Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) before an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn. (Image via AP Photo/George Walker IV) The Tampa Bay Lightning have officially agreed to extend the contract of veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh, locking him in for three additional seasons. The extension was recently announced on Thursday by General Manager Julien BriseBois. As per reports, the trade carries an average annual value of US$4.1 million, totaling approximately US$12.3 million over three years. According to the NHL, McDonagh has skated in 364 career games with Tampa Bay, recording 27 goals and 136 points with a plus-118 rating. Among all defensemen in Lightning franchise history, the 36-year-old player ranks second for plus/minus and blocked shots (707), fourth for takeaways (143), sixth for assists (109) and points, seventh for goals, eighth for hits (348), and ninth for games played. He led the NHL for plus/minus last season with a plus-43.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh signs a three-year contract extension valued at $4.1 million
The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a three-year contract extension worth an average annual value of $4.1 million. This was announced by the Vice President and General Manager, Julien BriseBois, of the team today. McDonagh, 36, has been a major contributor across his two stints with the Lightning. Over 364 regular-season appearances, he has recorded 27 goals and 136 points, along with an impressive career plus/minus of +118. He ranks among the top Lightning defensemen in several statistical categories—second in plus/minus and blocked shots, fourth in takeaways, and also stands high on the franchise lists for assists, points, and games played.
Bolts Beginnings | Ryan McDonagh
A two-time Stanley Cup winner with Tampa Bay (2020, 2021), McDonagh adds valuable postseason experience and consistency. In 94 playoff games for the Lightning, he has notched 26 points and holds a +16 postseason rating, placing him among the organization’s most dependable and accomplished playoff performers on the blue line.McDonagh is now the latest core piece the Lightning have secured through at least the 2028–29 season, joining several other long-term commitments on the roster. His extension will further bolster the organization’s strategy of keeping its veteran backbone intact. By locking in key players for multiple years, Tampa Bay is sending a clear message about its ambitions, and the team firmly believes its Stanley Cup window remains wide open, due to McDonagh’s glorious NHL career.It is to be noted that McDonagh was selected to attend the USA Hockey Olympic Orientation Camp this past August in advance of the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Milan Cortina, Italy.The Lightning Alternate Captain was originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, 12th overall, of the 2007 NHL Draft. He was then acquired by the Bolts in a trade with the Rangers on February 26, 2018, and by Tampa Bay in a trade with the Predators on May 21, 2024.McDonagh, who is currently injured, is one of the several players Tampa Bay has been missing, along with No. 1 defenseman Victor Hedman. The team has still won 16 of 26 games and leads the Atlantic Division.Also read: NHL Player Status: Minnesota Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for November | NHL News – The Times of India