David Savard Traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning

The second blockbuster deal of the trade season has happened as the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings and the Tampa Bay Lightning were all involved in a trade of sending David Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning needed to fill their weakness at RHD and with Savard being the best defensemen on the trade market, the Lightning acquired him to bolster their defense. Here is a break down of this complex three-way trade between these three Central Division teams.

Columbus acquires from Tampa Bay: 2021 1st round pick, 2022 3rd round pick

Detroit acquires from Columbus: David Savard ($2,125,000 retained)

Detroit acquires from Tampa Bay: 2021 4th round pick

Tampa Bay acquires from Detroit: David Savard ($1,062,000 retained), Brain Lashoff

In simple terms, the Blue Jackets traded David Savard to the Lightning for a first and third round pick. But since the Lightning are very tight on cap space, the Blue Jackets retained half of his salary to send him to the Red Wings. Then the Red Wings flipped Savard with his salary half retained to the Lightning. So the Lightning traded a first, third and fourth round pick for Lashoff and Savard (75% retained) while the Blue Jackets got a first and third round pick. The Red Wings got a fourth round pick for trading Lashoff and retaining half of Savard’s contract.

All three of these teams made out well from this trade. Everyone expected the Blue Jackets to get a second round pick for trading Savard. However, due to the lack of defensemen on the market, Savard’s price soared up. The Blue Jackets made it out of this trade pretty well by getting a first and third round pick, much more value than they initially expected. 

The Lightning are a dominant team, but their only weakness comes at RHD. On the right side, they have Cal Foote, Erik Cernak and Jan Rutta who aren’t bad by any means but are a bit lackluster for a championship-caliber team. With the addition of Savard, the Lightning defense looks amazing, as they are right now the favorites to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. The third and last team involved in this trade is the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Red Wings traded Lashoff, who barely has value, and retained 50% of Savard’s contract for a fourth round pick. Basically, the Red Wings got a free fourth round pick. Altogether, this hockey trade was beneficial for all sides with no clear winners or losers.

Lightning Lines (Fully Healthy)

Palat-Point-Kucherov

Killorn-Cirelli-Stamkos

Goodrow-Gourde-Coleman

Maroon-Joseph-Johnson

Hedman-Savard

McDonagh-Cernak

Sergachev-Foote

Vasilevskiy

McElhinney

Blue Jackets Lines after the trade

Laine-Domi-Bjorkstrand

Foligno-Roslovic-Atkinson

Texier-Grigorenko-Sherwood

Matteau-Dalpe-Stenlund

Del Zotto-Jones

Gavrikov-Carlsson

Lehtonen-Harington

Merzlikins

Korpisalo