Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2023-24 season. In 37 games with the Lightning that campaign, he posted five assists, 105 hits, and a minus-15 rating. Overall, the young blueliner naturally had some growing pains in his first season with the Lightning but also showed promise.
The Lightning hoped that Lilleberg would take a step forward for them during the 2024-25 season, and it is absolutely fair to say he did just that. The 6-foot-3 defenseman cemented himself as a mainstay on the Lightning's blueline and became a nice part of their roster.
In 76 games this season with the Lightning, Lilleberg set new career highs with one goal, 18 assists, 19 points, 105 penalty minutes, and 114 penalty minutes. Overall, he provided the Lightning's blueline with more toughness and demonstrated that he was ready for the NHL level in the process.
With the Lightning being a team full of veterans, they certainly are looking for more of their younger players to break out as they look to keep their contender window open. Thus, seeing Lilleberg take a clear step forward this campaign was encouraging, and the Bolts will be hoping he continues to trend in the right direction from here. It will be fascinating to see what kind of season he puts together in 2025-26 from here.
Lightning Blueliner Became Key Piece This Season
During this past off-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired defenseman J.J. Moser from Utah as a part of the Mikhail Sergachev blockbuster trade. While it undoubtedly stung to see the Lightning trade a star defenseman like Sergachev, Moser certainly stepped up and had a strong first season in Tampa Bay.
In 54 games this campaign with the Lightning, Moser posted two goals, 14 points, 70 blocks, and a career-high plus-20 rating. Due to his solid two-way play, Moser found a home for himself on the Lightning's top pairing with captain Victor Hedman. In addition, he also received time on their penalty kill because of his smart defensive play.
Overall, Moser not only proved to be a solid addition to the Lightning's defense this season but also became a key piece of their roster. He demonstrated that he can handle playing top-pairing minutes and provided the Lightning's blueline with more stability in the process.
What's even more promising about Moser is that he is only 24 years old. Thus, the possibility of him still hitting another level is there, and he has plenty of time left in his prime. Therefore, he has the potential to be a significant part of the Lightning's roster for a while.
It will be intriguing to see what kind of campaign Moser can put together for the Bolts in 2025-26 from here. It is hard not to feel optimistic about the 6-foot-2 defenseman's future.
