February 5, 2025 | 2:36pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com

LIGHTNING EYEING DEPTH ADDS TO ROSTER

Lightning GM Julien BriseBois

The Tampa Bay Lightning currently occupy the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and sit two points behind the Ottawa Senators for third in the Atlantic Division.

With a tight race expected to continue until the end of the regular-season, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois is preaching patience when it comes to making any roster moves ahead of the March 7 trade deadline – at least publicly, he is.

During Wednesday’s edition of “The Latest” on TFP presented by CCM Hockey, Kate Petterson and David Pagnotta discussed the Bolts and their plans over the next four weeks, and Pagnotta acknowledged the team is looking to add a depth defenceman and a veteran forward to add to their roster.

The Lightning were among the teams very interested in Brandon Saad, who become a free agent after his contract was terminated with the St. Louis Blues. As Pagnotta reported, the Bolts were “right there and were given serious consideration” to sign him, but Saad ended up in Vegas.

“I think they’re going to look at both areas,” Pagnotta said.

“If they can bring in somebody in the mid-six to help with their offence a little bit, or at least spread out their depth, that’s I think what they would like to do in addition to adding someone on the blueline. So they’re looking at both. They have cap space to play with, a little bit anyway, and they’re going to try to utilize that to their advantage.”

The Lightning have just over $2.81 million in current cap space and will continue to accrue more leading up to the deadline, giving Tampa Bay room to add.

“BriseBois is looking,” Pagnotta added. “He’s not going to pounce on anything now just for the sake of doing it, which I think was the primary messaging towards him being patient. He wants to see how this club continues to perform, but if he could find someone on the backend and in their mid-six, likely in the third line kind of role, I think that’s their preference in Tampa.”