Every general manager has their comfort teams.
For the Tampa Bay Lightning of the mid-late 2010s, it was the New York Rangers. The Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes have been close companions for what feels like decades. Even the Vegas Golden Knights have frequent trade partners, though theirs are usually “anyone that’ll take our contracts for draft picks”. Steve Yzerman, despite his secrecy, has a few comfort teams he prefers to deal with. Whether he prefers their play style or sees organizational fits within their groups, he’s frequently contacted these teams and lifted players, picks, and everything in-between to bolster the roster.