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1 last-minute trade Lightning must make before 2024-25 NHL season

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Jordan Llanes | Last updated 9/27/24

The Tampa Bay Lightning are prepping for the 2024-25 season, as they look to rebound from last season’s first round loss to the Florida Panthers. Longtime team captain Steven Stamkos left for the Nashville Predators on the first day of free agency, and former Carolina Hurricanes winger Jake Guentzel signed a seven-year contact with the Bolts. Those two moves, along with the resigning of defenseman Victor Hedman, were the biggest transactions that GM Julian BriseBois and his front office made this offseason.

Now, as the season approaches, there are still a couple spots that could be addressed. The third and fourth lines are the biggest areas of concern, as the team’s depth is something that needs work. Acquiring dependable players to eat minutes on those lines can be a tough ask, especially this late in the offseason. Another route the Lightning could go? Trading for a top six player.

That would allow some players that might not belong on the first or second lines (such as center Anthony Cirelli or veteran winger Cam Atkinson) to bump down to the third or fourth lines. A trade for a higher tier player might just be the best solution for BriseBois and head coach Jon Cooper. Giving the Seattle Kraken a call about winger Jordan Eberle might just be the smartest move they could make as the team looks to hoist its fourth Stanley Cup.

Jordan Eberle would be a strong addition to Lightning offense

Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle (7) controls the puck against the Dallas Stars in the first period at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The core of Tampa Bay’s last two Stanley Cup winning teams is still somewhat intact. Stars such as Hedman, winger Nikita Kucherov, center Brayden Point and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are still in place. The loss of Stamkos does sting, as he’s been the team captain since March 2014 when the team traded away Martin St. Louis.

However, the addition of Guentzel should fill that void, and possibly even exceed what “Stammer” offers. He turns 30 in October before the season begins, so he’s smack dab in the middle of his prime. BriseBois traded away a third-round pick to secure the exclusive negotiating rights with the left winger, and they quickly agreed to a deal.

Losing Stamkos was a blow, but so was the loss of many other contributors. Trading defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (to Utah) and forward Tanner Jeannot (to the Los Angeles Kings) also hurts, and the salary cap effected how they were replaced. This is another way where trading for Eberle would be a good idea. Furthermore, it feels like the type of deal that BriseBois and the Lightning brass would do in order to improve Cooper’s on-ice team.

The Kraken winger would immediately slot into either the first or second lines and can contribute on the power play as well. He’s considered to be one of the best trade targets on the board at the moment. Shopping at the top of the market would be a wise choice for BriseBois, as the core of the current Lightning team is built to win now.

Eberle is on the back half of his career, and he could very well stay in Seattle. He’s performed well in the Emerald City and was a stud with the New York Islanders before that. He’s a proven veteran scorer who can impact the Bolts’ lineup anywhere he is slotted. Joining the second line with Cirelli and winger Brandon Hagel would make the entire offense strong, allowing another dependable veteran in Atkinson to slide down to the third line.

Moves like this help in a variety of ways, most notably improving the overall talent and depth in the squad. We know that Tampa Bay’s GM is, like his predecessor Steve Yzerman before him, willing to trade draft picks. Especially if they will help his team win a title this season. A fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history would certainly taste sweeter the sooner it happens. Why not in 2025?

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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