It looks like the Tampa Bay Lightning are making a couple of moves to get ready for the trade deadline. On Tuesday they placed Cameron Atkinson on waivers. They also signed Logan Brown to a one-year, $775,000 contract and then placed him on waivers as well. If both players clear waivers, they will be eligible to be sent to Syracuse (in the case of Brown, he’s already there) which could create some flexibility for Julien BriseBois.
Atkinson was signed as a free-agent this summer and has appeared in 36 games for the Lightning, recording 3 goals and 5 assists. The 35-year-old has been a healthy scratch with Tampa Bay going with an 11/7 line-up of late. He did have assists in his last two outings, but appears to be the odd-man out if the Lightning acquire another forward.
The Bolts were hoping he could recapture some of the scoring magic he had prior to missing all of 2022-23 with an injury, but it just hasn’t quite worked out for the Connecticut native. He’s currently on pace for the fewest points in his career. Unlike Zemgus Girgensons, who is also struggling a bit offensively, his defense hasn’t been good enough to justify a spot in the line-up over rookie Gage Goncalves.
Depending on what happens the next day, being able to assign Atkinson to Syracuse would free up his $900,000 cap hit. PuckPedia estimates that the Lightning have about $6,048,591 of deadline space prior to the move, so perhaps he has a couple of things in the works.
Logan Brown has been playing on an AHL-contract all season long. The Lightning signed him two summers ago, but injuries kept him from appearing in a game. He’s appeared in 25 games with the Crunch this year with 7 goals and 12 assists. The 6’7, 222 lb. forward has 99 games of experience in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues.
If the duo clears waivers tomorrow, they can be sent down and recalled prior to Friday’s deadline. It will also give Mr. BriseBois some post-deadline flexibility with call-ups. Even with Brown under contract, the Lightning have six of their fifty contract slots available. They are also currently at 21 of 23 roster spots.
