Tampa Bay Lightning News

Tampa Bay remains in search of its first win of the 2025-26 campaign, outscored 10-7 through two contests (0-2-0), and will turn to Johansson between the pipes for his first start of the season. The 30-year-old Johansson saw limited action in the 2024-25 season as Tampa Bay's backup, posting a 3.13 GAA and .895 SV% in 19 appearances (9-6-3). The Lightning enter Monday's contest as -157 road favorites against a surprising Boston Bruins team that is 3-0-0 to start the season.

To no surprise, Tampa Bay will turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes in Thursday's season opener against the Ottawa Senators. After the worst season of his career in 2023-24, Vasilevskiy returned to his elite ways in 2024-25, finishing as the runner-up for the Vezina trophy after posting a dazzling 2.18 GAA, .921 SV%, and six shutouts in 63 games (38-20-5). Tampa Bay enters Thursday's contest as -172 home favorites against an Ottawa team that snuck into the playoffs last season while being mid-pack offensively (2.96 GF/ GP).

Girgensons suffered an undisclosed injury in Saturday's preseason game against the Florida Panthers. Tampa Bay's season opener is on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, and it's unclear if Girgensons will be ready to suit up. The 31-year-old Girgensons played all 82 games in his first season with Tampa Bay in 2024-25, tallying six points (2G / 4A).

After a breakout 2024-25 season, scoring a career-high 90 points (35G / 55A) in 82 games, Tampa Bay is eagerly awaiting an update on Hagel's status, hoping he can replicate his totals from a year ago. The 27-year-old Hagel has spent most of the preseason playing alongside Anthony Cirelli.

James was drafted by Chicago in the 6th round of the 2022 NHL Draft (173rd overall) but was unable to agree to an entry-level contract and has instead signed a two-year contract with Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old spent the last four seasons playing at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and is expected to join Syracuse (AHL) to start 2025-26. He had 14 goals and 30 points in 35 games in his senior season of college last year.

Paul is expected to miss the start of the season after successfully undergoing surgery on Friday on an upper-body injury. The 30-year-old will have to wait to start his 11th NHL campaign as he is expected to return in November at the earliest. Tampa will miss his presence early only after he had 22 goals, 41 points and 141 SOG in 76 games played last season.

Czata was selected in the second round (No.56 overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old centre spent the 2024-25 season with the Niagara IceDogs, where he was fourth on the team with 55 points (21G / 34A) in 68 games. He's expected to return to the OHL for the start of the 2025-26 season.

Sabourin is a 32-year-old veteran who has spent most of his career in the AHL. Most recently, he was with the Sharks for the last two seasons, where he had just four NHL appearances. He had 10 goals and 15 assists (25 points) to go along with 111 PIMS in 68 AHL games in 2024-25.

With Tampa Bay expected not to sign Isaac Howard, they have traded his rights to Edmonton for Sam O'Reilly on Tuesday night. O'Reilly is a 19-year-old center who was drafted by Edmonton at the end of the 1st round (32nd overall) in the 2024 Draft. He put up 28 goals and 71 points in 62 games with London in his third OHL season and is expected to return for the Knights for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

After splitting last season between Calgary and Philadelphia, Jakob Pelletier will join his third organization in two years after signing a three-year, $2.525 million contract ($841,600 AAV) with Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was Calgary's 2019 1st-round pick (26th overall) and has amassed 11 goals and 29 points in 86 games across three seasons. He will likely play a bottom-six role in Tampa Bay in the upcoming season.

Lundmark was the 51st overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft but has yet to play an NHL game. He has spent the previous four seasons in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, including scoring 14 points (4G / 10A) in 66 games last season.

Holmberg was a sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 26-year-old had spent his entire career with the Maple Leafs organization, including scoring 49 points (19G / 30A) in 159 career games. He joins the Tampa Bay Lightning on a two-year deal worth $1.55 million AAV and will add some depth to their bottom-six forward group.

After three successful seasons with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), Nick Abruzzese has signed a one-year, two-way contract in Tampa Bay. The 26-year-old left-winger has appeared in 11 games (3 Pts) with the Maple Leafs since 2022-23 but spent the majority of his professional career in the AHL where he averaged nearly 50 Pts a season across three years.

Fanti is an undrafted goalie who has split time between the AHL and ECHL over his five-year professional career. The 25-year-old posted an impressive 1.45 GAA and .946 SV% in seven appearances with the Syracuse Crunch last season (3-1-0).

Allard is an undrafted 23-year-old forward who has spent the previous three seasons with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) and will remain in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization after signing a two-year, entry-level contract. He scored 16 points (7G / 9A) in 45 games last season with Syracuse.

Perry has built a reputation in the latter portion of his career, making the Stanley Cup Finals in five of his previous six seasons, and will join the Los Angeles Kings on a bonus-heavy one-year deal. The 40-year-old Perry scored 30 points (19G / 11A) in 81 games with the Oilers last season and was an integral part in their postseason run, scoring 14 points (10G / 4A) in 22 games. The Kings have not won a playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2014 and will hope that Perry can help them change that trend.