Emil Lilleberg is a name that fans of the Tampa Bay Lightning are quickly familiarizing themselves with. The 23-year-old defenseman seemingly came out of nowhere and has quickly managed to make a big impact at the NHL level. He was not a player that was well known when he was called up on Jan. 6, but so far he has made the most of his opportunity and has not looked back since moving on from the Syracuse Crunch. Undoubtedly, many are wondering who Lilleberg is and what his path to the NHL was like, so let’s take a look.
Sparta Sarpsborg
Lilleberg is originally from a town called Sarpsborg, Norway, and he got his start with the local club, Sparta Sarpsborg. In the 2015-16 season, he was placed with the U18 developmental team, where he played in three regular-season games and one playoff game. Even though his stats were limited and he failed to record a point, it did not take long for that to change. Just a season later, he totaled 22 points in 23 games with the U16 team, 17 points in 29 games with the U18 team, and four points in seven games with the U20 team. His next big break came in the 2017-18 season, when he was invited to join Norway’s national team for the first time. During his five games with the U18 national team, he had a plus/minus of plus-two and tallied an assist.
Over the next few seasons, Lilleberg continued to make his way through the developmental system, both at the club and national level. Although he later ended up spending more time with the U21 side, he made his debut with Sparta Sarpsborg’s senior team during the 2018-19 season. A season later, he was with the senior team for all but one game, and by the 2020-21 season, all of his games were at the senior level. As for the national team, he finally made it to the senior national team during the 2020-21 season (although he did feature on the U20 team as well).
Lilleberg was not much of a goal scorer, but his sound defensive play and other traits, such as his quick hands, were enough to get the attention of the NHL. The Arizona Coyotes drafted him 107th overall in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
IK Oskarshamn
The next stop for Lilleberg was the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). It is one of the top leagues in Europe and can be difficult for younger players to adapt to, but that did not stop Lilleberg. The Norwegian defenseman played with IK Oskarshamn during the 2021-22 season and recorded seven assists. Additionally, he played in 10 playoff games for the team. He was able to provide competent defense and was not prone to many of the mistakes that young defensemen are known for.
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In his second season with IK Oskarshamn, he played in 46 games and scored his first career SHL goal. Over the course of the season, he scored three goals to go along with eight assists for a total of 11 points. During those two seasons in the SHL, Lilleberg continued to get minutes with the Norwegian national team. He was able to play at events such as the Olympic Qualifiers and the IIHF World Championship. Despite his efforts, he was not able to get a contract from the Coyotes. That opened the door for the Lightning to sign him, and they took the opportunity to do so.
Syracuse Crunch
On June 5, 2023, it was announced that the Lightning had signed Lilleberg to a two-year, two-way contract. He started the season with the Lightning’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Crunch, and played a total of 31 games with the New York-based team. During his time in Syracuse, he also had one goal and 11 assists, and a plus/minus of plus-4. He played his last game for the Crunch on Dec. 30, 2023, and found himself in the NHL to start the new year. The Lightning had been ravaged by injuries and had begun to call up various defensemen from the Crunch to take a shot at making it on the NHL roster. He was not the first in line, but he had shown enough to get a shot. General manager Julien BriseBois must have liked what he saw with Lilleberg’s ability to make smart plays and shut down the opposition, so on Jan. 5, 2024, he finally got his chance to play in the NHL.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Lilleberg is only 13 games into his NHL career, but he has been a promising player for the Lightning thus far. The Lightning have a knack for finding hidden gems, and he might just be the latest one. So far, he has two assists and has averaged just over 16 minutes of time on ice per game. His highest time on ice so far came on Jan. 18, when the Lightning took on the Minnesota Wild and he was on the ice for just over 19 minutes. His game is not flashy, but it is exactly what the Lightning have been looking for. He has been largely effective in neutralizing threats and providing at least a little help on the offensive end.
In the first couple of games after the All-Star Break, he was a bit shaky and particularly struggled in the Feb. 8 matchup with the New York Islanders, but rebounded on Feb. 10 when the Lightning took on the Columbus Blue Jackets and looked more comfortable. There are going to be ups and downs with a young player just coming up, and 13 games is a small sample size, but so far, he has been ready for just about everything the NHL has thrown at him. He is not going to make headlines, but he is a stable defenseman, and he can get the job done. The Lightning look like a more capable team with him on the roster, and if they are to continue to push towards a playoff spot, they are going to be reliant on depth players like Lilleberg to help get them there.
What’s Next For Lilleberg?
Especially after Mikhail Sergarchev’s unfortunate injury, Lilleberg will likely continue to play with the Lightning. The fact that he was not sent back to Syracuse during the All-Star Break to get more playing time speaks volumes about what the front office thinks of the young defenseman. They are looking to potentially make some moves at the trade deadline, and a new veteran defenseman being added to the roster could diminish Lillberg’s role with the team, but so long as he continues to improve and contribute, it’s hard to imagine that he will be back in the AHL anytime soon.
The Lightning have Lilleberg signed for one more season before he becomes a restricted free agent. Even with the salary cap increasing, the Lightning are in a bind, so he could become an affordable option for the foreseeable future should the team seek to retain his services. While it is too early to tell exactly what his future holds with the Lightning, so far things have been going better than anyone could have predicted.