After two years with the Nashville Predators, defenseman Ryan McDonagh is back with the Tampa Bay Lightning and eager to pick up right where he left off.
“When an organization puts their faith back in you, that speaks a lot to me,” McDonagh said Wednesday at Da Beauty League, per NHL.com. “So, you try to do what you can to be as prepared as you can and focus really hard on skating a lot, getting to the gym and just getting mentally prepared for a big role.”
On July 3, 2022, shortly after their third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance ended in a six-game loss to the Colorado Avalanche, the Lightning traded McDonagh to the Predators for defenseman Phillipe Myers and forward prospect Grant Mismash. Then on May 21 of this year, Tampa Bay re-acquired him, along with a 2024 fourth-round pick, for a 2024 seventh-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick.
The 35-year-old’s first stint in Tampa Bay, which lasted for more than four seasons, was fruitful to say the least. He was arguably the team’s best defensive defenseman, and his plus/minus rating speaks to his overall impact. Perhaps his best run came during the Lightning’s run to their second-straight Stanley Cup in the 2021 playoffs, as he posted a league-best +18 rating in 23 games.
“It’s a very special place for me and my family,” McDonagh said. “Two of my kids were born there. Between that and winning, those were some big moments I had there. And it’s a great community. A great place to raise your kids and a great market to play hockey, with an organization that’s behind you. They’re always going to go for the Cup, so it’s fun to be a part of that again.”
That’s not to say that McDonagh didn’t enjoy his time in Music City. Although the original trade in 2022 may have been made for the Lightning to save cap space, he wound up fitting in well with the Predators and helped them return to the playoffs last season with an impressive win streak. With the new additions Nashville has made, including Lightning legend Steven Stamkos, McDonagh believes his now-former team will make some noise this season.
“Last year was a heck of a season for us,” McDonagh said. “We were probably counted out by a lot of hockey analysts out there, but we put together a good run, and it was something to be proud of for sure.
“There’s no question that they’re going to be a team to beat this year.”
Meanwhile, McDonagh and the retooled Lightning will look to prove they can still compete for a Cup after back-to-back first-round exits. It won’t be easy, but the veteran defenseman has full confidence in this new-look group.
“We have a lot of firepower throughout our lineup,” McDonagh said. “We kind of already have an identity established moving forward, but it’s also a different group in a sense. But it’s a group that we know we can build with and write our own story together.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, but if you stick with it, good things can happen. I can’t wait to get started.”
