The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were active Saturday during draft rounds 2-7, each making multiple moves to shake up their rosters for next season and beyond.
Tampa Bay sent two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and depth forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles in moves that cleared more than $11 million in salary cap space. That could be enough money to keep captain and face of the franchise Steven Stamkos or make a significant free agent signing, and it will go a long way to providing room to lock up cornerstone defenseman Victor Hedman with a long-term contract extension.
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The Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were active Saturday during draft rounds 2-7, each making multiple moves to shake up their rosters for next season and beyond.
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 in Nashville, Tenn. The Utah Hockey Club made a big splash at its first draft, acquiring Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Beck Malenstyn (47) in action during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Washington. The Buffalo Sabres and theCapitals got a head start on Day Two of the NHL draft by making a trade before any selections were made. The Sabres got fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn from the Capitals for the 43rd pick. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
FILE - Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson defends his net against the Dallas Stars during the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Dallas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The Washington Capitals acquired goaltender Logan Thompson from Vegas and sent fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) shoots during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. The Lightning sent two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and depth forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles in moves that cleared more than $11 million in salary cap space. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
The Lightning got younger on the blue line by receiving 24-year-old defenseman J.J. Moser, along with forward prospect Conor Geekie and two draft picks for Sergachev, who was signed through 2031 making $8.5 million annually. A 2025 second-rounder and a fourth this year allows Tampa Bay to restock its prospect pool after making eight consecutive playoff appearances, winning two titles and reaching the final three times.
That contending window remains wide open, and general manage Julien BriseBois now has flexibility to retool on the fly with free agency opening Monday. Stamkos staying is a possibility, and now the Lightning have the opportunity to pursue one or more of the top wingers available, a group that includes Jake Guentzel, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Marchessault.
The Capitals already did their big-name hunting last week by acquiring highly paid center Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Kings for goaltender Darcy Kuemper. On Saturday, they filled that void in net by acquiring Logan Thompson from host Vegas for a pair of third-round picks.
Thompson figures to split time with Charlie Lindgren in a tandem costing less than $2 million total next season, with a year left on each goalie's contract. Thompson, 27, was an All-Star and played 37 games for the Golden Knights during their 2022-23 Cup run before getting injured before the playoffs.
Long before getting his name engraved on the trophy, Thompson got his first foray into the NHL Capitals development camp in the summer of 2018 in the aftermath of their championship celebration. He played for Washington at back-to-back prospect showcases, went to training camp with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears in 2019, starred for the ECHL's South Carolina and earned his first contract as a result.
“I’m thankful for the Washington goalie department every day," Thompson told The Associated Press at 2023 All-Star Weekend. "They’re the reason why I’m here. They’re the only team that gave me a chance three years ago. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Washington also traded fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo for the 43rd pick, taking U.S.-born defenseman Cole Hutson, and traded up in the third round to select Ilya Protas, the younger brother of Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas. Malenstyn, 26, is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who had 21 points in 81 games during his first full NHL season and gives the Sabres Buffalo valuable forward depth as they try to end the league’s longest playoff drought.
Among the other moves, St. Louis traded Kevin Hayes and a '25 second-rounder to Pittsburgh for future considerations to shed the remainder of the his contract, and Boston sent Jakob Lauko to Minnesota for Vinni Lettieri in a swap of centers that also involved draft picks.
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FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev hoists the Stanley Cup while riding on a boat with goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, right, during the NHL hockey Stanley Cup champions' Boat Parade, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The Utah Hockey Club made a big splash at its first draft, acquiring two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) plays during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 in Nashville, Tenn. The Utah Hockey Club made a big splash at its first draft, acquiring Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Washington Capitals left wing Beck Malenstyn (47) in action during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Washington. The Buffalo Sabres and theCapitals got a head start on Day Two of the NHL draft by making a trade before any selections were made. The Sabres got fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn from the Capitals for the 43rd pick. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
FILE - Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson defends his net against the Dallas Stars during the third period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Dallas, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The Washington Capitals acquired goaltender Logan Thompson from Vegas and sent fourth-line winger Beck Malenstyn to Buffalo. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) shoots during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. The Lightning sent two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to Utah and depth forward Tanner Jeannot to Los Angeles in moves that cleared more than $11 million in salary cap space. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A judge declared a mistrial Monday after jurors deadlocked in the case of Karen Read, a woman accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm.
