The Tampa Bay Lightning have not been the most active team this offseason, largely due to a tepid free agent market, a lack of salary cap space, and the realization that they have a talented team that can still make a deep playoff run. However, the organization made some moves that will not only bolster the Lightning’s depth but also strengthen their American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch’s roster.
Among the moves that could help both the Lightning and the Crunch are signing Nicholas Abruzzese, Boris Katchouk, Jakob Pelletier, Simon Lundmark, and Scott Sabourin to two-way deals. All are proven AHLers, and some carry NHL experience. Other signings and trades will benefit the organizations in the short and long term. Here is a look at the five moves that may provide the most significant impact for the Lightning.
Trading Isaac Howard
When Isaac Howard indicated publicly that he would not be signing with the team, the Lightning pursued the only option they had, trying to find a trade partner that would provide an equitable return for their top prospect. However, teams that offered a good return were not on Howard’s list of favorite destinations. On the other hand, the teams that Howard wanted to be traded to were not offering enough in return for the 31st overall draft pick in 2022.
Finally, on July 9, the Lightning traded Howard to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Sam O’Reilly, who was selected 32nd overall in the 2024 Draft. O’Reilly, 19, skated in 62 regular-season games with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League last season, recording 28 goals and 71 points. His 22 post-season points and plus-24 rating both ranked third on the team. He played a key role in the Knights winning their third Memorial Cup, skating in five games and recording two goals and five points.
While the Lightning may not have gotten what they wanted for a top prospect, they did accomplish two things: They got a young player who has the potential to be an impactful NHLer in a few years and avoided the ‘what to do with Isaac Howard’ distraction during the season.
Signing Free Agent Jakob Pelletier
The Lightning signed Jakob Pelletier to a three-year, two-way contract, which will allow the Lightning to send him down to the AHL without clearing waivers. Pelletier has dominated the AHL throughout his career, scoring 51 goals and 130 points in 139 games. He was traded by the Calgary Flames during the 2024-25 season, going to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Morgan Frost-Joel Farabee deal. He struggled during most of his time with the Flyers, and the team decided not to offer him a contract.
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In adding Pelletier, the Lightning get a young player who plays a physical game, finishes his checks on the forecheck, and remains engaged on the backcheck. He’s a good skater with excellent playmaking instincts and vision, which could help the Lightning improve in an area they have struggled with in recent years, their bottom-six scoring.
Signing Yanni Gourde to an Extension
In June, the Lightning announced they had signed forward Yanni Gourde to a six-year extension worth just under $14 million. Gourde’s contract will count $2.33 million against the salary cap through the 2030-31 season. The Lightning reacquired him from the Seattle Kraken in a three-team trade on March 5 that also brought Oliver Bjorkstrand to Tampa Bay.
Gourde helps the Lightning maintain their forward depth with a player who is familiar with the team and their system. He will not only give the Lightning more offense but also plenty of grit in the process. Gourde had a goal and 13 assists in 21 games after the trade. Keeping this gritty forward will likely yield more dividends in a full season.
Signing Free Agent Pontus Holmberg
The 26-year-old Pontus Holmberg spent the first three seasons of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he filled a bottom-six role and received the most ice time of his career during the 2024-25 season. While he does not put up strong offensive numbers, he is a good defensive presence in the bottom-six. He especially brings a strong effort when defending at 5v5. His penalty kill numbers aren’t great, but he could fill a role on the second unit if need be.
Holberg has played 159 career NHL games, all with Toronto, and registered 19 goals and 49 points with a plus-15 rating. He has also appeared in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games, averaging 12:20 of ice time and recording one assist with 17 shots on goal. He has a knack for drawing penalties and could be an interesting x-factor when the Lightning face his former team, as Holmberg has expressed his frustration with not receiving an offer from the Maple Leafs.
Extending Gage Goncalves
We love to see the TampaCuse pipeline active, and the contract extension signed by Gage Goncalves not only signals the team’s faith in his development but also sends a message to every prospect that the Lightning will promote and continue to develop players internally. Additionally, they retain a player who is familiar with their system, and they still have another year of team control before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
In his first extended time in the NHL, Goncalves scored eight goals and 20 points in 60 games, solid numbers to build on. He was not afraid to throw his weight around, finishing eighth on the Lightning with 71 hits. Goncalves played in all five of the Lightning’s playoff contests and tallied four points (1 goal, 3 assists), tied with Nikita Kucherov for second among Lightning skaters.
While these are not major moves, the Lightning and the Crunch have added depth that could help both teams avoid first-round exits in the postseason. They needed depth signings to complement their stars, and this offseason, the organization did what it needed to do in NHL Free Agency, even if none of their signings will become superstar talents.
