The Tampa Bay Lightning are struggling to replicate the kind of success that has had this team at the top of the Eastern Conference for the past six seasons. In 2023-24, the Bolts are 12-11-15, hanging around in the Atlantic Division but fifth place after a cold spell that's seen the club win just four of its last 10 games.
The Lightning aren't having trouble scoring goals, and the usual lethal powerplay is propping up the offense. The PP has scored at a ridiculous 30.5 percent clip, which is good enough for second in the National Hockey League. And Tampa has scored 3.25 goals, which is 11th.
The main problem plaguing this team right now is the defensive side of the puck. The Lightning allow 30.7 shots on goal per game, which is middle of the pack, but are struggling mightily to keep the puck out of their own net. With 3.54 goals per game going behind Jonas Johansson and Andrei Vasilevskiy, and not many of them coming while down a man, the 5-on-5 play is concerning.
Although Vasilevskiy missed the first two months of the season after undergoing back surgery over the summer, he hasn't been the same perennial Vezina Trophy challenger as past seasons. That's to be expected as the Russian superstar works his way back, and the hope is his last two games will be a sign of things to come. Vasi recorded his first shutout of the year in a convincing 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars earlier this week, and followed it up with a 24-save performance in a 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins two nights later.
Still, it's clear that the defense, as currently constructed, leaves something to be desired. The combination of Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak on the back end remains solid, but the depth at the position is not what it once was. None of Calvin de Haan, Darren Raddysh or Nick Perbix have been moving the needle too much lately, and the front office could look to the trade market to improve that.
What the Bolts could really use ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline is another solid third-pairing option that can kill penalties and play above average defense, regardless of the offensive abilities. For that reason, Tampa BM Julien BriseBois should pick up the phone and give Anaheim Ducks' Kris Verbeek a call regarding Ilya Lyubushkin.
Ilya Lyubushkin should be a Tampa Bay target
Ilya Lyubushkin has bounced around a few NHL teams since making the trip across the pond from the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia. He played nearly four full seasons with the Arizona Coyotes from 2018-22. The 29-year-old was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February of 2022, and played out the rest of the campaign before signing with the Buffalo Sabres, on a two-year pact, in July.
After one campaign in Western New York, Lyubushkin was traded again — this time from the Sabres to the Ducks — in August of 2023. Buffalo got back a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for his services. The veteran Russian has settled into a second-pairing role with rookie standout Pavel Mintyukov, but with Anaheim reeling again in 2023-24, they are likely to be sellers ahead of the deadline.
Lyubushkin, who is set for unrestricted free agency next summer, seems almost surely to get dealt. Tampa Bay would be a good landing spot for the 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman.
Lyubushkin could help settle Bolts' blue line
At his best, Lyubushkin is a shutdown D-man who can handle tough minutes and play a physical game. He's never going to rack up points — he has only two assists in 26 games in California this season — but a team like Tampa wouldn't need that at all. What they need is a steady presence on the blue line, and it's not working out as currently constructed.
Here's what The Athletic's Chris Johnson said about the Russian, while ranking him No. 5 on the insider's first trade board of the season:
“A physical defenseman best suited for a third-pairing role, what you see is what you get from Lyubushkin. He’ll kill penalties, finish checks and try to keep the play in front of him. Let’s brand it meat-and-potatoes hockey. Fortunately, it’s a style that teams looking for a long run through the spring tend to appreciate and covet. Lyubushkin is also playing on an expiring deal that's not too expensive, which will add to his marketability.”
Tampa Bay is strapped tight to the cap, but BriseBois could make a move work, especially as Lyubushkin is only making $2.75 million in 2023-24. The Lightning still have the star power, and that includes two offensive dynamo in Hedman and Sergachev. But the defense is the problem, and bringing big Ilya Lyubushkin from one sunny state to another would be a savvy move for the franchise.
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