Lightning significantly better with McDonagh, Miller

TAMPA -- Things had been quiet. Almost too quiet.
In the days leading up to the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline, the lack of serious chatter left Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman wondering if he'd be able to add any significant pieces to the roster.

As he arrived at his office at Amalie Arena on Monday morning, Yzerman had no idea what would transpire as the clock clicked down to the 3 p.m. ET deadline. He'd kicked the tires on several defensemen, including Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators and Ryan McDonagh of the New York Rangers.
RELATED: [McDonagh, Miller traded to Lightning by Rangers | 2017-18 NHL Trade Tracker]
"Nothing much had been going on to that point," Yzerman said. "I really didn't know if anything would. We'd identified a number of players we were interested in. But, like I said, nothing much was going on."
Yzerman acknowledged that he had discussions with the Senators concerning Karlsson, but the sides could not come to a resolution.
"When you are talking about a player of that magnitude, it's a complicated process," he said.
McDonagh was a different story. As the day progressed, Yzerman's efforts to land the veteran defenseman finally started to gain traction.
By noon, Yzerman and Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton had made headway in discussions involving McDonagh, the New York captain. By early afternoon, the name of Rangers forward J.T. Miller had been brought up as a piece that might be included in the potential package that would see McDonagh become a member of the Lightning.

Finally, at 2:45 p.m., the two sides came to an agreement. The trade call was put into the League.
With that, the biggest blockbuster of the trade deadline was completed.
The price for McDonagh, 28, and Miller, 24, was forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and prospects Brett Howden, a forward, and Libor Hajek, a defenseman, along with a first-round pick at the 2018 NHL Draft and a conditional second-round pick at the 2019 NHL Draft.
Acquiring McDonagh and Miller cost the Lightning only one regular off their roster, Namestnikov, 25, who had NHL career highs in goals (20), assists (24) and points (44) in 62 games for Tampa Bay this season. Yzerman managed to bring in these two key pieces without having to surrender his most prominent young players on entry-level contracts: center Brayden Point, 21, and rookie defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, 19.
Howden, 19, and Hajek, 20, are playing in the Western Hockey League. Howden was a first-round pick (No. 27) in the 2016 NHL Draft, when Hajek was selected in the second round (No. 37).
"Look, you can't judge a trade when you don't know how prospects or draft picks are going to work out," Yzerman said. "I just know that I think we're better.
"I don't look at it as all-in. Ryan has another year on his contract. He has a lot of hockey left in him. J.T. Miller is two years away from being a free agent. We're trying to give ourselves a better shot at winning a Stanley Cup."

After a 4-3 shootout win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, the Lightning have 89 points, the most in the NHL. They are five points ahead of Toronto and seven ahead of the Boston Bruins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Maple Leafs and Bruins each made a significant trade of their own in the previous 48 hours, with Toronto adding center Tomas Plekanec and Boston bringing in forward Rick Nash.
"Sure, you take notice that those teams improved themselves," Yzerman said. "But for us, this wasn't a case of trying to keep up with the Joneses. We were just trying to improve. We think we've done that."
Upon learning that the trade had been completed, Lightning defenseman Dan Girardi began texting with McDonagh, his former defense partner with the Rangers.
"He's a dynamic player, both offensively and defensively," Girardi said. "He's a very good shutdown D-man."
McDonagh has been sidelined with an upper-body injury, but Yzerman said he is getting close to returning.
"He could play right now if we really needed him," Yzerman said. "As it is, he should be in there for us in about a week."
Once McDonagh does suit up for the Lightning, he'll be the newest piece on a defense that must be considered one of the best in the League, joining Sergachev, Girardi, Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman and veterans Braydon Coburn and Anton Stralman.

Miller scored 22 goals each of the past two seasons. This season, he has 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games. He's joining a team that led the NHL in scoring (3.55 goals per game) entering Monday.
"This is a talented team," McDonagh said. "I'm very excited."
So are the Lightning and their fans, who saw one of the leading Stanley Cup favorites get significantly better Monday.