As the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship gets underway, two of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s young defensemen Emil Lilleberg and J.J. Moser are representing Norway and Switzerland on the international stage.
Lilleberg has been a consistent presence on Norway’s national team, participating in multiple IIHF World Championships, including the 2021, 2022, and 2023 tournaments.
Moser has a notable history with Switzerland’s national team. He has represented Switzerland in several international tournaments, including the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2019 and 2020, and the IIHF World Championships in 2019, 2021, and 2022 .
Moser, a native of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, was chosen in the second round (No. 60) of the 2021 NHL Draft and played 205 regular-season games for the Arizona Coyotes. As captain of EHC Biel in Switzerland's National League, the top professional ice hockey league in the country, Moser had 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in 48 games of the 2020-21 season.
Lightning Facing Decision With Veteran Forward
After a quick first-round playoff exit, the Tampa Bay Lightning are entering what should be a busy off-season. The Lightning have multiple pending free agents heading into the summer, and one of them is veteran forward Luke Glendening.
Glendening, 36, just completed the two-year, $1.6 million contract he signed with the Lightning during the 2023 NHL off-season. Because of this, he can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and the Lightning now must decide if he is a player they want to keep around or let walk.
Glendening was a mainstay on the Lightning's fourth line this campaign and also received time on their penalty kill because of his defensive play. In 77 games this season with the Bolts, he had four goals, seven points, 58 blocks, and 105 hits. He also recorded one goal, one assist, and 13 hits in five post-season games for the Lightning this year.
Overall, if Glendening is willing to stick around at a cheap price, the Lightning could consider keeping him around for their 4C role or even as their 13th forward. However, it would also be understandable if Lightning management wants to make changes to their bottom six after how the playoffs went for them this time around.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to find out what Glendening's future with the Lightning will be. In 158 games over two seasons as a Bolt, he has 14 goals, 18 points, and 226 hits.
