The Tampa Bay Lightning confirmed multiple reports on Twitter that they are trading forward Danick Martel to the Florida Panthers for forward Anthony Greco. This is a trade of two similar veteran forwards in the AHL. They’re both smaller players with one big difference being that Martel is left handed and Greco is right handed.
We have acquired Anthony Greco from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Danick Martel.https://t.co/L0X62XJuKE
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 20, 2020
Martel was originally acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers off waivers during training camp going into the 2018-19 season. Martel stuck with the Lightning for all of last year so that the Lightning could retain his rights. He played nine games in the NHL with two assists for the Lightning during 2018-19. He also played four games in the AHL on a conditioning assignment with one assist.
There wasn’t much room for Martel to make the Lightning’s roster for the 2019-20 season and he was placed on waivers where he went unclaimed allowing the Lightning to assign him to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. In 52 games, Martel has recorded 16 goals and 30 points. He is tied for 3rd in goals and tied for 5th in points on the Crunch with Taylor Raddysh. Most of Martel’s scoring has come at even strength this season.
Greco is a right handed forward who is listed at 5’10” and 176 pounds. He went undrafted and played four years at The Ohio State university, serving as Captain in his senior season, before turning pro. This is his fourth season in the AHL and he has one NHL game in his career with the Florida Panthers.
The past two seasons, Greco has recorded 29 and 30 goals respectively in 75 games each. He is a little off his pace this season with just 10 goals and 19 points in 37 games. Greco is also really fast winning the Fastest Skater competition at the 2019 AHL All-Star Game. His time of 13.251 was actually faster than the 13.378 than the one Connor McDavid put up during the 2019 NHL All-Star game.
For Danick Martel, this is a chance for him to move into a different organization that might have a little bit more of a path to the NHL for him. The Lightning have been stacked at forward, and especially after the acquisition of Blake Coleman, the depth chart got a little deeper in front of him.
For Greco, he’ll have every opportunity to help the Crunch’s offense. The Crunch are currently on the outside looking in on the playoffs. But it’s a tight race for the last spot in the North Division with the Toronto Marlies currently holding that spot with 57 points and the Crunch and the Binghamton Devils tied at 56 points. All three also have the Laval Rocket sitting just behind them at 54 points.
