Thursday marked the first day of practice for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the 2024-25 NHL season three weeks away, there are many exciting storylines for the team. First, Victor Hedman was recently announced as the 11th captain in franchise history with the loss of Steven Stamkos for the upcoming season. Furthermore, newly acquired J.J. Moser will work alongside the new captain to open the season, while Jake Guentzel will start on the star-studded top line.
Related: Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy Healthy, Eager to Play as Season Approaches
With exciting news comes unfortunate news, as two Lightning forwards are injured. One was Mikey Eyssimont, who did not participate in the team’s first practice. The other, Luke Glendening, skated in a red non-contact jersey for the opening skate. With two NHL regulars down, who will step up to the plate before they return? One might be 6-foot-6 Logan Brown, who spent all last season on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). What does the 11th overall pick from the 2016 NHL Entry Draft offer in the short-term for Tampa Bay?
Logan Brown’s NHL Career
The once highly-regarded draft prospect has struggled to earn consistent time in an NHL role throughout his pro career. He started with the Ottawa Senators, the team that drafted him, where he split time between the NHL roster and American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Belleville Senators. His best totals with Ottawa came in 2019-20, where he notched one goal and seven assists for eight points in 23 games. However, this would be his highest games played in a single season with the team that selected him in the first round eight years ago. Brown was a proven AHL talent, where he had seven goals and 28 points in 25 games that same season.
On the verge of cracking Ottawa’s full-time roster, Brown appeared in just one NHL game during the shortened 2020-21 season. Therefore, he set his sights elsewhere for a full-time role in the NHL. He landed with the St. Louis Blues for the 2021-22 season, where he scored a career-high four goals and 11 points in 39 games with the team. Brown would spend another season in St. Louis, recording six points in 30 games. Following a season cut short by an upper-body injury, he signed with the Lightning for the 2023-24 season. However, he spent the entire season on injured reserve. Today, he is fighting for a roster spot in training camp on a PTO.
What Brown Brings to the Table
While Brown hasn’t used his size to maximize his game, he does use his frame to shield the puck against opposing defenders. Without question, puck protection is his best asset. The Lightning can use a guy like Brown to maintain possession of the puck in the bottom six, something they struggled with last season. At his best, Brown can be a serviceable bottom-six forward in the NHL, using his size and skill to dominate the cycle game in the offensive zone.
The forward with soft hands also plays a solid two-way game. The Lightning can use Brown at either center or on the wing. He’s on the fourth-line right wing with Zemgus Girgensons and Jesse Ylönen in training camp. Despite missing all last season, do not rule out Brown making the opening night roster, even if he’s scratched to start the season. After all, the Lightning signed Austin Watson to a contract off a PTO last season, so anything is possible for the 26-year-old. He has been through hell with injuries, and we will continue to root for him. The North Carolina native would make a perfect 12th or 13th forward on a shallow Lightning roster with the ability to add a scoring touch and increased possession time to the fourth line.
