After a rough post-season, the Tampa Bay Lightning will be a team to watch this summer. Given how the year ended for them, the expectation is that they will look to make some changes to their group.
When looking at the Lightning's roster, it is fair to argue that they would benefit by adding more scoring to their middle six. One player who could give them that if he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1 is Vegas Golden Knights forward Victor Olofsson.
Olofsson had a solid bounce-back season in 2024-25 after signing a one-year, prove-it deal with the Vegas Golden Knights last summer. In 56 regular-season games with the Golden Knights this season, he posted 15 goals, 29 points, and a career-high plus-17 rating. This is after he had just seven goals and 15 points in 51 contests during his final season with the Buffalo Sabres in 2023-24.
Olofsson has shown throughout his career that he can put the puck in the net when playing at his best, too. The seven-year NHL veteran has hit the 20-goal mark three times, including when he scored 28 goals in 75 games with the Sabres during the 2022-23 season. With this, he could be a nice player for the Lightning to take a shot on as they search for more secondary scoring.
When looking at Tampa Bay's roster, Olofsson could fit very nicely at right wing on their third line. However, he can also play left wing, so the Lightning would have multiple options to work with if they brought him in. Furthermore, he works well on the power play, so he could help the Lightning in this area as well.
Overall, on a short-term deal, Olofsson and the Lightning could be a good match. Let's see if the Bolts target him this off-season.
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.
