Bolts by the Bay
Fansided

Tampa Bay Lightning: Top Five Trades In Franchise History

By Kyle Barber

facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

May 7, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Ryan Callahan (24) against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period in game four of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In a blockbuster trade, the Tampa Bay Lightning sent forward and former captain Martin St. Louis to the New York Rangers on trade deadline day March 5th, 2014 for Ranger captain Ryan Callahan and two draft picks. A trade that dramatically changed St. Louis’ legacy in Tampa Bay forever, the lead up to the trade was a complex situation that caused a bitter ending to what was a fantastic 13-year run in a Lightning uniform.

After being named the ninth captain in Tampa Bay Lightning history prior to the 2013-14 season, Marty St. Louis entered the regular season looking to prove that he could fill the shoes left by previous captain Vincent Lecavalier. Things started off well for the team, but everything started to change when the team traveled to Boston to play the Bruins on Veterans Day.

On November 11th, 2014 Lightning forward Steven Stamkos suffered a broken right tibia after he crashed into the net attempting help negate a Bruins offensive attack. The injury would keep the team’s top goal scorer out of the lineup for 45 games.

With Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman serving in the same role for team Canada for the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, he elected not to include St. Louis on the original roster but instead saving a spot for the still injured Steven Stamkos hoping that he would be medically cleared to play.

When the word got out that Stamkos would not be cleared to play for the Canadian Olympic team, Yzerman added St. Louis to the roster as Stamkos’ replacement. Marty played in five games for team Canada contributing zero points in a reduced fourth line role, but still brought a gold medal back to Tampa Bay. Stamkos tweeted out a picture of him and Marty congratulating the Lightning captain on his accomplishment.

Word later got out that Marty had requested to be traded from the Lightning. With a full no-trade clause in his contract still in effect, Marty requested to be traded to the New York Rangers and only the Rangers. Yzerman honored the veteran wingers wish and pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that would bring Ryan Callahan and two draft picks back to Tampa in exchange for St. Louis.

Yzerman released this statement in regards to the former Lightning captain.

"“We’d like to thank Marty for everything he has done on and off the ice during his outstanding 13-year career in Tampa Bay. He has been one of the greatest players in the organization’s history but in the end we honored his request today. We wish him and his family the best of luck as he continues his career in New York”"

Related: The Tampa Bay Lightning ‘Franchise Four’ 

Just over a year and a half later, we look back at the trade as a win for both teams. St. Louis was one of the key contributors on a Rangers team who saw themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals and Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back years. Ryan Callahan came to the Tampa Bay Lightning and played out the remainder of the 2013-2014 season with a team that was swept out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Montreal Canadians.

Callahan seemed to enjoy his time in Tampa and later signed a new six-year, $38 million dollar contract that would keep him in a Lightning sweater through the 2019-20 season. Callahan was a key weapon on a formidable Bolts offense as he contributed 54 points to the cause which ties his career high for points in a regular season.

Callahan also provided leadership and grit that the roster desperately needed along with postseason experience that helped the Lightning make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in his first full season before being bounced by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.

As for the draft picks the Lightning received in the deal, the team selected defenseman Dominik Masin in the second round of the 2014 NHL draft. The other pick was part of a package in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers along with a 2015 3rd round pick and defenseman Radko Gudas for Braydon Coburn.

So the final results of the trade were St.Louis for Ryan Callahan, Braydon Coburn, and Dominik Masin. New York got better for two seasons while Tampa Bay got better for the long haul. Both teams got good players back in this deal, but as Marty calls it a career, you give the advantage to the Lightning due to the production these players will have over many seasons in Tampa Bay.

Next: Number Three: Lightning Find Star Netminder In Ben Bishop

More from Bolts by the Bay

Home/Editorial