The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without two depth forwards when the 2024-25 season opens. Mikey Eyssimont and Luke Glendening continue to participate in practice in non-contact jerseys. Eyssimont is dealing with a lower-body injury, while Glendening is at the tail-end of an upper-body injury suffered at the end of last season. Their absence has left the Lightning’s bottom-six open for opportunity.
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Young players like Conor Geekie, Gage Goncalves, and Maxim Groshev are still fighting for a roster spot and have looked solid throughout the preseason, while Logan Brown has also made his mark. However, Zemgus Girgensons and Jesse Ylonen have a golden opportunity to step into a depth role. General manager Julien BriseBois signed both players in free agency over the summer.
Girgensons’s Career with Buffalo Sabres
Zemgus Girgensons could be a bright spot among a weak bottom-six heading into the season. The veteran spent his entire NHL career with the Buffalo Sabres and signed a three-year deal with Tampa Bay during the off-season. He brings a solid two-way game and can play center or on the wing. He can also provide a scoring punch if needed. The Latvian forward recorded eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 63 games last season.
On a better roster, Girgensons could flourish in the Lightning’s bottom six, coached by one of the league’s best minds, Jon Cooper. He’s on a cost-effective deal relative to other bottom-six forwards who provide similar results, and this preseason, he’s been paired with another player who belongs on the opening-night roster, Ylonen.
Jesse Ylonen Can Maximize His Skill Set
The 35th overall pick from the 2018 NHL Entry Draft underperformed last season, but a decrease in ice time (TOI) with the Montreal Canadiens was the root of the issue. His TOI dropped over three minutes compared to the 2022-23 season. This decrease could explain why he scored half the points in 22 more games, notching four goals and four assists in 59 games.
Ylonen has the talent to become a middle-six winger for the Lightning. His role in Montreal prevented him from maximizing his skill set, but with a change of scenery, he may excel. He plays the cycle, using the boards and the corners to move the puck around the zone. He is a valuable player on the forecheck, which has made him a good linemate for Girgensons. With that said, will these two forwards be in the lineup on opening night?
Girgensons and Ylonen Look Solid in the Preseason
In the Lightning’s 3-1 preseason victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday, Girgensons and Ylonen cycled the puck with the youngster Groshev and were on the ice for the team’s first goal. The line controlled the pace of play – above the 50% mark in all possession metrics like Corsi for percentage (CF%) and expected goals for percentage (xGF%). Individually and together, Girgensons and Ylonen have become worthy bottom-six pieces for Tampa Bay.
While there is no estimated return for Eyssimont and Glendening, the Lightning appears to have a few options to replace the injured forwards. If given the opportunity, Girgensons and Ylonen will make the Lightning bottom-six hard to play against. Tampa Bay lacked the ability for their bottom-six to control play and tire out opposing teams last season. The team plugged in the next best player and hoped to neutralize play until the elite forwards returned to the ice. However, with some new pieces, the Lightning can lean on their depth players more often in tough situations and may even get another layer of scoring, but there are still many questions that remain.
