Tampa Bay Lightning Abruptly Terminate Contract of 22-Year-Old Former WHL Standout
The Tampa Bay Lightning have a team set up to win this season, but for some reason, it appears they are abandoning their future in Lukas Svejkovsky.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have made some very questionable moves in the past few months, but after acquiring Jake Guentzel in the summer, they are once again looking like Stanley Cup contenders in 2024/25. Now, they've made another surprising decision, as Elliotte Friedman has announced they have waived Lukas Svejkovsky, a former WHL star that was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 22-year old has slowly been developing, as he comes into this season on the back of 37 points in 30 ECHL games, and while he managed just four points over 19 AHL games a year ago, his future as a potential NHLer was in doubt. Now, the team made the shock call to waive him for the purpose of contract termination, and given his talent and his age, it's certainly a move that has taken the NHL world by surprise.
Svejkovsky was part of a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins this off-season that saw him head to Tampa Bay in exchange for another minor league forward, with many believing there was a genuine future for him as a member of the Lightning. On top of that, Svejkovsky is a native of Tampa, Florida, making the news even more surprising, and while he only had one goal in four AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch this season, this still came as a surprise.
It's not clear why exactly the team have made this move, as there may be something happening behind the scenes that led to it, but for now, the Lightning part ways with a very talented young name.
| POLL | ||
Will Lukas Svejkovsky ever make it in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 7 | 24.1 % |
| No | 22 | 75.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
