Before we talk about what might happen before Tuesday's trade deadline, let's talk about what will not. Vinny Prospal, unless the Mighty Ducks decide they are out of the playoff race and have a clearance sale, is not coming back to the Lightning. Really, it never was very close.
Neither Lightning general manager Jay Feaster nor Mighty Ducks GM Bryan Murray would talk about their conversations, but they had no more than one or two about Prospal, and none recently.
Anaheim apparently wanted a player off a list of prospects Feaster deemed untouchable. And it wanted to recoup at least part of the $4-million signing bonus Prospal received as part of the five-year, $16.5-million contract he signed last summer as an unrestricted free agent.
Both issues were nonstarters for Tampa Bay, so that was that. And that means the trade deadline likely will come and go quietly.
Figure it this way:
Prospal, who led the Lightning in points last season, might have been the team's best option in its search for a top-six forward who could provide some offensive punch but not disrupt the chemistry of a team that has muscled its way into the race for the Presidents' Trophy.
Well-liked when he played for Tampa Bay, Prospal would fit in the locker room. Well-versed in the offensive system, he could be plugged in with some assurance of success.
Lacking that - and remembering the Lightning's budget constraints mean Feaster cannot afford financial missteps - the GM's options are limited.
Feaster said he still is looking. Instead of traveling with the team for Monday's game at Detroit, he will be in his office with director of player personnel Bill Barber, chief pro scout Rick Paterson, pro scout Dirk Graham and head scout Jake Goertzen.
"But it will have to be a significant upgrade," Feaster said of a move. "We like where this team is. We like the chemistry we have in the room."
If Feaster does anything, and his comments last week seemed to indicate a quiet end to the trade season, he likely will try to bolster defensive depth.
"But even there," Feaster said, "it will have to be the right guy and the right guy to go into our room. And I really don't want to impact that right now."
There was speculation Feaster might pursue a No.3 goalie for insurance in case Nikolai Khabibulin or John Grahame were injured before the playoffs. But Feaster said he would use Brian Eklund, who has played well for ECHL Pensacola and was called up after last season's trade deadline when rosters expanded.
"Let's face it," Feaster said. "The only way a third goalie has to play is if we lose both guys. And if we lose both guys, I don't care who the goalie is. It's going to be difficult.
"If we need a guy to come in and be the backup, Eklund has that experience with us last year, and he's had a great year. He's responded to the challenge put forth to him. So we'll see what happens."
What happens if the Lightning doesn't make a move? Well, it will just have to muddle along with a team that entered Friday on top of the East with a league-high 120 goals since Jan. 3.
And don't forget, Tampa Bay made one of the first and most important moves of the trade season when it acquired defenseman Darryl Sydor.
