Lightning News

EASTERN ATLANTIC
Brayden Point  • C  •  Lightning

Brayden Point Ready To Return Versus Penguins

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (lower body) will return to the lineup Tuesday versus Pittsburgh. He has received the green light to return after sitting out four games. Before suffering a lower-body injury, Point was on fire, going scoreless in only two of 12 appearances. He has notched eight goals and five assists this term. Point will join Jake Guentzel and Nikita Kucherov on the top line, bumping Anthony Cirelli down to the second. Cirelli must also relinquish his role on the first power-play unit, but he will still have a good amount of fantasy value. The 27-year-old has averaged a point per game in 16 appearances, with four goals and 12 assists.
Yesterday   
Jake Guentzel  • LW  •  Lightning

Jake Guentzel Scores Twice In Win Over Jets

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel bagged two goals as the team delivered the Winnipeg Jets their first road defeat of the season on Thursday with a 4-1 victory. Guentzel had the first and last goal of the game, wrapping things up with an empty-netter. With the two-goal effort, Guentzel ended a brief scoring drought, as he hadn't registered any points in two games. Guentzel's productivity has been lacking a bit this month, but he is still averaging a point per game with his new club. The skillful winger has registered seven goals and eight assists through 15 games.
5 days ago   
Erik Cernak  • D  •  Lightning

Erik Cernak Limited By Injury Thursday

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak appeared to have suffered an arm injury in Thursday's 2-1 shootout loss to Philadelphia. He left the game after blocking a shot with his right arm. Cernak saw 9:02 of action in the contest, registering one block and two hits. The Slovakian blue-liner has totaled four assists, 10 shots, 19 blocks, and 21 hits in 14 appearances this season. Nick Perbix will be set for a larger role in the Lightning defense if Cernak is forced to miss any games. He will get some extra time off to recover, as Tampa Bay's next game won't come until Thursday when the dominant Winnipeg Jets visit the Amalie Arena.
Nov 8   
Brayden Point  • C  •  Lightning

Brayden Point Remains Out On Thursday

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (lower body) will skip a second consecutive game on Thursday versus Philadelphia. Point skated on Thursday morning but has been deemed not ready to play, and the team considers him day-to-day. With Point out, Tampa Bay has lost its second-best goal-scorer. The 28-year-old has lit the lamp eight times in 12 games, adding five assists. Anthony Cirelli will continue as the top-line center on Thursday, with Mitchell Chaffee and Nicholas Paul also enjoying larger roles without Point.
Nov 7   
Brayden Point  • C  •  Lightning

Brayden Point Sits Out Tuesday's Game

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (lower body) will not be available for Tuesday's clash with St. Louis. Point sustained a lower-body injury on Sunday versus Winnipeg and hasn't recovered in time for Tuesday's game. Point's absence will lead to a number of changes in attack for Tampa Bay. Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel will skate with Anthony Cirelli on the first line, with Nicholas Paul moving to the second line. He will be flanked by Jake Guentzel and Mitchell Chaffee. The latter will replace Point on the first power-play unit. As a result of the changes, we will also see Conor Geekie drop back down to the third line.
Nov 5   
Brayden Point  • C  •  Lightning

Brayden Point Exits With Injury Sunday

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (lower body) will not finish Sunday's contest against Winnipeg. He was injured in the first period, and the team has announced that Point isn't expected to return. Point appeared to be grabbing his groin area after scoring a power-play goal at the 8:02 mark in the opening frame. He lit the lamp for the eighth time this season. The Lightning star has also amassed five assists during a productive start to the season. Mitchell Chaffee jumped on the top power-play unit in Point's absence on Sunday and could have a larger role to play going forward if Point is forced to miss additional time.
Nov 3   
Erik Cernak  • D  •  Lightning

Erik Cernak Available On Friday

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (upper body) will play in Friday's contest against Minnesota. Cernak was forced to make an early exit due to an upper-body injury against Colorado on Wednesday, but he won't miss any additional time. The 27-year-old skates on the second defensive pairing and mostly does the dirty work. Cernak has recorded 15 blocks and 16 hits in 10 outings this season. Offensively, he has contributed three assists. Tampa's defense faces a major test on Friday against an in-form team that averages close to four goals per game (3.78), spearheaded by the red-hot Kirill Kaprizov.
Nov 1   
Jake Guentzel  • LW  •  Lightning

