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Lightning Round: Alex Killorn reportedly is another trade option for Tampa Bay

Posted on by Igor Nikonov

While the Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog lifted the Stanley Cup over his head, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s general manager Julien BriseBois was already on the phone, doing his business. Despite playing in the Stanley Cup final in three consecutive years and winning two Cups over that span, the team clearly is not satisfied with the result. “Who says we’re done?” asked the Lightning’s captain Steven Stamkos just moments after their loss in Game 6.

There will be a lot of work for BriseBois and his team during this offseason. The Lightning already extended Nick Paul for seven more years and expressed a desire to retain unrestricted free agents Ondrej Palat and Jan Rutta. To make that happen the team will have to move some assets, and make some very tough decisions. Elliotte Friedman already reported that the Lightning is working with Ryan McDonagh on potential trade and Alex Killorn is another player, who could be traded this summer [Sportsnet]

The Lightning have the 31st pick, and none in the second or third rounds. It’s not foreign to them to trade down for multiple seconds, to try and increase their draft bounty. They’ve re-signed Nick Paul, and are trying with Ondrej Palat and Jan Rutta. They’re working with McDonagh to find a trade fit, while Alex Killorn is another possibility (he has some control over his situation).

As of today, Alex Killorn has a lesser trade value than McDonagh. Killorn clearly underperformed this playoffs. A 32-year forward, who’s currently top-5 for the most playoff goals in the Lightning’s history, didn’t record any goal this postseason for the first time in his career. He was a part of Anthony Cirelli’s shutdown line, which was pretty effective against Mika Zibanejad line in the SCF, but the coaching staff could expect more offense from him, although that was a common issue for the Lightning’s roster outside of their top line. That said, Killorn is still coming off of the best regular season in his career after scoring 59 (25+34) points in 82 games.

Killorn carries a $4,45 mil cap hit and has another year under his contract. Unlike McDonagh, Killorn has a modified no-trade clause with a 16-team no trade list. The biggest concern for the Lightning’s potential trade partners is Killorn’s age: Killorn has aged gracefully, playing his best hockey after age of 30, but it would still be a gamble to predict how long he will be able to play at this level.

We already know that potential McDonagh trade is not a very popular decision in the Lightning’s locker room and Killorn’s trade could as unpopular. Since being drafted in 2007, Killorn has been in organization longer than any other player on the Lightning’s roster.  Speaking ahead of last year’s expansion draft, Alex Killorn stated that he wants to retire in Tampa.

Going back to Ryan McDonagh, according to Elliotte Friedman, there’s an interest in the Lightning’s defenceman and one of the teams are the St. Louis Blues, who’s currently looking for a top-four defenceman.

Hockey News

Ivan Fedotov’s saga continues, reportedly after being arrested on Friday for evading of military service, Fedotov was hospitalized with gastritis.

After spending a night in the hospital, Fedotov was released. According to some sources Fedotov was transported to Severomorsk, where is the main administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet situated, although his lawyer couldn’t confirm his exact location.

As expected, Amir Miftakhov cleared waivers.

Anthony Duclair underwent a surgery to repair an Achilles tendon injury and is expected to return in the middle of the next regular season.

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