JJ Moser paused for a moment on Sunday morning as he searched for the proper words to quantify Ryan McDonagh’s impact on the Tampa Bay Lightning, explaining that the latter’s leadership is all-encompassing.
He wasn’t alone in that sentiment.
McDonagh on Sunday will make his 200th career appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is only the 10th defenseman in NHL history to play 200 postseason games and the second from the U.S., joining Chris Chelios.
“I don't take it for granted, and it's a good feeling,” McDonagh said of 200 playoff games. “It’s a good thing if you are playing those playoff games, right? You're part of teams that have a chance to win, and you're a piece of the puzzle for, hopefully, the ultimate goal…Made a lot of them (postseasons) here and trying to make the most of them.”
Among McDonagh’s stacked Stanley Cup Playoffs resume are 97 games for Tampa Bay. His 25 playoff assists for the Lightning tie Mikhail Sergachev for the second-most by a defenseman in franchise history.
McDonagh helped lead the Lightning to three straight Stanley Cup Finals and back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. He has qualified for the playoffs in 15 of his 16 NHL seasons.
He remains central in Tampa Bay’s playoff push in 2026, partly through his calming presence.
“It's hard to explain because it's in so many little details that you don't remember specifically,” Moser said. “In the moment, he says things where you're like, ‘Oh yeah, that's exactly what we need, actually.’ It's hard to even think of that. That's what makes him so great, that he feels the room and he feels the game, and he knows exactly what's needed. That's mostly how you recognize it…That's what makes him so great and so valuable for our team.”
The alternate captain for Tampa Bay has averaged 20 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time through three playoff games this postseason, while his 4:43 of shorthanded time on ice per game is the second-most of any Bolt.
Only Erik Cernak has played more on the penalty kill for the Lightning, most of it alongside McDonagh. Cernak knows the 36-year-old McDonagh better than a majority of the league as his mainstay defensive partner.
“He’s really smart with the decisions, with the positioning and just how calm he is in every single situation. I think that's something that a lot of players don't have, and it's just easy to play with him,” Cernak said.
“Mac is one of the leaders of this team, and he’s stepped up big time this year in a lot of ways. I’ve been lucky enough to play with him since basically day one in the NHL, and I couldn't ask for a better partner,” Cernak continued. “He’s showing that leadership, especially now during the playoffs, and he just shows us the right way to do it.”
‘An ultimate warrior’
McDonagh played in his 1,000th career game earlier this season after signing a three-year contract extension with Tampa Bay in December.
He is the NHL’s all-time leader in postseason blocked shots with 454, while his 437 playoff hits are the third-most among all defensemen. His 69 career playoff points are the sixth-most by a U.S.-born defender all-time.
“He's the ultimate playoff performer,” young Bolts defenseman Max Crozier said. “He does everything for the crest on the front and whatever it takes, whether it's taking hits, giving hits or blocking shots. He does everything that he's asked. He's a prime example of what every defenseman should try to be like in the playoffs. It's been phenomenal to be around him this year, and especially this last week in the playoffs.”
From just a few feet away in the adjacent locker, defenseman Darren Raddysh sees McDonagh’s impact every day.
“He’s an all-around pro…He’s the ultimate leader. He’s an ultimate warrior,” Raddysh said. “He’s the type of guy that you want on your team and you want to play for and play with. He just leads by example, and he's always doing all the right things.”
Forward Gage Goncalves sees it, too. The 25-year-old forward is in his second full NHL season and has already been helped by McDonagh’s presence.
“Macker is a big piece of us where we're not getting too high or too low during the game, especially on the road or when you can get up on a play or down if you get down early,” Goncalves said. “He's really a guy that keeps us levelheaded. And with him, with all his experience—he’s probably seen everything and been through everything in this league—it's nice to have a guy like that that you can talk to 1-on-1, whether your game’s feeling great or if your game’s feeling not so great.”
McDonagh figures to be in the middle of every play as the Lightning continue their chase for another Stanley Cup, whether that’s directly on the ice or as a voice of reason from the bench or locker room.
The Lightning don’t expect anything else from one of the greatest shutdown defenders—and leaders—in the league.
“I’ve always tried to learn from the great leaders that I've had before me and teams that have had great leaders on it, you learn from them,” McDonagh said.
“When you get to my age, you want to help any way you can. You don't take it for granted, being in the playoffs. You try to do whatever you can, whether it's leadership or obviously play on the ice. It’s been instilled for me from the first minute I started in pro (hockey) with great leaders in my locker room, and I’ve tried to carry that on here with this group.”
