The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the 2023 NHL offseason in a bit of a pickle salary cap-wise. As such, the team has to let a few players move on. Forward Pat Maroon became the latest player to leave the Lightning Sunday night.

The Lightning traded Maroon to the Minnesota Wild, the team announced. Forward Max Cajkovic is also headed to Minnesota in this deal. Tampa Bay retains 20% of Maroon's salary and receives a 2024 seventh-round pick in return.

Maroon, 35, has found a lot of success in recent years despite not putting up world-beating numbers. The new Wild forward won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. That kicked off a run of three consecutive Stanley Cups for Maroon. He won the Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

During his time with the Lightning, Maroon played 280 regular season games. He scored 29 goals and 82 points in that span while adding seven goals and 17 points in 77 playoff games in Tampa Bay.

Cajkovic, 22, mostly played in the ECHL this past season with the Orlando Solar Bears. He played 41 games, scoring 10 goals and 27 points in those games. Tampa Bay drafted Cajkovic in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

The Lightning are currently over the salary cap, which is allowed during the offseason. However, Tampa Bay currently looks to have around $2 million in cap space once long-term injured reserve kicks in during the pre-season.

The Wild made the Stanley Cup Playoffs a season ago, and look to return next season. Adding Maroon and his Stanley Cup championship experience for a rather low cost could help the team achieve that goal.