Tampa completes draft while free agency looms over

While the NHL draft’s first round was quite nonchalant for the Bolts, rounds two through seven proved to be opposite. The Tampa Bay Lightning spent a full day working to draft the next generation of Bolts to the roster. Spearheaded by General Manager Julien BriseBois, the Lightning worked tirelessly throughout the draft to provide the organization with quality draft prospects that can hopefully contribute to the positive culture in Tampa Bay.

The most notable moment of the 2025 NHL Draft for the Bolts occurred in the fourth round, which saw Tampa Bay make a trade. As per the Tampa Bay Lightning's Press Release titled, "Lightning make eight picks during Day 2 of 2025 NHL Draft" on NHL.com, the Bolts traded with the Boston Bruins to receive an additional fourth round pick which was used to draft forward Benjamin Rautiainen.

Tampa Bay’s draft screams holistic as the team managed to acquire a player from each of the main three core positions: forward, defenseman, and goalie. As Tampa’s core begins to grow older, Tampa Bay is clearly covering its bases in terms of its prospect pool. Over the years Tampa Bay has been successful in repeatedly making the playoffs. While having a competitive team has its advantages, it also has its own price to pay. The cost? Draft picks. Through acquiring rentals and quality roster players over the years, Tampa has had to sell away its draft capital. The 2025 draft was a return to bolstering Tampa Bay’s prospect pool for the years to come. Now, these newly welcomed Bolts will focus on development and improvement in hopes of one day cracking the Lightning roster. Should everything go according to plan, these new Bolts will one day hoist the Stanley Cup. 

With the draft officially in the books for Tampa Bay, General Manager Julien BriseBois now must divert his attention towards free agency. Pressure is surely rising as Tampa Bay has lost in the first round for the last three years in a row. BriseBois will have to focus on team needs in order for the team to have their first playoff round victory since 2022. The team cannot afford to be quiet in free agency. Look for BriseBois to make noise over the next few days.