Tampa Bay Lightning Salary Cap Analysis
2022-2023 Outlook
The Tampa Bay Lightning are facing a salary cap crunch heading into the 2022-2023 season. As of August 1, 2023, the Lightning have just $448,750 in cap space, with 16 players under contract. This puts the Lightning in a difficult position, as they will need to make some tough decisions in order to stay under the cap.
Key Contracts
The Lightning's biggest cap hits are Steven Stamkos ($8.5 million), Nikita Kucherov ($9.5 million), Victor Hedman ($8.5 million), Brayden Point ($9.5 million), and Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9.5 million). These five players account for over half of the Lightning's cap space, so the Lightning will need to be careful about how they allocate the rest of their money.
Options
The Lightning have a few options to help them get under the cap. One option is to trade away some of their higher-priced players. Another option is to sign some of their younger players to cheaper contracts. The Lightning could also try to negotiate a buyout with one of their players, but this would be a risky move.
Outlook
The Lightning are in a tough spot heading into the 2022-2023 season. They have a lot of talented players, but they are also facing a salary cap crunch. The Lightning will need to make some tough decisions in order to stay under the cap and remain competitive.
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