During this past off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired defenseman J.J. Moser from Utah as a part of the Mikhail Sergachev blockbuster trade. While it undoubtedly stung to see the Lightning trade a star defenseman like Sergachev, Moser certainly stepped up and had a strong first season in Tampa Bay.
In 54 games this campaign with the Lightning, Moser posted two goals, 14 points, 70 blocks, and a career-high plus-20 rating. Due to his solid two-way play, Moser found a home for himself on the Lightning's top pairing with captain Victor Hedman. In addition, he also received time on their penalty kill because of his smart defensive play.
Overall, Moser not only proved to be a solid addition to the Lightning's defense this season but also became a key piece of their roster. He demonstrated that he can handle playing top-pairing minutes and provided the Lightning's blueline with more stability in the process.
What's even more promising about Moser is that he is only 24 years old. Thus, the possibility of him still hitting another level is there, and he has plenty of time left in his prime. Therefore, he has the potential to be a significant part of the Lightning's roster for a while.
It will be intriguing to see what kind of campaign Moser can put together for the Bolts in 2025-26 from here. It is hard not to feel optimistic about the 6-foot-2 defenseman's future.
Lightning Offseason Outlook: Gourde, Glendening Among Pending UFAs
The Lightning’s early exit set the stage for adjustments in the offseason. Last summer general manager Julien BriseBois aggressively addressed where the Lightning needed to improve, and overall they were a more complete team, better both defensively and at 5-on-5.
This year, BriseBois didn’t specify where moves would be made in the offseason, but overall he stated that he likes the team they have. Here’s what we know:
Yanni Gourde is set to become a UFA
The Lightning traded two first-round picks at this year’s NHL trade deadline to acquire both Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand, who still has one more year left on his contract. After a sports hernia surgery in late January, Gourde was traded after just one game back. He worked through it and feels that being back in Tampa has been a natural fit for he and his family.
Gourde wants to stay in Tampa Bay, and the Lightning reportedly want to keep him. With a $5.17 million cap hit from his 2019 extension, he’ll most likely need to take a pay cut to make it work.
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