Lightning does the unthinkable and place Tyler Johnson on waivers!

The Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning has the unfortunate task to clear cap space in order to respect the flattened salary cap and keep their triumph going. It has been known on the market for over a week now that the Bolts have decided to place both forwards Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn on the trade market, but things have dramatically changed on Friday, at the same time that the UFA market opened. 

Elliotte Friedman reported that the Lightning has place Johnson on waivers after being unable to find a trade partner on the market. It had been reported that the Bolts were seeking a 1st-round pick as part of a deal for Johnson or Killorn. 

When it comes to Johnson, they didn’t find a taker and now a very talented player is sitting on waivers. 

Johnson currently holds a full no-trade clause in his current deal and will be the ultimate decider in a trade. He is getting paid $5 million a season for the next three. 

The forward could bring skill and experience to another team, especially now that he’s won the Stanley Cup.

Which team will claim him? 

On top of that, the Lightning has been busy doing other things. Friedman is saying that general manager Julien BriseBois is closing in on extending both Patrick Maroon and Luke Schenn. The defenseman has reportedly accepted a one-year, 800K deal.