Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Motte is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss Saturday’s game against the Washington Capitals.
The 29-year-old has tallied six goals and three assists for nine points in 69 games. Motte signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Bolts last summer.
He collected eight goals and a career-best 19 points in 62 games split between the Ottawa Senators and the New York Rangers during the 2022–23 regular season. Motte also appeared in all seven games of the Rangers’ quarterfinal playoff series against the New Jersey Devils.
The Chicago Blackhawks originally selected Motte No. 121 overall of the 2013 NHL Draft. The Port Huron, Michigan product appeared in 33 games with the Blackhawks during the 2016–17 season before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets the following summer. Motte lasted less than a year in Columbus before being flipped to the Vancouver Canucks alongside Jussi Jokinen in exchange for Thomas Vanek at the 2018 trade deadline. Through 400 career NHL games with the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Canucks, Rangers, and Senators, Motte has racked up 49 goals and 41 assists for 90 points. He’s added six goals and seven points in 39 playoff contests.
Tampa currently sits first in the Eastern Conference Wild Card with a 44-27-8 record and 96 points through 79 games. The Bolts sit 10 points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins with just three games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season. Tampa will face the Capitals on Saturday, the Buffalo Sabres on Monday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
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