Should the Tampa Bay Lightning Be Buyers or Sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline?

The Tampa Bay Lightning should be one of the quieter teams at the NHL trade deadline on April 3. Even without a blockbuster move, the Lightning have to be buyers at the deadline for a few reasons. 

Tampa Bay’s season hasn’t been the one it wanted, but the Lightning aren’t out of a playoff spot. In this abbreviated season, one hot streak can change the complexion of division races. 

The Lightning have already made some big changes this season and should continue to build momentum by being buyers at the deadline. Here are the reasons why.

Jon Cooper

The biggest reason the Lightning need to be buyers is that they just brought in a new head coach. Jon Cooper has brought a new optimism to the team. 

After winning a difficult game against the New Jersey Devils in Cooper's NHL debut, the Lightning could be poised to make a run through the Southeast Division. With 14 games left in the season, Tampa Bay will have a hill to climb, but dismantling the team at this point would be a significant step backwards. 

Cooper is familiar with the Lightning players from his time at their American Hockey League affiliate. Any trade the Lightning consider making should be run by Cooper for his approval first. 

The Core

Tampa Bay doesn’t have a lot of moveable parts. 

The Bolts have Vincent Lecavalier with nearly an $8 million cap hit until 2020. Steven Stamkos and Teddy Purcell are under contract until 2015-16. Martin St. Louis and Ryan Malone are locked up until 2014-15. 

Nate Thompson—who could have been considered a moveable part—signed a four-year extension last week through 2016-17. 

Then there is the group of young stars like Cory Conacher, Tyler Johnson and Radko Gudas. It is extremely impractical to think the Lightning will be able to keep all of the young stars in Tampa Bay for the rest of their careers, but this certainly won’t be the season that ties are cut. 

Matt Carle and Victor Hedman are the heart of the Lightning defense and both are signed until at least 2017. 

With a new coach and a talented core, it would be a disservice to the organization to sell the pieces.

Building for the Future

That talented group of young players and the coach that helped them get to the NHL have the rest of this season and 2013-14 to get things figured out. At that point, seven of the AHL call-ups will become restricted free agents and decisions will need to be made. 

The changes to the salary cap in 2013-14 will make it extremely difficult for teams to move players with large salary-cap hits. The Bolts will need to find a way to either restructure Lecavalier’s contract to keep him or try to get some return for him on the trade market. 

Martin St. Louis has a nearly $6 million hit per season, but he is worth every penny. With his career coming to a close, the front office needs to make sure he finishes his career in Tampa Bay and as a mentor to the young stars. 

The 2014 season will also be the first real opportunity for Cooper to mold the team into his vision. At that point, the Lightning can—and should—cut ties with the players that don’t fit into his system.

So Who Could Move?

The Lightning need help in goal. The Anders Lindback experiment in goal doesn’t look to be a long-term solution. Tampa Bay could use a consistent, veteran goaltender to serve as his backup in 2014. 

Tampa Bay could part ways with Marc-Andre Bergeron to possibly pick up a solid goaltending prospect. Benoit Pouliot or B.J. Crombeen could both be in play, as teams look for veteran help in preparation for a playoff run. 

If the Lightning do trade away some veteran players, it won’t be because they are selling. The decision will be made based on the opportunity to buy for the 2013-14 season.