The Tampa Bay Lightning suffered a first round loss that many might not have seen coming. It might have been overdue as the team is tired from playing over 100 games a season and having extremely short offseasons after three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances. This offseason there are going to be more changes as the core is established and a few players are getting significant raises. This will force the Lightning to either trade or let players walk to free agency this summer to be cap compliant. Here’s a look at four players who won’t be back next season.
Alex Killorn
Alex Killorn is the highest paid member that will have to move on since he is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) this summer. He has been with the Lightning his entire 11 year career after being drafted by them. He typically flies under the radar, but has been a key piece of their team. Killorn set a career high in points last season before setting new career highs in goals and points again this season. At age 33, he seems to be getting even more effective offensively and will be a pretty big loss for the Lightning who will have no money to keep him around as they didn’t for Ondrej Palat last offseason.
Ian Cole
The Lightning are in a similar spot with Ian Cole even though he didn’t make as much as Killorn and won’t earn as much on his next contract. Cole, who had a $3 million AAV cap hit, is also a UFA this summer and the Lightning have cheaper options that they will have to replace him with. Nick Perbix emerged this season as an NHL defenseman while Haydn Fleury and Philippe Myers, who combined for 40 NHL games, will be next in line to assume the 3LD role. The Lightning are going to look a fair bit different, but that’s what comes with paying the players that have given a lot to the success of the team.
Ross Colton
Ross Colton will be a tough loss, but he, more than the other three players, might be able to be kept around for one more year. Colton is a RFA and had himself a solid season as a middle-six player. He is another example of just how well the Lightning develop players who aren’t expected to even be NHL players and turn them into key contributors.
The 26-year-old played his third NHL season and was a late bloomer, only getting his first shot in the NHL at age 24. His goals and points may have decreased from 2021-22, but for the lack of ice time he gets, he is effective. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Tampa Bay chooses to trade him this summer if they can’t sign him to a deal that fits under the salary cap.
Brian Elliott
The Lightning have continued to bring in veteran goalies to back up Andrei Vasilevskiy and it hasn’t necessarily worked out great. As the Lightning have played a ton of games in recent years, so has Vasilevskiy and he needs some support and rest. In that case they should look to someone who is younger and able to start more games throughout the season because we all know Vasilevskiy will get every start in the playoffs. Brian Elliott is 38 years old, a UFA this summer, and went from a .912 SV% last season to a .891 SV% this season.
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