5 Players the Tampa Bay Lightning Should Trade Right Now

By Will Billinghurst

5 Players the Tampa Bay Lightning Should Trade Right Now

Tampa Bay Lightning — Steven Stamkos' contract is up at the end of the season, and that means the Tampa Bay Lightning have to trade some players to make enough space to re-sign Stamkos. The Lightning are at the cap ceiling right now, and Stamkos will probably want more than the $7.5 million he's making right now. To make it worse, Nikita Kucherov will want a raise after finishing last season with 65 points. So here are five players Tampa Bay should trade right now.

5. Valtteri Filppula

Valtteri Filppula

5. Valtteri Filppula

Valtteri Filppula — Valtteri Filppula is a great player, but just isn't worth $5 million a year. Last season, Filppula only had 48 points in 82 games, and this season Filppula has nine points in 22 games. Tampa Bay can find a center to replace Filppula for less than $5 million a year.

4. Braydon Coburn

Braydon Coburn

4. Braydon Coburn

Braydon Coburn — Braydon Coburn's contract is up at the end of the season, and Tampa Bay probably won't re-sign him based on his current $4.5 million price tag. Tampa Bay should trade him to get something in return instead of letting Coburn sign elsewhere and receive nothing in return.

3. Matt Carle

Matt Carle

3. Matt Carle

Matt Carle — For a player that makes $5.5 million a season, it's extremely disappointing that Matt Carle has zero points in 20 games this season. Tampa Bay should trade Carle and invest in signing an elite defenseman to play alongside Victor Hedman.

2. Ryan Callahan

Ryan Callahan

2. Ryan Callahan

Ryan Callahan — Ryan Callahan is replaceable because of all the young talent with Tampa Bay, and Callahan's $5.8 million a year contract is too much for what he contributes. Tampa Bay should trade Callahan and put the $5.8 million towards re-signing Nikita Kucherov since he's one of Tampa Bay's best players.

1. Steven Stamkos

Steven Stamkos

1. Steven Stamkos

Steven Stamkos — Steven Stamkos is unfortunately on this list because if Tampa Bay can't make enough cap room to re-sign Stamkos, then he needs to be traded. Tampa Bay would get a lot in return for Stamkos and most teams would be willing to make that trade. Obviously Tampa Bay wants to keep Stamkos, but if they can't, then the question turns to what they can get in return because letting him sign elsewhere for nothing would be the biggest mistake they could make.

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Tampa Bay Lightning

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