Trading draft picks in recent years to help the Tampa Bay Lightning win two Stanley Cup titles has left the organization with fewer draft picks to replenish the talent in the organization. So it would come as no surprise when prospect rankings are released, such as THW’s Logan Horn has done recently, that the Lightning rank near the bottom of all NHL teams with regard to their prospect depth.
This has put some added pressure on general manager Julien BriseBois to not only make use of the limited draft picks that are available but also find other players who were not on the NHL draft radar when they were eligible but have the potential to make an NHL roster one day.
Recently, the Lightning prospects participated in the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase along with prospects from the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes. In reversing an 0-3 performance in the same showcase in 2022, the Lightning prospects finished 1-1-1 behind solid play from all of their prospects, including three players appearing in the showcase for the first time.
Ethan Gauthier
The son of former NHLer Denis Gauthier was selected in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft as a result of the Ross Colton trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Throughout the three games, Gauthier was able to demonstrate the competitive and physical style of play that had many experts believing that he should have been selected in the first round. Throughout all three games of the showcase, Gauthier was able to demonstrate his persistent ability to get in on the attack and establish a forecheck.
Skating for most of the showcase on a line with Maxim Groshev and Tristan Allard, all three drew praise from their coach at the showcase, Syracuse Crunch head coach Joel Bouchard. “I think they played hard, and they were engaged in the play. They just got it done when it was time, and if there were mistakes, then we talked to them about it, and they adjusted.”
Maxim Groshev
The Lightning’s third-round draft pick in 2020 was able to showcase his size and speed in the showcase, which bodes well for him and the organization in what THW’s Eugene Helfrick described in his draft profile as a mid-round hidden gem. His play in all three games was highlighted by the use of his speed to move the puck up the ice and to badger opponents in their own end. That speed was on full display in Game 3 when he blew past the Panthers’ defense and fired a shot to the far post to bring the Lightning to within one goal at that point in the game.
Groshev will likely report to Syracuse to start the season to build off the success he found in Russia. After representing Russia once at the U18 World Juniors and twice at the U20 tournament and collecting two silver medals, Groshev gained his most extensive experience yet in Russia’s top league in the 2022-23 season, scoring six points in 34 games with SKA St. Petersburg. If he adapts well to the North American style of hockey, don’t be surprised if he gets a look in a Lightning sweater sometime during the 2023-24 season.
Walterri Merela
Walterri Merela raised a few eyebrows when, in the third period of the final game of the showcase against the Panthers, he collected the puck and skated into the offensive zone before getting tangled with a linesman and falling to the ice. However, he was able to maintain possession of the puck and send a pass to the slot for Felix Robert, who ripped a quick shot to the far post for the Lightning’s first goal of the game.
The 24-year-old forward is coming off back-to-back championships in the Liiga, the top professional ice hockey league in Finland, along with the 2023 Champions League title. This led to signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Lightning in early June after leading Tappara in playoff goals to help the organization secure a second-straight Liiga title. His playoff experience and leadership during the showcase impressed Bouchard, who will likely be his coach in Syracuse when the season starts. “He’s got some leadership to him. Every adjustment we did, every little thing we talked about, he was really invested in.”
Related: 3 Questions Facing the Lightning Ahead of Training Camp
All three of these players will have a chance to continue impressing members of the Lightning organization as they are part of a group of 60 that will take part in training camp. Hopefully, they will be able to build off this successful showcase and continue to develop and add needed depth to the Lightning’s pool of prospects.
