Imagine, for a moment, that your NHL team could add an impact player for almost nothing. No trade cost at all is involved in bringing this player in, and his contract is entirely reasonable.
We’re talking here about a defenceman who can effectively log more than 20 minutes per game, one who can run the power play and kill penalties too. Just for good measure, he’s also a right shot—something that makes him both rarer and more valuable to NHL teams.
The situation we’ve just described is the best-case scenario for the Tampa Bay Lightning.