The Lightning and Point continue to work on a deal
Erik Erlendsson: Lightning GM Julien BriseBois tells season ticket holders that contract negotiations with Brayden Point continue to be professional and that there is no animosity between the sides. He remains optimistic that deal will get done.
Joe Smith of The Athletic: Pierre LeBrun reported the Tampa Bay Lightning offered Brayden Point a three-year deal at $5.7 million per season.
Mitch Marner‘s six-year, $10.893 million per contract may not have much of an impact on a Point deal.
The Lightning have a history of getting young RFAs to sign three-year bridge deals before locking them up long-term – Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
“I think what happens throughout the NHL is relevant, whats happens in your organization is more relevant,” BriseBois said Friday, before Marner’s signing was announced. “This has always been true. Teams are at different places in their success cycle, they’re looking for different things. Some teams put more value on having the knowledge they have a player signed to a long-term deal. Other teams don’t value that as much.
“You have to have all of that in your evaluation. At the end of the day, you have to do what’s right for your organization. A player has to do what is right for him. That’s how decisions are made.”
If the Lightning were to sign Point to a three-year deal, by the time his contract is up they’ll have several players that are in the $4-5 million range with no-trade that they may have an easier time trading – Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde.
The Fourth Period: Have learned that the Tampa Bay Lightning offered Brayden Point a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.75 million. It is believed that Point rejected the offer.
The Lightning are playing the no income tax in Florida to get the number lower. The Lightning do have over $8 million in cap space.
Contract talks are expected to continue this weekend.