Via sportslogos.net

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The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects! Every day in August, we will bring you a complete breakdown of a team’s draft and insights into their off-season movements thus far. Following this up in September, we will dive into every team’s prospect depth chart with fantasy insights and implications for the upcoming seasons. Check back often because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!

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By: Markus Roach

Tampa Bay finished the season with a record of 45-29-8, for 98 points. They secured the fourth spot in the Atlantic and the top wildcard slot in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning faced off against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Panthers in the opening round. They fought hard in the first few games but ended up losing them. They managed to fight off a sweep down 3-0 in the series and ended their postseason, losing the series 4-1.

A couple of years removed from their deep playoff runs, the Lightning lack top picks. Their prospect pool had only depth and fringe top-six players. Facing continued decline, the Lightning brass elected to make significant changes. The biggest surprise was trading Mikhail Sergachev during the draft to the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes) for J.J. Moser, top prospect Conor Geekie, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round pick. After these moves, they let their 16-year face of the franchise, Steven Stamkos, depart in free agency. The cap space these two moves freed up was $17 million. With the new cap flexibility, the Lightning traded for the rights of Jake Guentzel and signed him to a seven-year $63 million contract. Veteran leader Victor Hedman was re-signed for four years, $32 million.

The Lightning intend to continue to challenge for another cup with a notably refreshed roster. With new tradable assets and a top prospect in Geekie, the Lightning will continue to be a competitor in the East. Several of their prospects are close to breaking into the NHL lineup, and this gives the Lightning the depth and flexibility to trade away players and lean on the youth in the future. While possible this year, expect the new generation to start helping the team next year.

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NHL Draft Recap

After years of spending assets to keep their window open, the Lightning’s cupboard has become relatively barren and void of top-round picks. With such a prolonged lack of top picks, the Lightning’s scouts have become experts at finding gems deeper in the draft. This year is no different; with several boom or bust picks, the Lightning hopes to become gems.

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Round 4, 118th Overall – Jan Golicic, D

Golicic is a very physical left-handed defenseman who uses his 6-6 body to punish opponents everywhere on the ice. He uses his massive reach to poke check and force any puck carrier to take wide angles around him. He possesses a heavy shot and adequately quick release. Golicic has the tools of a very effective shutdown guy who can cause issues for attacking players. Don’t get fooled; he has flashed better offensive potential than your average mid-round shut-down prospect. He is a poor skater; his bad agility limits what he can do. Skating is crucial to his future, and luckily for Golicic, the Lightning have a good track record of helping prospects improve their skating.

A long-term project, Golicic will need at least two years before he is ready to start playing against professionals. Tampa’s defensive pool is relatively barren, and Golicic immediately slots in as their top left-handed defenseman prospect.

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Round 4, 128th Overall – Hagen Burrows, F

Burrows is a very toolsy forward with skills you don’t find in the fourth round. The limiting factor for him is his poor skating. Burrows plays at a plodding pace, even for the junior level. Burrows’ other skills show that he has an accurate and fast shot, which he pairs with good offensive positioning. An adept playmaker, he can sometimes move the puck and find dangerous passes. His defense isn’t great, and his lack of skating is a big reason why. He is not afraid to use his body, but his lack of weight is still an issue to utilize his size fully.

Committed to the University of Denver for this season, he will likely spend three years in the NCAA. Burrows has most of the tools to be a top-six player, but his skating must improve. He is still a long way out from the NHL, but if Burrows is molded correctly, he will be a draft gem.

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Round 5, 149th Overall – Joona Saarelainen, C

Saarelainen is a hard-working playmaker and facilitator who always plays at full speed. Standing at only 5-9, he plays a physical game all over the ice and wins a surprising number of puck battles for his size. Saarelainen’s standout skill is his playmaking ability with the puck. He is not a big shooting threat in attack, but his above-average vision and hockey IQ let him find dangerous passing options. He is a responsible player in defense who will harass his man, never giving him time to think.

Saarelainen’s path to the NHL looks bleak, given his size and lack of elite skills, which could help make up for said lack. He will need a few years of development. Saarelainen will likely start playing for his men’s team in Liiga against professionals this season.

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Round 6, 181st Overall – Kaden Pitre, C

Pitre is primarily a defensive forward at the moment. Playing a very physical game with a high motor, Pitre currently lacks the skills to be much of a threat with the puck. He was starting to flash a more refined transition game and deception in attack, but then he lost the second half of last season to injury. One of the biggest wildcards is that he has the mentality and motor to be a bottom-six defensive forward with continued linear growth. Should he start growing more aspects of his game, he could be an excellent all-around bottom-six player.

It’s hard to project when he missed so much time, but playing an entire season this year should help paint a clearer picture for the future.

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Round 7, 195th Overall – Joe Connor, F

Connor is a fast, straight-line skater with a relentless motor. He hustles to every puck in every play. He is not afraid to crash the net and use his body, even standing at 5-10. A sniper foremost, Connor likes to shoot the puck at the net from anywhere. He is good at taking any space the defense gives him; the issue is he can’t create his own space. His skating is only north-south. His puck handling is poor, and he lacks advanced playmaking skills, so he can only make easy plays.

For Connor to make it to the NHL, he’ll have to add more deception, an ability to create space, better playmaking, and an east-west element to his game. It will be quite the uphill battle for Connor.

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Round 7, 199th Overall – Noah Steen, LW

Steen, in his last draft-eligible year, heard his name called late. Steen is a dependable two-way forward who battles hard for the puck and isn’t afraid to be physical. Mainly working in front of opposing nets, he racks up goals with tip-ins and cleaning up rebounds. Possessing an average shot, he relies on getting close to the net and crashing for his rebound. He’s not a notable playmaker; he relies heavily on forechecking and starting cycles. Dependable in defense, Steen is relied upon by his team to take defensive shifts in the Swedish second division.

