Tampa Bay Lightning need to strenghten their defense - five options to take a closer look at

Tampa Bay Lightning - time for a long playoff run

After being eliminated in the first playoff round three consecutive years, the Lightning are hungry for revenge. My colleague Andreas Nord made som very good points about Tampa Bay Lightning in his guide to the Atlantic divison where he clarified that ”as long as the Lightning have Kucherov, Point, Hedman, and Vasilevskiy—plus support from players like Hagel and Cirelli—they can win it all”.

I also think that the Lightning can make it all the way to a Stanley Cup but they have to, in my opinion, strenghten their defense that has been too weak so far this season with a lot of goals and goal scoring chances against.

In both their last two Stanley Cup wins, they had strenghten their defense during the ongoing season. In the 19/20 season, they brought in Zach Bogosian from Buffalo and in the 20/21 season, David Savard from Columbus.

Both Bogosian and Svarad were brought in from teams out of playoff chances. I think that the Lightning once again need to search in these kind of teams for a defensive strenghtening. I have found five players that i think would fit in a Stanley Cup hunting Tampa Bay Lightning.

1. Dmitri Orlov

• Team: San Jose Sharks
• Age: 34
• Shoots: Left
• Player type: Two-way defenseman

I think that Dmitri Orlov would be a good strenghtening for the Lightning. San Jose Sharks are in a rebuild, but have several elder players in their defense. Orlov is one of these, as he turned 34 years old this summer. Orlov has been traded to a Stanley Cup contender earlier, as he was brought in by Boston Bruins during the 2022/2023 season from Washington. On his list of achievements, he has a Stanley Cup win with Washington Capitals from 2018. He know how to win, and that would be a good strenghtening to the Lightning defense.

2. Mario Ferraro

• Team: San Jose Sharks
• Age: 27
• Shoots: Left
• Player type: Defensive defenseman

Another Sharks player. Mario Ferraro has been surrounded by trade rumours several times the last couple of seasons, but the rumours have never come true. Is this the right time? This is the last year of 27-year-old’s four-year contract and a re-sign is unlikely at the moment. I think Sharks want something in return before the deadline, and Lightning should be willing to give up some assets. It would be interesting to se Ferraro in a contender, after seven straight seasons at a struggling San Jose.

3. Connor Murphy

• Team: Chicago Blackhawks
• Age: 32
• Shoots: Right
• Player type: Defensive defenseman

Connor Murphy is a veteran defenseman in a team of youngsters. The American has entered his ninth season at the Blackhawks that have struggled throughout that period. As Blackhawks are rebuilding and have their contending ambitions a few years ahead, I think that the 32-year-old is moveable. Especially when he, just like Ferraro, has a contract that expires after the season. This would be a good aqustingshion for the Lightning as he is a player with both experience and leadership skills.

4. Rasmus Andersson

• Team: Calgary Flames
• Age: 28
• Shoots: Right
• Player type: Two-way defenseman

Last week, I wrote a mock trade text about Rasmus Andersson where i clarified that a trade involving the Swede is likely this season and where I thought New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings would be good destinations. The Lightning are also a team that would benefit from bringing in the Swedish defenseman. Maybe the price is too high, as Andersson is highly rated by the Flames that require some assets in return.

5. Erik Karlsson

• Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
• Age: 35
• Shoots: Right
• Player type: Offensive defenseman

A long shot, maybe. A cap hit of $11,500,000 per season is a very high price to pay. Anyway, Pittsburgh Penguins are years away from being competitive and have several elder player in their roster. In my opinion, they should get rid of one or some of these and make a total rebuild. Erik Karlsson could be one of these, as it is likely that Crosby, Malkin and Letang will stay at Pens until their retirement. Penguins would love to get some cap space and some assets, and Lightning would love to sign a high-scoring defenseman of Karlsson’s caliber. A win-win-trade, but it is unlikely considering how much the Lightning have to pay.

Now, it is up to General Manager Julien BriseBois to make his move. The Lightning would love to bring in another defenseman, and i think they are going to do it. If I have to choose which of these five I think they are going to sign, I would say: Mario Ferraro.