With a veteran left-winger starting the season sidelined by injury, the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday announced that they have signed a young collegiate graduate to join the team ahead of the preseason opener on Monday.
General manager Julien BriseBois announced on Saturday morning that they have signed lefty forward, Dominic James from the University of Minnesota Duluth to a two-year, entry-level contract.
James, 6’0”, 190lbs spent all four of his collegiate years with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Over the course of his collegiate career, he has scored 30 goals, recorded 47 assists, and has 77 points. Though 111 games he had a .111 shot percentage. His senior season (2024-25) was his best season when he recorded 14 goals, 16 assists, and 30 points. He had 108 shots on goal and had a .130 shot percentage last season through 45 games skated.
Back tracking to his freshman season (2021-22), the Plymouth, MI native represented Team USA at the 2022 World Junior Championships. He skated in five games with Team USA. He recorded one assist and four penalty minutes. That same year, the communications major was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round (Pick No. 173 overall) in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to playing for Minnesota Duluth, he skated in 101 games with the United States Hockey League’s Lincoln Stars. Through those 101 games, he scored 14 goals, accumulated 48 points and had 119 penalty minutes with the team.
Though he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022, he never signed an entry level contract with the team and as a result, earlier last month he became an unrestricted free agent which meant he was available for the Lightning to sign.
Though he may not impact the Lightning NHL roster right away with being likely to start with the AHL affiliate in Syracuse, being a young lefty down in the minors with hopes of a possible midseason call-up, James will work hard to get his NHL shot this season and impact the Lightning positively when his name does get called. His speed and the fact that he’s not afraid to take shots on goal will contribute well to Tampa Bay when his name does get called.