Tampa Bay Lightning Best Contracts (2005-2020)

The following is a condensed preview of the Tampa Bay Lightning chapter of my new book, Hunting Bargains in a Salary Cap World. If you purchase the book, you will receive a much more in-depth analysis of all these contracts, including year-by-year statistics, a customized “basket of comparables”, and memorable quotes from players, GMs, and coaches. Below is just a tiny sample of what’s in the book, with a few sentences clipped from the summary. The eBook file size was abnormally large because of all the custom graphics (previewed below), so my royalty is small relative to the price. 

Entry level contracts not included.

Tampa Bay Lightning

 

When Steve Yzerman inherited the Tampa Bay Lightning roster in 2010, the team had missed the playoffs for 3 consecutive years, and had fallen on dark times during the Brian Lawton administration. Stevie brilliantly laid the foundation of a champion, pulling a few rabbits out of his hat over his 8 years on the job. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup during an unprecedented bubble-playoffs amid a global pandemic, and emerged victorious in that war of attrition. There were some last minute amendments required to the following list…

 

 

It’s hard to imagine $7.9M as underpaid, but that’s exactly what happened, as Hedman won the Norris in year one as the best defenseman in the NHL. The Lightning lean heavily on this guy to play big minutes in all situations, carrying a tremendous burden at below market price, winning the Conn Smythe trophy in their Stanley Cup victory.

 

 

Even with no state tax, Kucherov left millions of dollars on the table as the Lightning got one of the top scorers in the whole league. The winger averaged 109 PTS per 82 GP, winning both the Hart trophy and Art Ross in the final year, as league MVP and top scorer. You can read about his next ticket further down this list.

 

 

The big Swede had a decent first year in the lockout shortened season, but by year two shot up to 55 PTS. It became increasingly obvious that his salary was frightfully too low (over these 5 years he averaged 57 PTS per 82 GP). Hedman scored 72 PTS and earned a Norris trophy nomination in the final year.

 

 

In year one of this pact, Vasilevskiy posted 44 wins with a .920 SV% and was nominated for the Vezina, an award he won the following year. Getting 3 years of Vezina quality goaltending for a $3.6M average adjusted cap hit is an absurdly incredible cost-benefit ratio. Andrei also started all 22 playoff games for Tampa in 2020, winning the Stanley Cup with a .928 SV%.

 

 

Mitch Marner signed for $10.9M AAV ten days earlier, and many had projected Point as a more valuable commodity because centers earn more on average than wingers. While Marner and the Leafs failed to qualify for the playoffs, Point helped carry the Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship, scoring 30 PTS in 20 GP, also receiving strong Conn Smythe consideration.

 

 

Kucherov’s production did dip in year one of the deal, scoring at a diminished rate of 103 PTS per 82 GP. That didn’t matter, as Kucherov potted an impressive 32 PTS in 22 playoff games to earn Conn Smythe consideration in the Bolts 2020 Cup run. Even if he declines in the twilight of this deal, it’s already worth every penny.

 

 

The investment paid lofty dividends immediately, as the center scored at a 97-point pace over the first 2 years. As this was blossoming into decisive under-payment, that all came crashing to a halt when Stammer crashed into the boards breaking his tibia in 2013. His scoring rate fell dramatically the following season, down to 72 PTS in 82 GP, bottoming out at 64 PTS in 77 GP the final year.

 

 

Normally when I write “6-year contract to a 30-year-old player” it’s when writing my bad contracts lists. It’s rare for that level of risk to produce this much reward, including 102 PTS in 2007 while playing over 24 minutes per game at age 31. In the final year at age 35, St. Louis scored 99 PTS averaging 21 minutes of ice. All in, he scored 552 PTS in 519 GP including playoffs. Well done.

 

 

This contract did get off to a disheartening beginning, as Stammer tore the meniscus in his right knee, costing him most of the season. He came back the following year and scored 86 PTS, his best performance since before the broken leg in 2013. By year three, Stamkos was back to old form, scoring 45 goals and 98 PTS.

 

 

Boyle peaked at 63 PTS on this contract and returned very good value. The Lightning where able to harness “peak Boyle” for a below market cost. The final year did get cut short by surgery to repair severed tendons in his wrist.

 

 

It was a generous price for that little career experience, but many in hockey believed that he was a future star goaltender. The believers would soon be proven right. Bishop played 125 games with 77 wins and 27 losses, posting a .920 SV%, taking Tampa on a deep playoff run in year two.

 

 

The Lightning were forced to dump his salary on Vancouver one year after the ink dried. Tampa received 1st and 3rd round picks, a nice haul considering Miller no longer fit into their cap structure. Once in Vancouver (with a much higher tax rate), JT Miller was put on the top line with Elias Pettersson and immediately started to thrive, scoring at an 86-point pace before Covid-19 cut the season short.

 

 

At age 37, St. Louis scored 60 PTS in 48 GP (103-point pace) during the lockout shortened 2013 season, winning the Art Ross trophy. St. Louis would request a trade the following year after Yzerman left him off Team Canada for the Sochi Olympics, and was moved to the New York Rangers for their captain Ryan Callahan and a pair of 1st round picks.

 

 

This contract did start to turn south near the end, but he still produced 51 PTS per 82 GP over these 6 seasons, adding 48 PTS in 62 playoff GP. Boyle was even able to procure another 2-year deal at a $5.4M adjusted cap hit from the Rangers when this was over. You won’t find that one on the Rangers best contracts list…

 

 

In year one Vinny scored 35 goals and 75 PTS. It does raise the existential question “if you pay $14M to a forward worth $9M, is that a bad deal?” You’re still getting a $9M player. Regardless, the salary cap would increase, the % cap decreased, and Vinny bounced back, scoring 200 PTS over years two and three. He followed this up by signing the worst contract in the entire salary cap era.