Due to their consistently strong performance, the Tampa Bay Lightning have had fewer high draft picks over the past decade. Consequently, their prospect pool has faced challenges. Despite this, a recent wave of quality prospects acquired through the draft and trades holds promise for the next generation of Tampa Bay hockey.
Honorable mentions: Gage Goncalves, Daniil Pylenkov, Connor Kurth, Milo Roelens, Jan Golicic, Joona Saarelainen
10. Hugo Alnefelt, 23 years old (G)
At 23 years old, Hugo Alnefelt has been in Tampa Bay’s system for quite a while. He was a 2019 third-round pick and has spent the past three seasons in the AHL, leading the Syracuse Crunch to the playoffs all three seasons. However, he is returning to Sweden next season so his future is in question. If he returns to North America following a successful 2024-25 campaign in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), he could earn a role as Andrei Vasilevskiy’s backup. If not, his NHL aspirations may be doubtful.
9. Jack Finley, 21 years old (C)
Jack Finley is a 6-foot-6 center who has put up impressive numbers in the American Hockey League (AHL). He will be 22 years old at the start of this season, so it could be a make-or-break year, but he is close to NHL-ready. His ceiling is not as high as most prospects on this list, but his height, skating, and defensive play will help him in his quest to earn a role in Tampa Bay’s bottom six.
8. Hagen Burrows, 18 years old (F)
Hagen Burrows was a lesser-known prospect heading into the 2024 Draft due to playing just 25 games for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. However, he has an impressive skillset that could help him land an NHL gig down the line.
Burrows is a hard-working forward who provides a 200-foot game. He is highly competitive and uses his impressive vision and hands to drive offense. In his 25 games, he had nine goals and 22 points, numbers that would have improved had he remained with the team the entire season. He is committed to the University of Denver, the 2024 National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) National Champions, and one of the United States’ top college programs. It will take time but under the right coaching, he could develop into a middle-six forward for the Lightning.
7. Maxim Groshev, 22 years old (W)
Maxim Groshev is a left-handed winger who has completed just one season in North America. He put up 10 goals and 30 points in 67 AHL games last season for Syracuse, showcasing an impressive two-way ability. His upside is pretty limited due to his weak shot, but he has the potential to develop into a bottom-six winger with 10+ goals and a 30+ point upside.
6. Ethan Gauthier, 19 years old (RW)
Ethan Gauthier, selected 37th overall by the Lightning in the 2023 Draft, had a challenging season. His offensive numbers stagnated, with only six more goals and two more points in two fewer games than the season prior. This was disappointing, as he was expected to have a breakout year.
However, Gauthier is only 19 years old and has ample time to develop. His strong work ethic suggests that the 2024-25 season could bring the improvement he seeks. His two-way play will be an asset as he works towards reaching the NHL. It may take another three seasons, but the Phoenix, Arizona native is hopeful to secure a role in the NHL’s bottom six.
5. Eamon Powell, 22 years old (RD)
Eamon Powell was a 2020 fourth-round pick by the Lightning and has spent the past four seasons at Boston College. Captain his senior year, he tied a career-high in goals (5) and set career highs in assists (33) and points (38). Over the 40-game season, he led Boston College as one of the best programs in the nation through his leadership and selfless playstyle. He will need a season or two in the AHL, but he could develop into a strong bottom-four defenseman down the line.
4. Dylan Duke, 21 years old (C)
Dylan Duke was a 2021 fourth-round pick who has spent the past three seasons at the University of Michigan. Each season has seen improvement on the scoresheet and his two-way game has evolved. He scored 26 goals and 49 points in 41 games last season before signing with the Lightning to finish the season with the Crunch.
Starting this season in Syracuse, Duke needs to prove that last season’s offensive success was not a fluke. If he can maintain his performance in the AHL, he might reach the NHL by the end of the season, though a debut in the 2025-26 season is more likely. A significant hurdle for his NHL ambitions is Tampa Bay’s deep talent pool in the top six. Consequently, Duke is expected to stay on the Crunch’s first line until a top-six position becomes available on Tampa Bay’s roster, rather than being called up for a third or fourth-line role.
3. Niko Huuhtanen, 21 years old (RW)
One of the most underrated prospects in the NHL is Niko Huuhtanen. He was the last selection in the 2021 Draft, going to the Lightning, and he has made the most of this opportunity. Over the past two seasons, he has scored 36 goals and 76 points in 100 games for Jurkurit of the Finnish Elite League (Liiga).
Liiga is arguably the second-best professional Men’s hockey league in the world, trailing just the NHL, and Huuhtanen finished last season 17th in goals, 25th in assists, and 18th in points while missing eight games. He is bringing his impressive hands, vision, and hockey IQ to Syracuse next season, but he should not spend much time with the team. Considering he has exceeded expectations throughout his development, his upside is quite high, but a top-six role with 20+ goals, and a 60+ point upside is a realistic goal. Those are lofty expectations for someone so young, but he has the talent to do it.
1B. Conor Geekie, 20 years old (C)
Conor Geekie had a dominant 2023-24 season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), scoring 43 goals and 99 points across 55 games split between the Swift Current Broncos and Wenatchee Wild. The 2020 11th overall pick stands at 6-foot-4 and is a unicorn on the ice. Not only is he hard to miss due to his size, but he is always at the center of the player, whether it be through controlling possession in the offensive zone or his defensive positioning.
The WHL is a league that does not see much defense, especially from forwards, but Geekie is an exception. He has a very high IQ as well as a long reach, allowing him to keep the opposition near the perimeter. Projecting his future, he will need some time to develop with the Crunch, but he should be ready for the NHL no later than the start of the 2025-26 season. If his development continues to go so well, he will soon join Tampa Bay’s middle-six with the upside of becoming a 20-25 goal, 60-75 point, two-way center.
1A. Isaac Howard, 20 years old (LW)
Taken 20 picks after Geekie in the 2022 Draft, Isaac Howard has cemented himself as one of hockey’s top prospects. Not only does he carry a level of charisma and aura unlike any other prospect in hockey, but his on-ice production is spectacular. After a disappointing 2022-23 season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he transferred to Michigan State University last season and dominated. He scored eight goals and 28 assists in 36 games, leading the team in assists and points (36).
Howard is a speedy skater with elusive edges that allow him to fly down the ice to create frequent high-danger scoring chances. This was especially clear on national television as the 2024 World Junior Championship where he scored seven goals in seven games for the United States en route to winning the tournament. The reason for him being ranked slightly above Geekie is due to his upside.
The sky truly is the limit for Howard. He has improved at each stage of his development and possesses the skillset and work ethic to continue developing. While he has not scored goals at the rate many would expect, he has the upside to be a reliable 20-goal scorer in the NHL. Also, in the right system, he could become a 60+ assists winger throughout his prime, although a 45-50 assist pace is a more reliable bet.
Despite making just two top-50 draft picks since 2019, the Lightning have found a way to put together a decent prospect pool. They have hit on their early picks, made trades to get younger, and found gems in the later rounds, and the next season or two will be very telling on the future of this team.
