Nashville predators and Tampa Bay Lightning complete trade

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Noel Drolet
May 21, 2024 (11:21)

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In the first trade of the new NHL off-season, the Lightning have decided to reunite with Ryan McDonagh as they look to compete again. More details inside.

Seems like teams are already jumping on getting the off-season, as we already have a trade between the Predators and the Lightning that sees a familiar face head back to the Bolts.

This is a great trade for both teams, as the Lightning are very familiar with Ryan McDonagh's game as a 2 time Stanley cup champion with the team. McDonagh still has lots of hockey left to play, as he is only 34 and still a fantastic shutdown defenseman. A fourth round pick is also not a bad grab at all for the team.

He logged 32 points in 74 games this year with the predators, and has one year left at 6.75M. Defense was a huge area of need for the Lightning, as their weak defense core was a big reason why they were dumped in the first round this year. It seems like the Lightning are gearing up for another playoff push next year, and could end up being very competitive once again.

For the Predators, this trade is also fantastic. You lose a big part of your defense core, but also gain almost 7M in cap space and a mid second round draft pick in the deal. They are seeming to head towards a retool, so getting rid of a 34 year old is always a fantastic move for this kind of return.