Tampa Bay Lightnigh: Nikita Kucherov Out for Regular Season and all Free Agents Signed

The Tampa Bay Lightning have had an insane offseason, going from winning the Stanley Cup to having virtually no cap space, to facing injuries and now having their team set for the 2020-21 season. The Lightning were projected to have a difficult time repeating as Stanley Cup Champions, but with the moves they have made, they have kept their core intact.

However, the sole reason that the Lightning were able to keep their core the same was due to the injury of star forward Nikita Kucherov. Kucherov is undergoing hip surgery which will keep him out of the regular season. This is a tough blow to the Lightning, being without their best player, but when they put Kucherov on LTIR, they would be able to clear enough cap space to be under the cap (after putting players on the taxi squad).

Also with the start of the season and Kucherov’s injury, the LIghtning were able to sign all of their RFAs and UFAs that were a huge part of the Stanley Cup victory.

Mikhail Sergachev: $4.8 million x 3 years

Anthony Cirelli: $4.8 million x 3 years

Erik Cernak: $2.95 million x 3 years

Jan Rutta: $1.3 million x 2 years

Mathieu Joseph: $737,500 x 2 years

Alexander Volkov: $700,000 x 1 years

Projected Lineup for 2020-21

Palat-Point-Stamkos

Killorn-Cirelli-Johnson

Goodrow-Coleman-Gourde

Maroon-Paquette-Volkov

Hedman-Cernak

McDonagh-Sergachev

Coburn-Schenn

Vasilevskiy

McElhinney

Taxi Squad

Joseph

Stephens

Rutta

Foote

Barre-Boulet