Analyzing Lightning Defenseman Nick Perbix Ahead of His NHL Debut

Tampa Bay Lightning defense prospect Nick Perbix is set to make his NHL debut tonight after it was announced that defenseman Philippe Myers would be out due to injury.

But who is Nick Perbix? And what should we be looking for tonight and in the subsequent games he plays for the Bolts?

Perbix, 24, is a 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman that was drafted by Tampa Bay in the sixth-round of the 2017 NHL Draft. Having only just finished four years of NCAA hockey at St. Cloud State University, he joined the Syracuse Crunch for the end of their 2022 season.

No stranger to the spotlight, Perbix was a member of three St. Cloud teams that participated in the NCAA hockey tournament – including a runner-up finish in the 2021 tournament. Additionally, he played for Team USA during the 2022 Olympics.

Offensively, Perbix topped out at the college level last season scoring 6 goals and 25 assists in 31 games. And he subsequently transitioned to the pro level with the Crunch without issue as he had 2 goals and 6 assists in 12 games.

When looking at what Perbix does best as a player, his passing ability immediately stands out. Here he records the primary assist by finding the open man in front of the net during the Olympics.

Another asset for Perbix is that he is more than comfortable jumping into the play in the offensive zone and skating with the puck on his stick.

Perbix has an okay shot that should be effective at getting pucks through to the net but scoring from distance may prove elusive. However, if he has an open chance in close, he does have the hands to make something happen.

One area Perbix might find himself in trouble in the NHL is defending around the net. Even though he skates well on offense and has the size to clear players from the front of the net, I have noticed he has struggled at times with keeping opponents from skating around him and getting good looks at the net.

In fairness, the above example was one of his worst mishaps (and a great effort by the Hershey player) in his short AHL stint last season. However, there were still signs that improvement is needed in this area for Perbix during the Crunch’s first two games this season. So, expect coaching staff to protect him early on so that he can adjust to the speed of the NHL.

With only Erik Cernak signed long-term on the Lightning’s defensive right-side, Perbix’s attempt to stake his claim begins tonight.