The Tampa Bay Lightning won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and are currently in the market for a few game-changing moves that could seal their championship threepeat. Even with all success they've had over the past couple of seasons, it goes without saying that there's always room for improvement.
Currently sitting at second place in the Atlantic Division and looking to continue their run of greatness, the Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to add a few high quality impact players to fill out their rotation. Let's now take a look at three players the Lightning must trade for ahead of the 2022 NHL trade deadline.
Lightning Trade Deadline Moves
Tyler Motte
As a fast skater and aggressive forechecker who excels with the puck on his stick and at the front of the net, Tyler Motte could be a key difference maker in Tampa Bay. His seamless ability to use his body to block shots and be a penalty killer could provide the Lightning with quality depth – especially come playoff time.
The grit and tenacity he displays while fighting for the puck is an attribute that teams rarely overlook and with the Bolts seeking a third straight title, Motte might be the right addition for them to make ahead of this year's NHL trade deadline. He may not be the most efficient and consistent player out there, but his hustle play is something that Tampa Bay could benefit from greatly.
Andrew Copp
With a potent mix of experience and strong all-around play Andrew Copp would catapult the Lightning to new heights and vastly improve their chances of a second consecutive title defense. Although the Winnipeg Jets are still in the playoff hunt and Copp could still play a major role for them this season, the Lightning would give him the opportunity to instantly compete for a title.
The only catch here is that Copp is still in the process of recovering from a concussion and his injury status further regarding this is unknown. So clearly there is some risk with this move for Tampa Bay, but he is a penalty killer who could provide them with some productive minutes for the duration of the season.
Artturi Lehkonen
This would be a tough one considering that the Montreal Canadiens' asking price for Artturi Lehkonen is quite high, but it would be a move well worth it for the reigning champs. His perfect balance of scoring, shot blocking, penalty killing, and throwing big hits would be highly beneficial for the Lightning. What makes Lehkonen such a standout and an ideal fit for the Lightning is that he has extensive playoff and Stanley Cup Final experience that would pay major dividends for Tampa Bay during their upcoming title run.
Now this may be a hard sell for the Canadiens seeing as they fell to the Lightning during last year's Stanley Cup Final, but crazier things have happened in previous trade scenarios and this would be a very intriguing move for them to make ahead of the 2022 NHL trade deadline. Plus Lehkonen could be Tampa Bay's missing link to a potential threepeat.
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