Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix is expected to test the free-agent market on July 1. With the 27-year-old being one of the top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) right-shot defensemen who can hit the market this summer, he should have plenty of suitors.
Because of this, let's go over three teams who could look to sign Perbix this off-season now.
Boston Bruins
The right side of the Boston Bruins' defense could use some help, so they could be a team that pursues Perbix this off-season. This is especially so if Bruins pending UFA defenseman Henri Jokiharju ends up signing elsewhere.
When looking at the Bruins' roster, Perbix would be a clear fit on their bottom pairing and penalty kill if signed. However, he could also move up to the Bruins' second pairing if needed.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets could be another team to pay attention to when it comes to Perbix. They have two notable pending UFA blueliners in Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov, so they certainly could be on the hunt for defensive help this off-season if one or both of them leave.
Depending on what moves the Blue Jackets make this off-season, Perbix could be a candidate to play in Columbus' top four if signed. However, even in a bottom-pairing role, he would have the potential to give the Blue Jackets' defense a bit of a boost.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators are expected to try to improve their right side, and Perbix could make sense for them if they miss out on a big-name free-agent target like Aaron Ekblad. If signed, Perbix could work nicely on their third pairing and penalty kill.
With Perbix being right in his prime and the Senators on the rise, he could be a nice addition to their roster as they look to continue to trend in the right direction.
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One of the<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning"> Tampa Bay Lightning</a>'s biggest goals of the off-season should be to strengthen their forward group. When looking at their current roster, it is fair to argue that they could use another top-six winger, especially.
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