Jake Guentzel Nets Two Goals Wednesday

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel provided two goals as the team beat Colorado 5-2 on away ice Wednesday night. Guentzel potted a pair of even-strength goals in the first and second periods, putting Tampa Bay 4-1 ahead. He's now on four goals and 11 points in 10 appearances with his new team. Brought in as essentially Steven Stamkos' replacement, Guentzel has quickly adapted to his new surroundings and already has four multi-point efforts for the campaign. He has a chance to record a third consecutive multi-point game in the next matchup against Minnesota.
Oct 31   
Erik Cernak  • D  •  Lightning

Erik Cernak Injured Versus Colorado

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak suffered an upper-body injury in Wednesday's contest against Colorado. He was forced to exit the game after taking a high hit by Avalanche forward Matt Stienburg. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Cernak after the game. Cernak is a physical force at the back for Tampa Bay, who also occasionally provides offense. He has recorded three assists in 10 games this season while blocking 15 shots and delivering 16 hits. Nick Perbix will likely rejoin the lineup if Cernak can't play on Friday versus Minnesota. He's also sitting on three assists through seven appearances.
Oct 31   
Brandon Hagel  • LW  •  Lightning

Brandon Hagel Nets Third Career Hat Trick

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel potted his third career hat trick in Tuesday's 8-5 win over New Jersey. He scored three straight goals inside 6:25 in the second frame and added an assist to match a franchise record for most points scored in a single period. Hagel doubled his points tally for the year and now boasts five goals and three assists through six games. Tampa Bay made a small tweak to the lineup on Tuesday by adding Conor Geekie next to Hagel and Anthony Cirelli on the second line, and the move paid big dividends as the trio combined for nine points. They will head out next against the Wild, a team that is ranked second in the league with a 1.83 goals-against average.
Oct 23   
Cam Atkinson  • RW  •  Lightning

Cam Atkinson Expected To Jump Back Into Lightning Lineup

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Cam Atkinson is set to rejoin the action on Monday versus Toronto. The veteran winger was a healthy scratch for Saturday's matchup against Ottawa. Overall, Atkinson has featured just twice for the Lightning so far, posting one assist with two shots. His role has been very limited, as Atkinson has averaged only 8:56 of ice time. This makes it difficult for him to have an impact in fantasy hockey. Atkinson is slated to skate with Conor Geekie and Nicholas Paul on the third line on Monday.
Oct 21   
Victor Hedman  • D  •  Lightning

Victor Hedman Notches Three Assists In Season-Opening Win

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman tallied three assists in Friday's season-opening 4-1 win over Carolina. He collected two helpers on the power play and had one on an empty-net goal. The new Lightning captain logged one block and two hits on the defensive end while having two shots on goal and finishing with a plus-one rating in 23:11 of ice time. Hedman is a Rolls-Royce defenseman, and the captaincy might further elevate his game in 2024-25. Tampa Bay was scheduled to have a rematch with the Hurricanes on Saturday, but the game has been postponed. The team returns to action Tuesday night versus the Canucks, who have struggled in their first couple of outings of the season.
Oct 12   
Nikita Kucherov  • RW  •  Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Pots Sixth Career Hat Trick

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov celebrated his sixth career hat trick as the team opened the 2024-25 campaign with an impressive 4-1 road win against Carolina. The Hurricanes grabbed the lead in front of their fans in the first period, but Kucherov had no intention of leaving the arena without a victory and produced three goals over the final nine minutes of play. He put the Lightning ahead with a power-play tally and completed his hat trick with a pair of empty-net goals. Kucherov also had a power-play assist in the game, helping Brayden Point tie the game early in the second period. Only Steven Stamkos (13) and Martin St. Louis (8) now have more hat tricks with the Lightning than Kucherov, who looks poised for another great year.
Oct 12   
Jake Guentzel  • LW  •  Lightning

