Matt Larkin of The Hockey News: Looking at the top five teams who will be hurt most by the flat NHL salary cap of $81.5 million.
1. Tampa Bay Lightning – $5.33 million in projected salary cap space with 15 players under contract. They have two key restricted free agents in center Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Cirelli could be in line for a big, long-term deal. Could they convince him to a cap hit around the $5 million mark? A bridge-deal for Sergachev or a long-term deal in the $6 million range?