Lightning News

EASTERN ATLANTIC
Nikita Kucherov  • RW  •  Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Takes Home Second Ted Lindsay Award

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov has won the Ted Lindsay Award for the second time in his career. It's an award handed out annually to the NHL's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players' Association. Kucherov was the league's top scorer for a second consecutive year in 2024-25, recording 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists) in 78 appearances. This marks Kucherov's third consecutive season with at least 100 points, as the 31-year-old continues to make scoring seem effortless. Next season, Kucherov will strive to join a select group of 15 players in NHL history who have recorded at least four consecutive seasons with 100 or more points.
Jun 4   
Yanni Gourde  • C  •  Lightning

Yanni Gourde Agrees to Six-Year Extension with Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde has signed a six-year, $13.98 million contract extension. The 33-year-old is set to spend the rest of his NHL career in Tampa after rejoining the Lightning in March. Gourde enjoyed a very successful first stint with the team, becoming a Stanley Cup champion in 2020 and 2021. Following the second triumph, Gourde joined the Seattle Kraken after he was selected in the 2021 expansion draft. Gourde's form dipped during his final two seasons in Seattle, but he found some offensive spark again with the Lightning in 2024-25, recording 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 21. He has always performed well with the team and will remain a core middle-six piece for the Lightning moving forward.
Jun 3   
Oliver Bjorkstrand  • RW  •  Lightning

Oliver Bjorkstrand Recovering From Surgery

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand missed the postseason due to left thigh compartment syndrome. General manager Julien BriseBois said on Friday that Bjorkstrand required emergency surgery on April 12 after injuring his leg the previous day in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. The Danish veteran was acquired by the Lightning from the Seattle Kraken on March 5. He made 18 appearances with the team, recording five goals and nine points. There is no timetable for his return. The 30-year-old will be in the final season of a five-year, $27 million contract in 2025-26. If he can get back to 100 percent before the start of next season and does not experience any lingering issues from the surgery, Bjorkstrand should enjoy a good campaign on a talented Lightning roster.
May 2   
Victor Hedman  • D  •  Lightning

Victor Hedman Nursing Broken Right Foot

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman finished the season with a broken foot. Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois revealed on Friday that Hedman broke his right foot in Monday's Game 4 against the Florida Panthers. Despite the injury, Hedman led all skaters in ice time with 26:37 and had two assists in Game 5. The former Norris Trophy winner was wearing a walking boot during his season-ending media press conference on Friday. Hedman's production dipped a bit in 2024-25, but he remained among the highest-scoring defensemen in the league, with 66 points (15 goals, 51 assists) in 79 games. He is expected to be back to 100 percent for the start of next season.
May 2   
Brandon Hagel  • LW  •  Lightning

Brandon Hagel Diagnosed With Concussion

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel suffered a concussion in Monday's Game 4 against the Florida Panthers, Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois revealed on Friday. Hagel was knocked out of the lineup for Game 5 of the series due to a hit from Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. It was a disappointing conclusion to a remarkable year for Hagel, who amassed a career-high 90 points (35 goals, 55 assists) in 82 regular-season games. With his 35 goals, he established a single-season NHL record for the most goals scored by a player without registering any power-play goals. Hagel is expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2025-26 season and has set a high bar for himself moving forward.
May 2   
Brandon Hagel  • LW  •  Lightning

Brandon Hagel Ruled Out For Game 5

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (upper body) has been ruled out for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Florida Panthers. He was injured during Monday's Game 4 in the Battle of Florida, exiting the action after receiving a high hit from Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Ekblad was not penalized for the incident in the game but will have a hearing Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety. Hagel has gone scoreless in three playoff appearances this year but was a major asset for the Lightning during the regular season, scoring 35 goals and 90 points in 82 games. Tampa Bay will likely use Cam Atkinson or Conor Geekie as Hagel's replacement in Wednesday's game.
Apr 29   
Brandon Hagel  • LW  •  Lightning

