Eastern notes: Lightning, Debrusk, Ullmark

Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times expects the Tampa Bay Lightning to make a trade in the near future to cut costs as they try to find room to sign the impending free agent captain Steven Stamkos to a contract extension. The Lightning face the cap with just $5.335 million in cap space and have only 18 active roster players signed for next season.

Encina looks at the contracts of Tanner Jeannot And Erik Cernak as opportunities to move forward. Jeannot has struggled since coming out of Nashville for five draft picks and Callan Voet and will earn $2.665 million next year, while Cernak owes $5.2 million. It seems more likely that Jeannot will be moved as he only has one year left on his contract at half the cost and he has already been linked to multiple teams.

In other comments from the Eastern Conference:

• Nick Kypreos speculates in the Toronto Star that the Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in an upcoming free agent Jake De Brusk. The 27-year-old has chased the Maple Leafs into the playoffs and could slide into the team’s top six if they don’t bounce back Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi. DeBrusk is having a disappointing season with the Boston Bruins, with just 19 goals and 21 assists in 80 games. However, the Edmonton, Alberta native is just one year removed from a 27-goal season and has scored more than 25 goals three times.
• Elliotte Friedman reported on 32 Thoughts that he believes there is a major robbery on the Linus Ullmark trade is a potential contract extension that is being worked out. Friedman points out that many teams aren’t interested in paying the Bruins’ high asking price for a goaltender who would only be a rental and would like an extension before the deal closes. Friedman also notes that in the case of a team like the Ottawa Senators, he would have to waive his no-trade clause and likely work out an extension with the team to make the trade happen. Boston has held firm on their asking price in recent weeks, but may have to adjust it as some teams participating in Ullmark have already addressed their goaltending situation and there are other potential options available on the market.