The Tampa Bay Lightning are a team to watch very closely this off-season. While they had a strong regular-season, their quick playoff exit could lead to them making some upgradess to their roster.
Adding another top-six winger would be significant for the Lightning, and they are now being linked to one of the NHL's top trade candidates.
During a recent episode of The Daily Faceoff Rundown, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that he believes the Lightning are one of the teams interested in Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka.
Peterka would be a significant addition to the Lightning's roster if they successfully brought him. This is because the 23-year-old winger is already an impactful top-six forward and has shown signs of having the potential to blossom into a true star.
Peterka is coming off an excellent season with the Sabres, as he scored 27 goals and set new career highs with 41 assists and 68 points in 77 games. With offensive numbers like these, he would be a major pickup for the Lightning's top six and power play if acquired.
However, an important thing to note is that Peterka is a pending restricted free agent and due for a significant raise from his previous $855,834 cap hit. Due to this, the Lightning would need to move out money to bring him in.
Nevertheless, with Peterka being a young top-six forward, he would be a great player for the Lightning to acquire. Let's see if they end up winning the sweepstakes.
Lightning Should Buy-Low On Intriguing Utah Forward
The Tampa Bay Lightning will certainly be a team to keep an eye on this off-season. After losing in the first round in five games to the Florida Panthers, it is likely that they will be looking to improve their roster.
Strengthening their middle six should be a priority for the Lightning this off-season, and the Utah Mammoth have an interesting player worth considering in forward Matias Maccelli.
Maccelli has been creating chatter in the rumor mill with the off-season here, just like he did leading up to the 2025 NHL trade deadline. After a tough 2024-25 that saw him receive multiple healthy scratches, there is no question that he could use a fresh start.
In 55 games this campaign with Utah, Maccelli recorded eight goals, 18 points, and a minus-13 rating. While it was a rough season for the 2019 fourth-round pick, there is clear reason to believe that he can bounce back in the right situation.
Just back during the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes, Maccelli set career highs with 17 goals, 40 assists, and 57 points in 82 games. This was after he recorded 11 goals and 49 points in 64 games with the Coyotes in 2022-23. With numbers like these, Maccelli would have the potential to be a strong addition to the Lightning's top six and second power-play unit if he bounced back.
When noting that Maccelli is also only 24 years old, it is hard not to feel optimistic that he can get things back on track. Due to this, he could be the perfect kind of forward for the Lightning to buy-low on and try to acquire from Utah.
