The Tampa Bay Lightning, behind the efforts of captain Steven Stamkos and a youthful lineup positively brimming with still-developing talent, have already planted their flag at the summit of the Eastern Conference standings just over a quarter of the way into this season.
But a fantastic start to the current campaign doesn't have the Tampa Bay organization patting themselves on the back or readying to rest on their laurels. Instead, if recent rumors – the latest coming from TheFourthPeriod.com – are true, the Lightning are looking to add depth to their lineup via a move for either a top-six scoring winger or a gritty bottom-six forward.
The Lightning has been scouting several teams lately, looking to add a piece or two to further solidify their place as a top Stanley Cup contender in the Eastern Conference.
Two teams Tampa has been eyeing recently as potential trade partners are the Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, a couple of franchises whose rosters could be ripe for the trade picking as their current groups continue to fail and the prospect of making the playoffs falls farther into the rearview.
The Lightning has sent one of their top scouts to watch the last few Maple Leafs games, while Tampa's Director of Pro Personnel, Pat Verbeek, has been watching the Flyers out west.
The Flyers have a couple of players whose names have popped up in trade rumors already this season, and could potentially be in play for a move to Tampa. Brayden Schenn is a supremely talented former first-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings that hasn't yet been able to put it all together and find the consistency to his game Philly keeps hoping he'll develop. At only 23 years old, he's still young and a change of scenery could benefit him.
Matt Read is a dependable two-way forward having a down year for the Flyers. Some in Philly have wondered if something is amiss with Read because of his almost invisible presence on the ice this season, but he, like Schenn, could simply be in need of a fresh start.
As for the Maple Leafs, scoring winger Joffrey Lupul could pique Tampa's interest. He's streaky and injury-prone, but when he's healthy and on his game, he's a consistent scoring threat, even at age 31.
He does, however, have a limited no-trade clause, which enables him to pick 16 teams to which he would not accept a trade.
The most likely scenario here would probably see Tampa giving up a top pick, prospect or recent NHL call-up in exchange for an established veteran presence they feel can help them in their push to the playoffs and, hopefully, beyond.
