The Tampa Bay Lightning brought Ryan McDonagh back into the fold, re-acquiring him from Nashville in a rare mid-playoffs trade. On one hand, this is a good move for Tampa Bay in terms of team leadership and chemistry. McDonagh was a very big part of their Cup teams on the ice and in the room, if you ask his teammates. On the other hand, the Lightning are spending $23 million on their left side of the defense.
That said, they have $5 million to fill out 2-3 roster spots, which is very doable if they don't expect Stamkos back or are getting him for very cheap. I'll also guess we're going to see a Jeannot trade. Maybe Cirelli, too. Jeannot because he was a bad, overpaid fourth liner the moment he was acquired from Nashville. Cirelli because he never has lived up to the role of 2C that he's being paid to play.
Trade:
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 21, 2024
To #GoBolts: Ryan McDonagh, 2024 EDM 4th Rd Pick
To #Preds: 2025 2nd Rd Pick, 2024 7th Rd Pick https://t.co/lAUOsrCvTJ
Very thankful to MLHS for their Berube press conference transcript. Read what he's actually said, not just the cut up tweets online. Berube is very quickly getting meme'd into being the toughness coach, and for good reason, but these are the quotes that told me the most about what to expect:
We want to play a north game. We want to play fast. We want to be a heavy team. When I talk about heaviness, it is not running guys through the boards and fighting. Listen, the game has changed. But you still have to be strong on pucks and win puck battles. Those are priorities for me.
Playing predictable and north. Paying as fast as we can. Structure is huge. We have to have structure in all three zones. That is going to be a priority.
I'm on board for winning puck battles. Tavares will be an important part of that aspect going forward. You could see bigger roles for McMann and Holmberg because of that, too.
Keefe's teams also played with lots of structure, so I'm not sure what that's going to look like. But my instinct was to think "static defenders at the blueline" as a way to differentiate from Keefe.
If what Berube is looking for is a strong adherence to structure, I don't think Treliving should bring Domi, Bertuzzi, or Liljegren back. I won't object if Berube wants to coach Edmundson again. He was good on the third pair. My only hesitation is what kind of money is going to be spent on third pair guys that should be spent filling the chasms that are the 1RD and 2RD jobs right now.

The brain trust is hard at work on it!
📸: Craig Berube, Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving seen at dinner earlier tonight. No time like the present!#leafsforever pic.twitter.com/E3pcqgeO4g
— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) May 22, 2024
PWHL Minnesota tied up the series at ones with a 3-0 win over the Bostons in the PWHL Finals.
Minnesota shuts out Boston! 💪
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 22, 2024
We head into Game 3 with a tied series!
PWHL x @scotiabank pic.twitter.com/4F5Y2JZVkR
MICHELA CAVA! 🗣
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 21, 2024
BACK TO BACK game-opening goals in the Finals! pic.twitter.com/yNiNwyFxnc
Kyle Dubas signed his old draft pick, Filip Král. He also re-signed the Marlies coach's son to a contract extension.
The Penguins have signed defenseman Filip Kral to a one-year contract.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 21, 2024
The contract runs through the 2024.25 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
The Penguins have re-signed forward Jonathan Gruden to a two-year contract.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 21, 2024
The contract runs through the 2025.26 season and carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
And hey, speaking of prospects that had tied to Kyle Dubas' time in Toronto!
#LeafsForever Artur Akhtyamov is the VHL Goaltender of the Year pic.twitter.com/awGkE73XwX
— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) May 20, 2024
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