Brandon Hagel Departs Loss Early

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel (upper body) left Monday's 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in the second period. In the middle of the frame, Hagel took a high hit from Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad that wasn't penalized. Hagel was back in the Lightning lineup after serving a one-game suspension for interference on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. He saw action in all situations but recorded only one block in 11:04 of play. Following a 90-point regular season, Hagel has yet to register any points in the playoffs. The two teams will meet up for Game 5 in Tampa on Wednesday, and it's unclear if Hagel will be available to play.
Apr 29   
Anthony Cirelli  • C  •  Lightning

Anthony Cirelli Good To Go For Game 4

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) will play in Monday's Game 4 against the Florida Panthers. The 27-year-old suffered an undisclosed injury in the series opener and was not on the ice for the morning skate. However, Cirelli will avoid his first absence of the postseason. Tampa Bay mostly relies on Cirelli to shut down the opposition's best players, but he also chipped in with a goal during a 5-1 victory in Game 3. He has logged 12 hits across the series while amassing 18 penalty minutes. The Lightning will also have Brandon Hagel back from suspension on Monday night, adding attacking quality to the Cirelli line.
Apr 28   
Nikita Kucherov  • RW  •  Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Records Three Assists In Game 3 Win

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov recorded three assists in Saturday's 5-1 victory against the Florida Panthers. The Lightning desperately needed a road win to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the series, and one of their leaders stepped up big time in the contest. Kucherov had managed only one point -- a power-play assist -- in the first two games of the matchup. He now holds 11 career postseason games with three or more helpers, ranking third all-time behind Wayne Gretzky (28) and Mark Messier (12). When Kucherov is in form, the Lightning perform well, and the team will hope he can sustain his productivity for the rest of the way.
Apr 27   
Brandon Hagel  • LW  •  Lightning

Brandon Hagel Suspended For Game 3

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel has been suspended for one game. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Hagel's suspension on Friday night for "an extremely forceful body check to an unsuspecting opponent" that injured Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov. As a result of the suspension, Hagel will be forced to sit out Saturday's Game 3 of the first-round series between the Lightning and Panthers. This is Hagel's first suspension in 375 regular-season and 36 playoff games. The 26-year-old had an outstanding 90-point year this season, but has been held scoreless in the first two postseason contests. Conor Geekie and Yanni Gourde are potential candidates to move up in the lineup to fill in for Hagel in the top six.
Apr 26   
Anthony Cirelli  • C  •  Lightning

Anthony Cirelli Good To Go Thursday

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) will play in Game 2 against the Florida Panthers on Thursday night. Cirelli was hurt in Tuesday's series opener and was labeled a game-time call on Thursday morning. He will continue as the second-line center, working with Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel. Cirelli has notched 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 104 career postseason games in the NHL.
Apr 24   
Andrei Vasilevskiy  • G  •  Lightning

Andrei Vasilevskiy Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will aim to rebound from a rough start to the postseason in Thursday's Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. The 2019 Vezina Trophy winner was lit up for six goals in Game 1 on Tuesday night, finishing with only 11 saves and a .625 save percentage. Tampa Bay allowed three power-play goals in the contest, and a better performance on the penalty kill by the team would be a welcome sight for Vasilevskiy, who holds a 2-6-1 record against Florida since the beginning of last year's playoffs.
Apr 24   
Anthony Cirelli  • C  •  Lightning

Anthony Cirelli A Game-Time Call Thursday

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) is considered a game-time call for Thursday's matchup against the Florida Panthers. He suffered an undisclosed injury against the Panthers on Tuesday night and didn't take part in Thursday's morning skate. Nick Paul filled in for Cirelli on the second line, skating next to Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel. Mitchell Chaffee, who was a healthy scratch for the series opener, worked on the third line. Losing Cirelli would be a huge blow for the Lightning. He is a strong two-way player who recorded career highs in several categories during the regular season, including goals (27), assists (32), and points (59).
Apr 24   
Anthony Cirelli  • C  •  Lightning

