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Crickets for the Lightning, and what they could be looking for
Joe Smith: Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois said that things are real quiet on the trade front, “crickets.”
BriseBois said that they don’t have the salary cap space and no first first round picks. Would have to be player in, player out.
Joe Smith: Lightning GM BriseBois on what they could be looking for at the trade deadline.
“Generally speaking, I’d be looking at what makes us a harder team to play against. Help defend + make us a harder team to play against. That’s probably as specific as I can get right now.”
TSN: The Lightning don’t have their first and second-round pick this year, and no first-round pick next year. GM Julien BriseBois said without the assets to make a splash, they’ll be looking for a Nick Paul type trade according to Pierre LeBrun.
“Remember, he got Paul last year at the deadline but one thing I asked him: “the Leafs and the Bruins, what if they make a big splash?”, but he said he’s not going to let that affect their line of thinking before the deadline.”
Lightning GM on Brandon Hagel
Chris Krenn: Tampa Bay Lighting forward Brandon Hagel will be a RFA after next season and is not eligible for a contract extension just yet.
GM Julien BriseBois when asked if they’d like to keep him long-term:
“I would hope so. I think because he’s a restricted free agent in the summer of ’24, he’ll still be two years away from unrestricted free agency at that point. That gives us time to work with him and find solutions to be able to keep him long-term, but we’ll deal with that in due time. Right now, we’re focused on this season. Lets make sure we don’t leave anything on the table this year. Let’s make sure we make the most of this opportuntiy and have no regrets when it’s all said and done.
