Tampa Bay Lightning: Kevin Shattenkirk “pissed off” after buyout
After being bought out by the New York Rangers, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk got signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s pissed off and motivated, which should be a good thing for them.
Back in 2017, the Tampa Bay Lightning nearly acquired Kevin Shattenkirk from the St. Louis Blues, but the defenseman rejected the trade. He wound up being traded to the Washington Capitals and signed with the New York Rangers later that summer. Two years later, Shattenkirk has signed a one-year deal with the Lightning.
He’ll be joining former teammate Ryan McDonagh on the blueline. In 2017, they were supposed to be the future for the Rangers. Now, the two are looking to win a Stanley Cup together in Tampa.
Getting bought out is understandably frustrating for players. Teams don’t buy out just anybody. They only buy out people they badly want to go away. Shattenkirk was pissed off about being bought out, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.
Shattenkirk: "I think I’m pissed off at myself for not taking advantage of the opportunity to play at home better and give them a reason to make it a no-brainer that this wouldn’t be their decision."
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) August 5, 2019
Adds he's no fan of Rangers going into rebuild.
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One has to feel at least a little bit bad for him. Shattenkirk took less money to sign with the Rangers, a team he grew up rooting for. Not all athletes get the privilege of playing for a team as storied as them. Nor do they get the chance to play for a team close to their hometown.
Shattenkirk will get a chance to rebuild his career in Tampa. The Lightning needed some depth on the right side and he should provide it. Shattenkirk’s deal only costs $1.75 million against the cap and, because he’s not over 35 years old, wasn’t eligible for any performance bonuses.
It will be interesting to see how this affects Tampa’s power-play. They already have Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev. Both rank in the top 25 in power-play points per hour among defensemen over the past two seasons. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper might explore having two defensemen on the power play’s second unit.
A pissed off Shattenkirk should be a good thing for Tampa. After being swept by the Blue Jackets, that’s what they need more of. The Lightning should be motivated for success after last postseason.
They ought to be pissed off after being swept. It ruined the greatest regular season of the salary cap era. Nobody’s going to remember the Lightning for their impressive regular season. They’ll only remember them for four bad games against the Blue Jackets.
Shattenkirk’s anger is directed at the right party – himself. This should motivate him to do whatever it takes to help the Lightning win games. Shattenkirk should fill in on the third defensive pairing, but could easily move up if he’s healthy.
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The Lightning, despite the bad ending to last season, are still arguably the most talented team in the league. Signing Shattenkirk makes them even deeper than they were before. Tampa is the perfect place for him to rebuild his career. And Shattenkirk is the kind of player who could help the Lightning’s story end on a much higher note this season.