Tampa Bay Lightning: Top Ten Lightning Prospects

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Apr 11, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Jonathan Marchessault (42) is congratulated after he scored against the Boston Bruins during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Coming in at number ten in our top ten Tampa Bay Lightning prospects list is dynamic scoring forward Jonathan Marchessault.

Jonathan Marchessault continues to follow a trend that the Tampa Bay Lightning organization has set when it comes to the success of developing undersized players.

Standing at only 5’9 163 lbs, Marchessault is far from the prototypical NHL size most team’s are looking for. He has proven time and time again that he will not let his size stop him from becoming a full-time NHL player.

Jonathan Marchessault is a 24-year-old forward from Cap-Roughe, QC, Canada. His main position throughout his career has been center, but over the years he has adapted to playing the wing since joining the Lightning organization.

Despite having a fantastic junior career, Marchessault went undrafted. He later signed his first professional contract with the New York Rangers AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, in June of 2011. He led the team with 64 points in 76 games.

Marchessault left the Rangers organization when he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets before the 2012-13 season. He would start with the team’s AHL affiliate in Springfield helping the Falcons reach the Calder Cup playoffs.

Marchessault also got his first taste of NHL action that season as he was called up to the NHL roster and played two games with the Blue Jackets during the season.

On March 5th, 2014, Columbus sent Marchessault along with forward Dalton Smith to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Dana Tyrell and defenseman Matt Taormina. Marchessault would continue to provide offense for the team’s AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch after he was traded putting up 15 points in 21 games.

The next season, Marchessault would help lead an offensively challenged Crunch team to the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs before being swept by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Marchessault got his first look in a Lightning uniform late in the 2014-15 season when forward Jonathan Drouin went down with an illness. He helped the team defeat the Boston Bruins in the final game of the regular season by scoring his first National Hockey League goal when he rocketed a shot past Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask.

He would later play for the Lightning in the team’s second round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadians when forward Ryan Callahan was sidelined with an emergency appendectomy.

As for this upcoming season, with Marchessault resigned to a one-year, two-way contract, the team must sneak the 24-year-old through waivers in order for him to play for the Crunch again next season. With the team’s forward depth as strong as it is, there will probably not be any room for Marchessault on the NHL roster when the team breaks training camp.

If the team can sneak Marchessault through waivers, he will once again be a great offensive weapon for the Syracuse Crunch and continue to develop his overall game so he may one day become a full-time NHL player.

Next: Number Nine: Matthew Spencer

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