Tampa Bay Lightning: Top 5 Draft Prospects

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With the 2015-16 season in the rear view mirror, the Tampa Bay Lightning turn their eyes to the new group of prospects waiting in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

With the 2016 NHL Draft almost upon us, the Tampa Bay Lightning are going to be faced with some difficult questions. Will Lightning captain Steven Stamkos stay with the Lightning? The young captain’s future is important, but there is another big question hanging over the club.

Who will the Tampa Bay Lightning draft when the clock reaches zero on June 24th? There are many good prospects this year, with center Auston Mathews leading the way. The Lightning possess the 27th overall draft pick and will certainly be looking to add more depth.

If the opportunity presents itself, the Lightning could also trade down if they see more value in a player not likely to go in the first. They have done this before, and it has paid off. Otherwise, the Lightning will more than likely take the best player available, putting more emphasis on their talent than how they fit.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be looking to add depth to every position. The Lightning are already a stellar team but need to continue to build a core group of players for the future. Most of these draft picks will take some time to develop. This is the arena where Tampa Bay Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman has shined since making his way to Tampa Bay.

Overall, it looks like a good draft and the Tampa Bay Lightning will get some good players out of it. Hopefully, these players will help them succeed for many years to come.

Next: 1. Samuel Girard

1. Samuel Girard

Born in Roberval, Quebec, Canada, Samuel Girard is an 18-year-old defenseman who currently plays for the Shawinigan Cataractes. Girard is five foot and nine inches, weighing 161 pounds. The kid was born to play, in every sense of the game. He can pitch in offensively and defensively.

Girard is eager to learn and work, which has shown on the ice. In the 2015-2016 season, he played 61 games scoring 74 points. He did this while attaining a plus-24 rating. His great play continued into the post-season where he scored 22 points in 21 games.

Girard is also very disciplined, only gaining ten penalty minutes all season. He seems to have good character and to be modest. He could fit quite nicely into the Lightning’s power play.

Some might say that Girard is small for a defenseman, which he is, but that doesn’t affect him. Size is a non-issue. He could be more active blocking shots, though. As a defenseman, you need to block shots, but Girard seems eager to learn.

Overall, Samuel Girard is a good player, who would be a great pick for the Lightning. He has great character, skill, and is willing to learn. He has some minor flaws, but with time, he will be a great player.

Next: 2. Kale Clague

2. Kale Clague

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Kale Clague is an 18-year-old left-handed defenseman, who currently plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings. He is six foot and 183 pounds of defensive power. Although defensemen, Clague is an offensive defenseman who is great at moving the puck.

Although the Lightning are familiar with giant defensemen, they can’t pass on Clague. He has had some injuries in his career, but when he’s healthy, you can’t stop him from winning. In the 2015-2016 season, Clague played 71 games and scored 43 points. He did this while maintaining a plus-25 rating.

He played even better in the playoffs that same year, posting 14 points in 21 games. He could help the Tampa Bay Lightning’s defense become more offensive, by adding his strong skating abilities. He will boost the Lightning’s power play. But, there are some downsides.

Clague is a little undisciplined, acquiring 54 penalty minutes last season. He could clean up his game, but if he doesn’t, the Lightning may want to think twice about drafting him. The Lightning are not a dirty team, but when it came time for the playoffs, the penalties started piling up. If they want to be a serious contender for the Cup, the Lightning need to be more disciplined and can’t take a player who doesn’t share the same goal.

All around, Kale Clague is an excellent choice for the Lightning. He has the skill to be a significant force in this league. Clague will need to be willing to become more disciplined if he wants to fit into the Lightning roster anytime soon.

Next: 3. Rasmus Asplund

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3. Rasmus Asplund

Born in Filipstad, Sweden, Rasmus Asplund is an 18-year-old forward for the Färjestad BK. Rasmus is left-handed, five foot ten, and 176 pounds and is a talented forward, who has won at various levels of hockey.

Playing for team Sweden at World Juniors, Asplund flourished, scoring nine points in 16 games while maintaining a plus-six rating. In the 2014-2105 season, he had the best face-off percentage in the league while playing for Färjestad BK J20, maintaining a 68.12 win percentage. Asplund is a top notch player.

Does a Finnish forward with impeccable face-off skills sound familiar to you? Well, it should. The Tampa Bay Lightning have already shown interest in this type of player with the signing of Valtteri Filppula. The Lightning needs to be better at face-off percentages.

The Tampa Bay Lightning only won 47.9 percent off their face-offs in the playoffs. If they want to have a successful postseason run in the 2016-17 season, this is something the Lightning will desperately need to improve upon.

Rasmus Asplund is somewhat of a wild card in the draft. He is ranked fourth among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting but probably won’t go in the first round. If the Lightning wanted to trade down and get two guys instead of one, he would most certainly be a good pickup.

Next: 4. Nathan Bastian

Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Nathan Bastian is an 18-year-old forward and currently plays for the Mississauga Steelheads. He is six foot and three inches, weighing 207 pounds. He is a great all-around player, playing well at both ends of the ice.

In the 2015-2016 season, Bastian notched 59 points in 64 games. He is a good skater, plays solid defensively, and can score when needed. He can play wing or forward in any situation and could also add size to the Tampa Bay Lightning’s small group of forwards.

He needs to stay disciplined and not take as many penalties. Bastian had 50 penalty minutes in 64 games in the 2015-2016 season. The Lightning already have trouble with penalties, so they don’t need a player who would add to that problem.

This is the same situation Lightning prospect Anthony DeAngelo found himself in when he was first drafted. Thankfully, he has made a lot of changes and is not a competitive player waiting for his chance to jump to the main roster.

Bastian also needs to hit more. This is tough to do considering he also needs to take fewer penalties. But it’s entirely possible, and its seems that he has already made these efforts throughout his playing time in the OHL

Overall, Nathan Bastian is a great player and would be a great pick for the Lightning. He should be picked around the when the Lightning go up to the podium, so no trading would be necessary to select him. He could be a dynamic player for the Lightning in the years to come.

Next: 5. Logan Stanley

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Logan Stanely

Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Logan Stanley is an 18-year-old defenseman who currently plays for the Windsor Spitfires. Stanley is six foot seven and 225 pounds. He can shut down many forwards and is extremely physical.