Tampa Bay Lightning News

Vasilevskiy enjoyed his longest off-season since 2018-19 due to the Lightning's first-round playoff exit in 2022-23 but has undergone successful back surgery and is now expected to miss 8-10 weeks as he recovers. The 29-year-old Vezina Winner failed to lead the NHL in wins for the first time in six seasons in 2022-23, as he went 34-22-4 with a .915 SV% and a 2.65 GAA in what was considered a down year by his standards. Jonas Johansson is currently lined up to take over the starting role while Vasilevskiy recovers.

Pelletier injured his left shoulder during a Flames pre-season game, and he will undergo surgery next week. Pelletier split his 2023 season between the AHL and NHL, picking up seven points (3G / 4A) in 24 games with the Flames. He was poised to fill a middle-6 role with the Flames this season, but that will no longer be the case.

Hagel enjoyed a breakout season in 2022-23 with 30 goals, 34 assists, 178 SOG, a +23 plus/minus, with 54 PIMs through 81 games played with Tampa Bay and has signed an eight-year, $52 million contract extension ($6,500,000 AAV). The 24-year-old winger was acquired from Chicago the season before for two players and two conditional first-round picks and has 64 goals and 132 points across 211 career NHL games.

Guentzel had 36 goals, 37 assists, 244 SOG, 46 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus through 78 games with Pittsburgh in 2022-23 and will now miss the next three months and start of the season as he recovers from a successful Ankle surgery. The 28-year-old elite scoring left-winger is expected to be re-evaluated in 12 weeks which means he will miss at least the Penguins' first seven games. It is a massive loss for the Penguins early as Guentzel has scored 99 goals in the previous three seasons.

Abruzzese had two assists, two SOG, and a +1 plus/minus through a short two-game showing with Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way extension worth $1.55 million ($775,000 AAV). The 24-year-old centre was Toronto's 2019 4th round draft pick (124th overall) and has a goal, two assists, and two PIMs through 11 career NHL games.

Rodrigue was 14-14-1 with a .912 SV% and 2.77 GAA with the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract extension worth $775,000 AAV. The 22-year-old net minder was Edmonton's 2018 second-round pick (62nd overall) and has yet to see any time in the NHL but has racked up 53 appearances in three years of AHL action.

Viel played in four games for San Jose in 2022-23 but failed to pick up a point, alongside his two PIMs and four SOG and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000. The 26-year-old right winger played in 49 career NHL games with San Jose across three season, scoring three goals and two assists alongside 139 PIMs.

Santini had an assist, two PIMs and five SOG through four games with St.Louis in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with Los Angeles. The 28-year-old defenseman was drafted by New Jersey in the second-round of the 2013 draft (42nd overall) and brings five goals, 23 points and 57 PIMs across 123 career NHL games played to the Kings.

Sabourin had 16 goals, 17 assists, 177 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus through 51 games played with Belleville (AHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV with San Jose. The 30-year-old right-winger last played in the NHL in 2021-22 and has appeared in 43 career NHL games with two goals, eight points and 49 PIMs.

Holmberg had five goals, 13 points, 27 SOG, and 18 PIMs through 37 games with Toronto in 2022-23 and has signed a wo-year, $1.6 Million extension ($800,000 AAV). The 24-year-old was Toronto's 2018 sixth round pick (156th overall) and made his NHL debut as a rookie last season.

GIrgensons had 10 goals, eight assists, 114 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 80 games in 2022-23 with the Sabres and has signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract extension through the 2023-24 season. The 29-year-old left-winger is entering his 10th NHL season with Buffalo, having picked up 174 points (81G/93A) across 625 games.

Martinsen-Lilleberg was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Coyotes. He signed a two-year deal with the Lightning after recording 11 points (3G / 8A) in 46 games with Oskarshamn IK (SHL).

Merela was an undrafted free agent out of Finland, who has spent the last four seasons in Finland's top-tier. In 2023, he had 33 points (15G / 18A) in 41 games with Tappara Tampere (Liiga).

The Lightning selected Groshev in the third round (No.85 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 21-year-old winger had six points (4G / 2A) in 34 games with St. Petersburg SKA (KHL) in 2023.

Point took a hard hit from Morgan Reilly in Game 3 which caused him to miss a period of the second period and will now be a game-time decision for Game 4 but is expected to play as a whole. The 27-year-old has two goals, three points, 13 SOG, two PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through three games in the Lightning's opening series.