Breaking News: The head coach of Tampa bay lightning has terminated his employment with the team today…..

Breaking News: The head coach of Tampa bay lightning has terminated his employment with the team today…..

A June 29 trade that could pay dividends for seasons to come had defenseman J.J. Moser and forward Conor Geekie, now 25 and 21, respectively, arrive in Tampa from Utah in exchange for blueliner Mikhail Sergachev and his $8.5 million AAV.

That provided BriseBois with the capital to procure star forward Jake Guentzel from Carolina (for a 2025 third-round pick) and sign him at a rate of $9 million per over seven years. Guentzel fared very well in his first season with the Bolts, collecting a third 40-goal season.

This summer has been in stark contrast from that of a year ago for the Tampa Bay Lightning. While fans were not gathered outside Amalie Arena with pitchforks, there was much moaning, groaning and other expressions of disappointment when Steven Stamkos signed with Nashville upon the free agency window opening last summer.

The writing had long been on the wall and in type that became bolder as time marched along and the Stammer can continued to be kicked down the street.

Extending Victor Hedman (four years, $32 million) proved to be the imperative off-season duty for Julien BriseBois, and while the late-May reacquisition of on- and off-ice pillar Ryan McDonagh from the Predators was popular move, it pretty clear the general manager was going about business in a manner that would not include the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.