Tampa Bay Lightning Select Jayson Shaugabay 115th Overall in 2023 NHL Draft

The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Jayson Shaugabay with the 115th overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft. Originally not scheduled to draft again until the sixth round, the Lightning traded their 2024 fourth-round draft pick to the Nashville Predators to reacquire the 2023 fourth rounder that they included to get Tanner Jeannot back in February.

Shaugabay, a 5-fooy-9, 165-pound right shot center was among the best high school hockey players in the country last season. Rated as the No. 55 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, and No. 95 in Elite Prospect’s consolidated rankings, the Lightning were likely compelled to move up as Shaugabay fell down the order.

In his 31 games of Minnesota high school hockey, Shaugabay recorded 33 goals and 96 points, and won the Minnesota Mr. Hockey award — a title previously won by former Lightning draftee Sammy Walker. He followed up his prolific high school season in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers, putting up three goals and 13 points in 27 games.

Elite Prospects had the following to say about Shaugaby’s playmaking talent in his scouting report.

"The primary way that Shaugabay creates advantages is through hisplaymaking and handling blend. Constant exploitation through theuse of a patient delay game, he destroys gaps constantly, findingteammates through layers. Crossrink feeds, slips through triangles,handles into two-touch passes, he has the full complement.–Elite Prospects"

However, it was not all positives as concerns over his preference to stay on the perimeter and size brought questions to his future projection. Additionally, the lack of immediate translation of his scoring to the USHL was probably enough reason for teams to reconsider his draft ranking.

The Lightning have often overlooked size concerns when it comes to offensively talented forwards in hopes of molding them into NHLers and look to have done the same here. They will have four seasons to do so before his signing rights expire.

Next season, Shaugabay is committed to play NCAA hockey with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.