Behind the scenes, the future of the Tampa Bay Lightning continues to work on becoming NHL-ready. Minor league, college and junior seasons are getting underway, giving us a chance to monitor who is on the farm.
Here are four players to watch as the season gets started. They were chosen due to pending NHL relevance, long-time standing in the system or being a new player in general to check out.
Sam O’Reilly, Center/Right Wing
Yes, he’s the most obvious pick right now, but there’s a reason for that. His time in juniors is over, and he’s bound for his first season in affiliated hockey. That’s a pretty major milestone, and it also gives him a new level of development.
Understandably, he’s in the AHL to start the season, but I thought he might have a shot given the lack of center depth. Some more experienced options had a good preseason, too. The Lightning opted to lean on some of those options.
He had a respectable performance in the preseason, tallying three assists for three points. He played clean defense and, apart from an off night, finished with a faceoff percentage of 57.1% or better in the other three games.
Expect him to be on the radar for an appearance in the NHL this season since he was vying for a spot to begin with.
According to Elite Prospects, O’Reilly is a two-way center who is also noted for his playmaking ability.
Benjamin Rautiainen, Center/Left Wing
He didn't land a spot on the opening night roster, so he's back in Finland for one more year to finish the final year of his contract with the team.
Rautiainen is coming off a historic year with Tappara, being the first player since the 2007-08 season to finish with at least 70 points. His effort earned him multiple awards, and he took home the championship on top of it.
He picked up a goal in his first game back in Finland, so he's already back off to the races.
Rautiainen won't be in the conversation this year. He's required to stay over once the decision has been made. On the bright side for him, the hype can keep building.
Ethan Gauthier, Left/Right Wing
It feels like we’ve been hearing about Gauthier for a while now. It’s been over three years since the Lightning took him in the second round of the 2023 draft.
This will be just his second full season in the AHL. He’s going through a growth phase, tallying 27 points across 56 games with Syracuse, after averaging a point per game over his final three seasons in juniors.
However, he had a strong finish to the season with 18 of those points over his final 25 games.
Could he see time in the NHL this year? Maybe, but we’ll have to see what the needs are and if they think he’s ready. Some other notable names are going to be ahead of him, including O’Reilly, Dylan Duke and Jakob Pelletier. They’re either guys who have NHL experience or simply closer to being ready for action.
According to Elite Prospects, Gauthier is a two-way forward, a trait the Lightning have latched onto more in recent years. You can see why it’s a common trait among all of these guys being listed here, including the third and final name.
Jack Pridham, Right Wing
He’s not signed yet, but he’s new to the prospect pool.
The Lightning acquired Pridham from the Chicago Blackhawks over the offseason in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick.
He’s coming off a strong season with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL. His 46 goals were second in the league, while his 90 points were fifth.
His first action with the Lightning in any capacity was his participation in developmental camp in July.
Starting this season, he’s switching gears from juniors to the NCAA, playing for the University of Denver. As a testament to his caliber, he’s jumping into a program with championship aspirations.
He’ll be tasked with helping the Pioneers win their fourth national championship in seven seasons, as well as helping them reach the Frozen Four for the fifth time in six seasons.
At just 20 years old, he’s already shown promise during his time in juniors, but a new challenge is clearly due. He can get another season under his belt before potentially signing.
According to Elite Prospects, Pridham brings two-way ability to the table as well as explosive speed.
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