everything is sunshine and rainbows,” Justin G of Raw Charge said. There is the overwhelming possibility that the added miles and pucks off of the shin pads will catch up to McDonagh and his drop-off will be drastic and noticeable in the Lightning’s defensive system. It’s also possible that injuries start to add up for the veteran. After being an every day staple in the Lightning’s line-up, he did miss 19 games over two seasons with the Predators for various injuries. It’s not a lot, but it’s not a trend that is likely to reverse as he ages.”
Fortunately for the Lightning, this didn’t turn out to be the case. McDonagh experienced a career renaissance. He put up a fantastic 1.60 GA/60 for 13th in the league among defensive pairings. With that in mind, why would the Lightning want to trade McDonagh?
For starters, McDonagh carries a hefty cap hit of $6.75M per season. This is the last year of his deal. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine McDonagh will keep up the numbers he had last season after he turns 36 this year. To top it all off, J.J. Moser looks ready to take the reins on the team’s top-four.
There are several teams on the hunt for defensive depth. Here are two in particular that seem eager to add help:
Red Wings Need Top-Four Defenseman
The Detroit Red Wings cannot expect to make the playoffs with their current defense. While Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson are terrific, the depth falls off a cliff past Albert Johansson. Entering the season with Ben Chiarot or Justin Holl on the team’s top-four is asking for trouble. A player like McDonagh could be a significant difference-maker for the team.
As far as cost goes, the Red Wings have quite a bit of capital at their disposal. If the Lightning need short-term depth, they can find it in players like Michael Rasmussen or J.T. Compher. If they’re looking for prospects, Shai Buium could be the answer. There’s a lot to work with when it comes to Hockeytown.
Rangers Could Look for Reunion
Ryan McDonagh was once the captain of the New York Rangers. Could a reunion be in the cards? The Rangers missed the playoffs last season and look ready to go all-in once again. A trade of this size could be significant for both squads. The Lightning get the chance for Moser to take on a bigger role, while the Rangers get the defensive depth they need since the departure of K’Andre Miller.
To top it all off, the Rangers have already been linked to McDonagh. The Lightning can approach this trade in a variety of ways. If they want offensive help, they may ask for Vincent Trocheck’s services. If they want to play the long game, however, they can acquire one of the Rangers’ high-round draft picks to parlay into a trade deadline acquisition later on.
The Lightning have all the cards in this situation. They don’t have to accept any deal that isn’t overwhelmingly appealing to them. It’s up to other teams to make a pitch worth considering.
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