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Tampa Bay Lightning News

Tampa Bay has acquired the rights to Jack Pridham from Chicago for a 2027 3rd round pick.

Fresh off of a Memorial Cup victory with the Kitchener Rangers (OHL), Pridham's rights have been acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 20-year-old forward was a third-round pick, 92nd overall, of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He scored 90 points (46G / 44A) this season in 65 games with Kitchener.

Jack Pridham
Tampa Bay has signed Benjamin Rautianen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Tampa Bay announced Friday that they have signed their 2025 4th round pick (108th overall) to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. The 20-year-old Finnish forward enjoyed an impressive third season with Tappara of Liiga in 2025-26, picking up 25 goals, 77 points and a +24 plus/minus in 59 games played.

Benjamin Rautiainen
Tampa Bay has signed Nick Abruzzese to a one-year, two-way contract extension.

Abruzzese was a fourth-round pick, 124th overall, of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, and has not yet been able to make the leap to the NHL level. The 26-year-old forward has played exclusively in the AHL since the 2022-23 season. He scored 51 points (15G / 36A) in 2025-26 in 56 games with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL).

Nick Abruzzese
Vasilevskiy will start in Game 7.

Last week, Vasilevskiy was named one of the three finalists for the Vezina trophy, but had yet to display his Vezina-calibre form this postseason. That said, his talent was on full display in a must-win Game Six, saving all 30 shots he faced in a 1-0 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens. He has a 2.20 GAA and .905 SV% in six games this postseason (3-3). Tampa Bay enters Game Seven as a -161 home favourite.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Vasilevskiy led the Lightning onto the ice for warmups.

Vasilevskiy will be between the pipes for the Lightning when they aim to keep their season alive on Friday against the Canadiens. The former Conn Smythe winner allowed three goals on 24 shots in Game 5, as the Lightning suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat. Vasilevskiy and the Lightning enter action in Game 6 at -120 on the money line.

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Paul (illness) will be a game-time decision for Game 6.

Paul was a surprise scratch on Wednesday in Game Five, with the Lightning not announcing his absence prior to warmups, and his status for Game Six on Friday remains uncertain. In four games this postseason, the 31-year-old Paul is averaging 10:43 time-on-ice and has a -2 plus/minus.

Nick Paul
Geekie will draw into the Lightning lineup for Game 5 against the Canadiens.

Geekie will slot in for Nick Paul, who is a late scratch due to an undisclosed injury. It's the first appearance for Geekie since the opening game of the series, where he registered two penalty minutes and zero points in just over eight minutes of ice time.

Conor Geekie
D'Astous (undisclosed) will not play against Montreal in Game 5.

D'Astous has not played since suffering an undisclosed injury in Game One on April 19th, but could be nearing a return to the lineup as he was a game-time decision on Wednesday in Game Five. The 28-year-old defenseman was impressive in his first NHL season, averaging 18:45 time-on-ice and scoring 29 points (6G / 23A) in 70 games.

Charle-Edouard D'Astous
Vasilevskiy will start Game 5 vs. Montreal.

Earlier today, Vasilevskiy was named one of the three finalists for the Vezina trophy, but has yet to display his Vezina-calibre form this postseason. The 31-year-old goalie has an unspectacular 2.58 GAA and .882 SV% through four games (2-2-) in this first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Looking to take a 3-2 advantage in Game Five, Tampa Bay enters Wednesday's contest as a -154 home favourite.

Andrei Vasilevskiy