Prosecutors said in a statement that they intend to retry the case, which drew outsize attention thanks to true crime fanatics, conspiracy theorists and Read’s pink-shirted supporters.
Read, a former adjunct professor at Bentley College, faced second-degree murder and other charges in the death of Officer John O’Keefe, a 16-year member of the Boston police who was found outside a Canton home of another Boston police officer in January 2022. An autopsy found O’Keefe died of hypothermia and blunt force trauma.
Prosecutors said Read and O’Keefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.
The defense sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually had been killed inside Albert’s home and then dragged outside and left for dead. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider other suspects, including Albert and other law enforcement officers at the party.
On Friday, a jury foreperson told the judge that they hadn’t reached a unanimous verdict despite an “exhaustive review of the evidence.” The judge told jurors to keep trying. On Monday morning, jurors said they were at an impasse, but the judge asked them to continue deliberating. In the afternoon, they said it would be futile to continue.
“The deep division is not due to a lack of effort or diligence but rather a sincere adherence to our individual principles or moral convictions," the jury said in a note read by the judge in court.
O’Keefe’s mother cried after the mistrial was declared, while Read hugged her father and other relatives.
The Norfolk County district attorney's office said in a statement: “First, we thank the O’Keefe family for their commitment and dedication to this long process. They maintained sight of the true core of this case — to find justice for John O’Keefe. The Commonwealth intends to re-try the case.”
Defense attorney Alan Jackson said he and others representing Read will keep fighting.
“They failed. They failed miserably, and they’ll continue to fail," he told reporters outside court. “No matter how long it takes, no matter how long they keep trying, we will not stop fighting.”
Testimony during the two-month trial focused on shoddy police work and relationships between the parties. Police acknowledged using red plastic cups to collect blood evidence and a leaf blower to try to clear away snow to reveal evidence. The lead investigator acknowledged making crude statements about Read in texts from his personal cellphone.
Experts disagreed on whether O’Keefe’s injuries were consistent with being hit by Read’s luxury SUV, which had a broken taillight. The defense contended the injuries were caused by an altercation and the Albert family’s aggressive dog.
While the drama played out in a courtroom, dozens of Read’s supporters dressed in pink gathered each day outside, carrying “Free Karen Read” signs and mobbing her when she arrived each day. Motorists honked their horns in support. A smaller group of people who wanted Read convicted also turned up.
Another lawyer representing Read, David Yannetti, said he was in awe of his client’s “strength and courage” and praised those who have backed her before and during the trial.
“Your support was invaluable," he said. “We are touched and we ask for your continued support.”
Rita Lombardi, one of those supporters, said she had mixed feelings about the outcome.
“It’s not the verdict we were hoping for, we were hoping for a not guilty verdict. That is what this jury should have returned with the evidence that was presented,” she said. “But we accept the hung jury, we accept the mistrial.”
Aidan Timothy Kearney also said he’d hoped for full vindication.
“But in my mind, the fact that so many people in that jury clearly are aware, the majority clearly is with Karen Reed,” he said outside the courthouse. “It’s a small minority that is just stubborn and won’t look at the facts and won’t be impartial and it’s just judging her based on not liking her.”
Prosecutors relied on several first responders who testified that Read admitted that she hit O’Keefe — saying “I hit him” — as well as evidence that Read was legally intoxicated or close to it eight hours later, after she returned to the house with friends and they found the body.