He projects as a bottom-six energy forward who can throw his body around and agitate. He has racked up a lot of penalty minutes so far in his career. He will likely come over and play in the AHL in a year or two.

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Round 7, 206th Overall – Harrison Meneghin, G

At 6-3, Meneghin is an average-sized goaltender who burst onto the WHL scene out of nowhere. Starting his career as the third-string goaltender, he quickly won the starting job. He is a mechanically sound goalie; no apparent faults could hold him back. His composure makes Meneghin stand out, and when he is in the zone, he can shut down games. The issue is that this composure can come and go, making him inconsistent in the net. He has not played many playoff games but has not played well in our small sample.

Meneghin is a long-term project. He has some of the skills to make it as an NHL goalie, yet he needs to refine them and work to improve his entire game. If he makes the NHL, it will likely be as a backup four or more years from now.

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Off-Season Moves

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Incoming

Jake Guentzel, LW – $9 million x seven years

J.J. Moser, LD – $3.375 million x two years

Cam Atkinson, RW – $900,000 x one year

Dylan Gill, RD – $870,000 x three years

Niko Huuhtanen, RW – $867,000 x three years

Lukas Svejkovsky, C – $859,000 x one year

Zemgus Girgensons, C – $850,000 x three years

Mitchell Chaffee, RW, $800,000 x two years

Declan Carlile, LD – $775,000 x two years

Steven Santini, RD – $775,000 x one year

Tobie Paquette-Bisson, LD – $775,000 x one year

Derrick Pouliot, LD -$775,000 x one year

Jesse Ylonen, RW – $775,000 x one year

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Re-Signed

Victor Hedman, LD – $8 million x four years (starting in 2025-26)

Emil Lilleberg, LD – $800,000 x two years (starting in 2025-26)

Declan Carlile, LD – $775,000 x two years

Gage Goncalves, C – $775,000 x one year

Gabriel Fortier, LW – $775,000 x one year

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Outgoing

Steven Stamkos, C—After 16 years of service as one of the best players to ever suit up for the Lightning, Stamkos is riding off into the sunset; in this case, the sunset is Nashville. While Stamkos leaves skates that can’t be filled, the $8.5 million in free cap space will go a long way in filling the on-ice production.

Tanner Jeannot, LW – Traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a 2025 second-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

Mikhail Sergachev, LD – Traded to the Utah Hockey Club for J.J. Moser, Conor Geekie, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2024 seventh-round.

Felix Robert, C – Was not given a qualifying offer and is now a UFA.

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Other Notes

Logan Brown, C – He was not given a qualifying offer and is now a UFA. Has been signed to a professional tryout contract with the Lightning.

Hugo Alnefelt, G—He was qualified, and the Lightning retains his rights. He has signed a three-year contract with Swedish club HV71.

Waltteri Merela, RW—He was qualified, and the Lightning retains his rights. He has signed a one-year contract with Swiss club SC Bern.

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Development Camp

The Lightning’s development camp ran from July 2-4, 2024. Hagen Burrows was the only new draftee missing from camp. The big-name prospects were all there, including Conor Geekie, Isaac Howard, and Dylan Duke. The most notable player missing was Niko Huuhtanen. There were six camp invites: Luke Haymes (C), TJ Hughes (RW), Jace Weir (RD), Rihards Simanovics (LD), Isak Posch (G), and Ludvig Persson (G).

During camp, several players managed to stand out in various ways. Most notable was Geekie, who looked a step better than everyone else and was the most skilled player in any offensive setting. With that said, the issue for Geekie was his defense and overall effort off the puck; it leaves more to be desired. He has the skill, so it will be necessary during training camp to show it if he wants to earn a spot on the main roster. As of now, he will likely spend the season in Syracuse.

TJ Hughes, the camp invite from Michigan, stands out as one of the best players at camp. He gave it his all during training and was among the top players during the three-versus-three scrimmages. Hughes put up impressive statistics with Michigan during his first two years and is now entering his junior year. I would expect a team to offer him a contract by the completion of his junior or senior year.

Joe Connor stands out. He always plays a high-energy game and never takes a shift off. He is aware of his shorter stature yet is completely unphased while driving the net and battling on the boards. Committed to Northeastern University in the NCAA, it will be worth a look later in the season to see how he is doing.

The final player who stands out in a positive light was Max Groshev. While not elite in any category, his solid all-around game, energy, and physical style stand out as more NHL-ready than most. While it is exceedingly unlikely that Groshev will get a roster spot with the Lightning, he should be on the shortlist for injury call-ups.

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Final Thoughts

It’s been an offseason with significant upheaval for the Lightning. Their longtime captain, Steven Stamkos, departed with cornerstone defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. In return, the Lightning have added new faces to help them remain competitive. With the additional draft capital and prospects, the Lightning’s short-term future looks secured. Their prospect pool continues to grow, and while nobody looks ready to step into the NHL just yet, several prospects are close and will be a significant boost for the Lightning when they do make it. I expect the Lightning to be a dark horse for the Stanley Cup. They now have additional assets to trade at the deadline if Tampa Bay’s general manager, Julien BriseBois, feels the team has a good shot at winning the Stanley Cup; I expect the team to be buyers at the trade deadline. While the team is no longer in their golden era, do not sleep on the Lightning, they still have the skill and experience to go far. Check back after training camp to see if prospects seem poised to get a starting spot.

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on X at @roach_markus for random hockey stuff and the occasional hockey rant whenever I get to posting.