How the Lightning made Ryan McDonagh agree to be traded.

The Tampa Bay Lightning pulled off a huge trade over the weekend when they sent veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh to the Nashville Predators as part of a 3 player trade deal. It was a big move not only because it cleared significant cap space for the Lightning, but also due to the fact that they had managed to convince McDonagh to waive his no-trade clause and accept the trade to Nashville in the first place.

Just for some fun on my own I tried to deduce some ways that the Lightning could have convinced McDonagh to do so, given that all indications were he wanted to remain in Tampa Bay, and the timing of the move led me to believe that the Lightning could have threatened to buyout his deal. The trade was made just 2 days after the first buyout window opened so that idea made some sense in my head, but as it turns out that wasn't the case at all.

On Monday morning, former National Hockey League player Nick Kypreos revealed that the Lightning had found an entirely different way to circumvent McDonagh's no-trade clause, a rather ingenious move on their part if I'm being completely honest.

"The way it was describe to me was.. and I don't think he was thrilled to be going to Nashville at this point... and he has some control with the no-trade but the no-trade isn't a no-move," said Kypreos on Monday.

According to the former player turned NHL insider, this allowed the Lightning to work out a deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in which they would have claimed Ryan McDonagh off of waivers, leaving him with the option of either going to Columbus or taking the trade to the Nashville Predators.

"And apparently if he didn't agree to be traded, he was going to waived, and Tampa had a commitment from Columbus to claim him is what I've heard," revealed Kypreos. "And now it's 'You wanna go to Columbus or you wanna go to Nashville?'"

While it is certainly an understandable decision from a purely business perspective on the part of the Lightning, that is a pretty brutal way to treat a guy who has given his blood, sweat and tears for your organization and helped you win 2 Stanley Cups along the way no less.