While there’s still some time left in the regular season, and we’re a good ways from free agency started, I’ve already begun to think about the salary cap situation for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2022-23 season. The recent extension that Joe Pavelski (a player I thought the Lightning might target) signed with the Dallas Stars started me thinking about some other low-cost veterans they may sign. The team will find itself in a position where it has some money to actually dip into the free agent market in the summer, but that comes with some caveats.