Crozier (undisclosed) will not return to Tuesday's game in Washington.
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Tampa Bay Lightning News
Line Change
Finley is expected to be a healthy scratch on Monday in Boston.
Finley was Tampa Bay's 57th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and is coming off his second career game. The 23-year-old forward will head to the press box on Monday, allowing Curtis Douglas to re-enter the lineup.
Raddysh is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. Boston on Monday.
With J.J. Moser expect to draw into Tampa Bay's lineup for his season debut on Monday against the Boston Bruins, Raddysh will head to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 29-year-old Raddysh has had an impressive offensive start to the 2025-26 season, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in two games.
Line Change
Douglas will draw back into Tampa Bay's lineup in Boston on Monday.
Jack Finley will be a healthy scratch on Monday against the Boston Bruins, allowing Douglas to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Douglas is coming off his NHL debut, playing 5:09 time-on-ice and recording a five-minute fighting penalty.
Moser will make his season debut in Boston on Monday after serving his two-game suspension.
Moser was issued a two-game suspension for boarding Florida's Jesper Boqvist in the final game of the preseason, and will make his season debut on Monday against the Boston Bruins. The 25-year-old Moser scored 14 points (2G / 12A) in 54 games last season.
Goalie Start
Vasilevskiy will start in Washington on Tuesday.
On the tail end of a back-to-back, after rolling with Jonas Johansson between the pipes in a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay will turn to Vasilevskiy on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. Tampa Bay is off to a 1-2-0 start to the 2025-26 season and will look for Vasilevskiy to record his first victory. The 30-year-old Russian netminder has an ugly 4.67 GAA and .855 SV% through two games this season (0-2-0). He was excellent against Washington last season, posting a 2.02 GAA, .929 SV%, and one shutout in three contests (2-1-0). Tampa Bay enters the contest as slight -101 road underdogs.
Goalie Start
Johansson will start in Boston on Monday.
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.
Line Change
Finley will draw back into Tampa Bay's lineup on Saturday vs. New Jersey.
Line Change
Douglas will be a healthy scratch on Saturday vs. New Jersey.
Goalie Start
Vasilevskiy will start vs. New Jersey on Saturday.
Goalie Start
Vasilevskiy will start Tampa Bay's season opener vs. Ottawa.
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).
J.J. Moser has been suspended for two games for boarding Florida's Jesper Boqvist.
Waiver Move
Tampa Bay has claimed Curtis Douglas off waivers from Utah.
Douglas was a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft but he has yet to make his NHL debut. The 25-year-old forward has spent the previous several seasons in the AHL, including scoring 23 points (10G / 13A) in 63 games with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2024-25.
Girgensons missed practice on Monday after leaving Saturday's preseason game with an undisclosed injury.
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).
Hagel (undisclosed) left Thursday’s preseason game and did not return.
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.
Tampa Bay has signed Dominic James to a two-year, entry-level contract.
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.
Nick Paul (upper-body) underwent surgery on Friday and is expected to miss the start of the season.
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.
The Lightning have signed Ethan Czata to a three-year, entry-level contract.
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.
The Lightning signed Scott Sabourin to a one-year, two-way contract.
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.
Tampa Bay has acquired Sam O'Reilly from Edmonton for the rights to Isaac Howard.
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.