Several witnesses testified the couple had a stormy relationship that had begun to sour. Prosecutors presented angry texts between the couple hours before O’Keefe died. They also played voice messages from Read to O’Keefe that were left after she allegedly struck him, including one left minutes afterward saying, “John I (expletive) hate you.”
Defense attorneys sought to poke holes in the police investigation, noting that Albert’s house was never searched for signs of a fight involving O’Keefe and that the crime scene was not secured. They suggested that some evidence — like pieces of her SUV’s cracked taillight, a broken drinking glass and even a strand of hair — was planted by police.
A turning point in the trial came when lead investigator, State Trooper Michael Proctor, took the stand. He acknowledged sending offensive texts about Read to friends, family and fellow troopers during the investigation. He apologized for the language he used but insisted they had no influence on the investigation.
In his texts, he called Read several names, including “whack job.” At one point, he texted his sister that he wished Read would “kill herself,” which he told jurors was a figure of speech. And despite having relationships with several witnesses, he remained on the case.
Two expert witnesses hired by the U.S. Department of Justice during an investigation of police handling of the case testified for the defense, providing a scientific analysis for their conclusion that O’Keefe’s injuries and the physical evidence didn’t sync with the prosecution theory that he was struck and injured by Read’s 7,000-pound (3,175-kilogram) vehicle.
O’Keefe had a significant head injury and other injuries but lacked significant bruising or broken bones typically associated with being hit by a vehicle at the speed indicated by GPS and the SUV’s onboard computer.
Supporters of Karen Read celebrate near Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. A judge declared a mistrial Monday after jurors deadlocked in the case of Read, who was accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Karen Read, right, smiles as defense attorney David Yannetti, left, speaks to reporters in front of Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. A judge declared a mistrial Monday after jurors deadlocked in the case of Read, who was accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Karen Read, right, smiles as defense attorney David Yannetti, left, speaks to reporters in front of Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. A judge declared a mistrial Monday after jurors deadlocked in the case of Read, who was accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Karen Read, right, smiles as defense attorney David Yannetti, front left, speaks to reporters in front of Norfolk Superior Court after the judge declared a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a verdict following a two-month trial, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Before the jury enters, Judge Beverly J. Cannone, right, speaks to the defense and prosecution during the Karen Read trial at the Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. This is their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Read. Read is accused of backing her SUV into her Boston Police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, and leaving him to die in a blizzard in Canton, in 2022. (Pat GreenhouseThe Boston Globe via AP, Pool)
Karen Read, center, arrives at Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday, June 25. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Karen Read, center, arrives at Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday, June 25. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Judge Beverly J. Cannone speaks in Norfolk Superior Court, on their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)
Judge Beverly J. Cannone greets jurors in Norfolk Superior Court, on their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)
Paul O'Keefe, center, brother of the late Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, enters Norfolk Superior Court with his wife Erin O'Keefe, front left, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend John O'Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday, June 25. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Jean Allan, of Weymouth, Mass., front, a supporter of Karen Read, displays a sign to passing cars near Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday, June 25. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
All stand as the jury files out to the courtroom, to start their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)
Flags, flowers and remembrances flank the headstone of John O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, at Blue Hill Cemetery, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Braintree, Mass. A jury is deliberating the fate of O'Keefe's girlfriend, Karen Read, who is charged with second-degree murder in O'Keefe's death. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Karen Read talks with her legal team at the Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. This is their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Read. Read is accused of backing her SUV into her Boston Police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, and leaving him to die in a blizzard in Canton, in 2022. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)
An empty flagpole is seen outside the residence where the body of John O'Keefe, a Boston police officer, was found on Jan. 29, 2022, outside the home, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Canton, Mass. The fate of Karen Read, who is charged with second-degree murder in the death is in the hands of a jury currently deliberating her case. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
This photo undated photo released by the Boston Police Department shows officer John O'Keefe. (Boston Police Department via AP)
Karen Read, center, arrives at Norfolk Superior Court, Monday, July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday, June 25. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