Jake Guentzel Good To Go Friday

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel (undisclosed) will make his team debut on Friday versus Carolina. The prolific winger suffered an undisclosed injury in practice at the start of the week but has shaken off the ailment ahead of Tampa's season opener. It's a special matchup for Guentzel, who finished the 2023-24 campaign with the Hurricanes. He had an impressive run with the team, scoring eight goals and 25 points in 17 regular-season appearances. Guentzel will surely be eager to show the Hurricanes what they are missing. He'll be paired with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point on the top line and should soak in plenty of power-play action as a member of the first unit.
Oct 11   
Jake Guentzel  • LW  •  Lightning

Jake Guentzel Expected To Play In Season Opener

Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jake Guentzel (undisclosed) is expected to return to practice on Thursday. He skipped Tuesday's practice session after leaving Monday's practice early due to an unspecified ailment. However, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said that Guentzel was "alright" and would return to practice on Thursday. Cooper also believes he will have the speedy winger available for Friday's season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes. Guentzel is set to star on the first line next to Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov this season.
Oct 8   
Mikey Eyssimont  • C  •  Lightning

Lightning Hope To Have Mikey Eyssimont Available For Season Opener

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mikey Eyssimont (lower body) has returned to full practice and could be an option for the season opener. Eyssimont is working his way back from a lower-body injury ahead of the new campaign. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said the team hopes to have the 28-year-old available for Friday's season opener against Carolina. Eyssimont logged 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 81 games last season with 135 hits, working as a bottom-six forward. He'll be expected to put up similar numbers in 2024-25.
Oct 7   
Luke Glendening  • C  •  Lightning

Luke Glendening Returns To Full Practice

Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (undisclosed) practiced in a regular jersey on Sunday. The veteran had battled an undisclosed injury throughout training camp and preseason, but it looks like he will be good to go for the start of the regular season. Tampa Bay will start the action on Friday versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Glendening lacks fantasy value but has been a reliable fourth-line center for the Lightning. He finished the 2023-24 campaign with 10 goals and 11 points in 81 outings, winning 56 percent of his faceoffs.
Oct 7   
Conor Geekie  • C  •  Lightning

Conor Geekie Suspended For Friday's Preseason Game

Tampa Bay Lightning center Conor Geekie has been suspended for one preseason game. Geekie was handed the suspension for his involvement in a fight during Wednesday's preseason game against the Florida Panthers. According to NHL Player Safety, Geekie violated Rule 70.2 when he left the bench on a legal line change "for the purpose of starting an altercation." As a result of the suspension, Geekie will not be available for selection for Friday's preseason encounter with the Carolina Hurricanes. Geekie, the 11th pick in the 2022 draft, has been battling for a roster spot in preseason and hasn't yet made his NHL debut.
Oct 4   
Jake Guentzel  • LW  •  Lightning

Lightning Make Huge Splash By Signing Jake Guentzel

The Tampa Bay Lightning made one of the biggest free agency acquisitions by signing winger Jake Guentzel to a seven-year, $9 Million AAV contract on July 1. The Lightning weren't playing around in their pursuit of Guentzel, as they traded stud defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and lowballed longtime captain Steven Stamkos in order to gain the cap space needed to sign Guentzel. The 29-year-old had 77 points in 67 games last year and has topped a point-per-game in four of his last five seasons, making it easy to see why Tampa coveted him. He will slot into their lethal top six and first powerplay unit, making him a target in the second or third round of fantasy drafts.
Jul 6   
Cam Atkinson  • RW  •  Lightning

Sharks Interested In Adding Cam Atkinson

Philadelphia Flyers right wing Cam Atkinson might have played his last game for the team. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the veteran is drawing interest from the San Jose Sharks. However, Atkinson himself reportedly isn't keen on the move. Dreger added that a buyout is also an option with Atkinson, as is keeping him on the team. After missing the entire 2022-23 campaign due to back surgery, Atkinson returned to action this season but was a shadow of his former self. In 70 games, the 35-year-old was able to contribute only 13 goals and 15 assists. Atkinson has one more year left on his current contract, which carries a $5.875 million cap hit.
Jun 22   
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