Following an uneventful summer, free agent Tyler Motte has finally signed a new deal for this season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, an insider is reporting that it's the second time Motte's agent has proved himself out of New York, and into a much smaller contract.
Motte had his first stint with the Rangers after being traded at the deadline in 2022. Insiders believed that Motte wanted to remain with the team, but a deal could not be reached, and he signed a one-year contract with Ottawa the following season. Motte was sent back to the Rangers by the Senators at last year's deadline, an indication that the Rangers had wished to retain Motte originally. However, Motte ended up signing with the Bolts for $800k, just above league minimum. Now, Larry Brooks of the New York Post says Motte's agent priced himself out of a competitive team that wished to keep him.
After the same debacle that we had just witnessed last season, Motte fired his agent and retained a new one prior to becoming a free agent this year. Perhaps it wasn't just Motte's agent, but Motte himself believing he was worth much more than any team was willing to pay.
Motte can add depth to just about any team in the NHL, but there are only so many of these players around. Upon completing his one year contract with Tampa Bay, it seems Motte will be likely to shoot for a higher paying deal in free agency once again.