Anthony Cirelli Suffers Undisclosed Injury Tuesday

Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) didn't finish Tuesday's Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. Due to an undisclosed ailment, he left the bench a couple of times during the second period and did not return for the third. He finished with a minus-two rating over 6:21 of ice time. Cirelli was ineffective in the series opener, but he would be a significant loss for Tampa Bay if he had to sit out additional time. Mitchell Chaffee is likely to enter the lineup as Cirelli's replacement, with Nick Paul potentially moving up to the second line.
Apr 23   
Luke Glendening  • C  •  Lightning

Luke Glendening Available For Start Of Playoffs

Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (upper body) is ready to return from a four-game absence and could make his comeback in Tuesday's Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. The veteran forward missed Tampa Bay's last four regular-season contests due to an upper-body injury. From a fantasy perspective, Glendening is not an impactful player, but his ability to win faceoffs at a good rate could become an important asset during the postseason. Glendening won 57.0 percent of his draws during the regular season, finishing with seven points (four goals, three assists) and 105 hits in 77 outings.
Apr 22   
Mitchell Chaffee  • RW  •  Lightning

Mitchell Chaffee Available Tuesday

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (upper body) is available for selection for Tuesday's Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. He missed the regular-season finale against the New York Rangers due to an upper-body injury. Chaffee closed out the campaign with 18 points (12 goals, six assists) and 133 hits in 66 appearances. While he is healthy enough to play again, it's unclear whether Tampa Bay will use Chaffee in Game 1. He is a possible replacement for Oliver Bjorkstrand (lower body), who has been ruled out for the opening round.
Apr 22   
Oliver Bjorkstrand  • RW  •  Lightning

Oliver Bjorkstrand Will Not Play In Round 1

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (lower body) has been ruled out for the team's first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers. Bjorkstrand sustained a lower-body injury on April 11 and is considered week-to-week. While splitting the season between Tampa Bay and the Seattle Kraken, Bjorkstrand posted 46 points (21 goals, 25 assists) in 79 appearances. Conor Geekie has enjoyed a productive spell as Bjorkstrand's replacement in the lineup, scoring twice in three games. He looks set to remain on the third line for Tuesday's postseason opener against the Panthers.
Apr 19   
Nikita Kucherov  • RW  •  Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Bags Third Art Ross Trophy

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov has won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer in 2024-25. He finished the regular season with 121 points (37 goals, 84 assists) in 78 games, five more than Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, who also lost the scoring race to Kucherov last year. Overall, the Tampa Bay superstar captured the Art Ross Trophy for the third time, becoming the 10th player in NHL history to win it as many times. Kucherov was on the score sheet in 65 of his 78 appearances, producing multiple points 33 times and three-plus points on 17 occasions. He had 46 points (eight goals, 38 assists) on the power play, which is also a league-high mark for the season.
Apr 18   
Brayden Point  • C  •  Lightning

Brayden Point Busy In Tuesday's Victory

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point tallied three points during their 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday evening. In the opening frame, Point would score his 42nd goal of the campaign and tally the primary assist on Connor Geekie's eighth goal of the season. Later in the second period, Point would add the secondary assist on Nikita Kucherov's 37th goal of the regular season. This three-point outing snapped his three-game scoreless streak. Before his minor slump, Point scored nine goals and added four helpers over his last nine contests. Through 76 games this season, the 29-year-old has found the back of the net 42 times and added 40 helpers. This was Point's third-straight campaign scoring at least 40 goals. He will look to stay hot in game No. 82 on Thursday against the Rangers.
Apr 16   
Nikita Kucherov  • RW  •  Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Tallies Three Points On Sunday

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov tallied three points during their 7-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday evening. Kucherov found the back of the net in the second period during 5-on-5 play. Later in the third, Kucherov would score his second goal of the contest and add the primary helper on Jake Guentzel's power-play goal. These three points put Kucherov in the driver's seat to win the Art Ross Trophy as Nathan MacKinnon, who holds the No. 2 spot, has been ruled out for the remainder of the regular season. Kucherov has enjoyed an impressive conclusion to the season, tallying 21 points (six goals) over his last 10 contests. Kucherov remains a must-start option in all formats in their final two games of the campaign.
Apr 14   
LEGEND
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