/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/Q5TYL7ZEJFC6HCH7VSVFOORJPM.jpg "Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois addresses the media during exit interviews after the end of the season at Amalie Arena June 28.")
TAMPA — After the Lightning netted six picks at this week’s draft, general manager Julien BriseBois and his staff remain busy, getting ready for free agency, which opens Wednesday.
Here’s a look at what’s next for the Lightning in the offseason.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/DKYQJIG46RHGNB4BWLL4TY34CI.jpg "Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Ondrej Palat on the ice during a stoppage in play against the Colorado Avalanche during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final on June 22.")
On the free-agent front
BriseBois left the draft Friday saying there were no updates on efforts to retain their two remaining potential unrestricted free agents, forward Ondrej Palat and defenseman Jan Rutta.
BriseBois has spoken with agents for both players and still hopes to get deals done before free agency begins. Time is of the essence, especially concerning Palat. The longer he remains unsigned, the less likely he is to stay with the Lightning.
If he enters free agency, Palat will receive his share of offers. Among left wings, if the Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau hits the market, Palat would be in the next group teams would consider. Palat has some advantages over others who could end up in that group. At 31, he is younger than 34-year-old Claude Giroux, and he has a better two-way game than Andre Burakovsky. He also has two Stanley Cup championships, four trips to the Stanley Cup final and 94 career points in the playoffs.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/A2LQS67GTRCURI6H2JOFLUMNPM.JPG "Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli gets a puck from the goal during warmups prior to taking on the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final June 24.")
Will Anthony Cirelli be ready for next season?
Center Anthony Cirelli had surgery Tuesday following injuries to both shoulders in the postseason. The Lightning aren’t certain he will be ready for the beginning of next season.
There isn’t a set timetable on Cirelli’s recovery, BriseBois said Friday.
Cirelli suffered an AC joint strain in his left shoulder during the Eastern Conference final against the Rangers, then injured the other shoulder during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final against the Avalanche. Cirelli was forced to wear a cumbersome shoulder brace on his right shoulder, and the injury prevented him from taking faceoffs in the final games.
Another deep postseason Lightning run means a shorter offseason, which means players have less recovery time.
That the Lightning are unsure about Cirelli’s recovery going into the second week of July does raise a concern about whether he will be a full participant in training camp when it starts in mid-September.
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Explore all your optionsNo trades on the horizon
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7CJXNFJACRF4TOGNEDOOAYQDNM.jpg "Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Alex Killorn moves the puck by the goal as New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin looks on during the first period in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final June 11.")
After trading defenseman Ryan McDonagh last week to free salary-cap space, BriseBois said he’s not looking to make further trades to clear cap space. That means the team is not looking to move forward Alex Killorn, who carries a $4.45 million cap hit for next season in the final year of his contract.
Dealing McDonagh gave the Lightning at least $4.2 million in cap relief, depending on the future of Phillipe Myers, the defenseman Tampa Bay acquired in the McDonagh deal with Nashville. BriseBois plans to keep Myers, who carries a $2.55 million cap hit in his final year before he can become an unrestricted free agent.
With the contracts of Killorn and Myers set to come off the board after next season, the Lightning has flexibility to pursue extensions with Cirelli and defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak, who can be restricted free agents next year and who are due significant raises.
The NHL’s goaltender depth issue
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LWPZAOEA3RHKVEUZ5O77VKKHJA.JPG "Colorado Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper meets with Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy at the end of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final on June 26.")
What did goaltender Darcy Kuemper get for helping the Avalanche to the Stanley Cup? A ticket out of town.
Colorado became younger and cheaper at the goaltender position, trading Thursday for Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev to be their starter. That means Kuemper will be an unrestricted free agent come Wednesday.
It was an example of the goaltending situation in the NHL. If you’re not among the handful of teams with an elite goaltender, you’re looking to upgrade. Luckily for the Lightning, they are one of those teams with Andrei Vasilevskiy in the net.
The Red Wings acquired Ville Husso from the Blues on Friday for a third-round pick and signed him to a three-deal deal to compete with incumbent Alex Nedeljkovic, who struggled in his first year in Detroit following a strong rookie season with Carolina. The Devils acquired Vitek Vanecek from the Capitals. The Maple Leafs were able to unload Petr Mrazek and his $3.8 million cap hit to Chicago following his subpar, injury-riddled first season in Toronto.
The goaltending carousel is just getting started. Jack Campbell could stay in Toronto or go elsewhere in free agency. Anaheim could deal John Gibson. And Cam Talbot could be on the move in Minnesota after the Wild re-signed Marc-Andre Fleury.
Contact Eduardo A. Encina at eencina@tampabay.com. Follow @EddieintheYard.
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/www.tampabay.com/resizer/5kVco_gIRaMhikVPQktZ2n5ffQE=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LJXF5HY3BZARLI6BWWEXFL623Y.JPG "Say goodbye to Ondrej Palat, and hello to a different Lightning future")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/fy0AAhmULdR7ij6wpdBkuo7DyZQ=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/J442DJLJAZANNL2WYIUC2MN4KM.JPG "Ondrej Palat isn’t staying with the Lightning")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/XYGns4nk1gZSMBxFbbBrafLRNHg=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/6LMCHGIK3ZDA3PMYP5GE7DKMQA.jpg "Lightning’s Ondrej Palat likely to test free-agent market Wednesday")
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/www.tampabay.com/resizer/uHpQHZcPIjPw6dPIW8aBHyQOY_g=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/EES6RRRE7BCLPDWCSUNNXLBLDI.jpg "Ondrej Palat was prepared for departure from Lightning")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/N3GCufS8K7IBMxDZveygY6g2nsU=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/YXOYIVZ2NFDTLIZKU3L5VJLLOI.jpeg "Lightning sign Sergachev, Cirelli, Cernak to 8-year extensions")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/4bnCDtbe-JgMa8Fl5xMxh5ksGoc=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/JXZHTF3L7NBNXDRE5VYAG4SFKQ.jpg "Lightning prospect Gage Goncalves feels ready to take next step")
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