The Tampa Bay Lightning are without Steven Stamkos for the first time in over 16 years. Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators this summer after failing to agree to terms with Tampa. Some Lightning players are still working through the move. But the show must go on, and NHL training camp begins in a few days time.
The Lightning essentially traded one star forward for another. Jake Guentzel signed with Tampa Bay following a trade of his rights with the Carolina Hurricanes. Additionally, Tampa Bay signed Cam Atkinson and Zemgus Girgensons to provide further forward depth. Outside of this, though, the team had a quiet offseason.
As a result, the Lightning have a few roster spots that could be up for grabs in training camp. And it could be one of the team’s prospects who steps up to fill the void. Here are two Lightning top prospects to keep an eye on as training camp draws closer by the day.
Conor Geekie could make the Lightning roster
The Lightning traded Mikhail Sergachev to the Utah Hockey Club earlier this offseason. It was a rather shocking trade that cleared the needed cap space for Tampa Bay to sign Guentzel. In this trade, the Lightning landed forward Conor Geekie as part of the return package.
Geekie is a former first-round pick of the now-inactive Arizona Coyotes from the 2022 NHL Draft. He has shown a lot of promise in junior hockey following his selection two years ago. This rings especially true for the 2023-24 campaign. He split the season between the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos, scoring 43 goals and 99 points.
Geekie signed his entry-level contract soon after being drafted, and a year has yet to burn off. This, combined with the open roster spots, gives the Lightning’s top prospect a legitimate chance at making the NHL roster. He could find a home on the team’s third-line to begin with. But Geekie has the potential to become a top-six mainstay in due time.
Geekie is certainly a player worth watching. Even if he doesn’t make the NHL, he has a lot of upside and fans will want to see their team’s trade acquisition in action. Whatever happens, keep your eye on Geekie as training camp progresses this month.
Gage Goncalves is a name to watch
Gage Goncalves is a second-round pick of the Lightning in the 2020 NHL Draft. Goncalves went on to make his pro hockey debut in 2020-21 with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. And in the last two seasons, Goncalves has posted back-to-back 50+ point seasons in the AHL.
The Lightning prospect is no longer on his entry-level contract. He is on a one-year, two-way standard player contract. As a result, he is under a bit of pressure. The 23-year-old has to make a solid impression in order to earn another contract from the Lightning.
As of now, this should not be an issue. Goncalves is also a candidate to make Tampa’s roster out of training camp. He may not have the same upside Geekie brings to the table. But he could carve out a solid NHL role if given the chance to perform this season.
Goncalves could make an impact on the new-ish-looking Lightning roster. He may not be a candidate to win the Calder Trophy. But he could prove valuable in 2024-25. And that certainly bodes well for the team’s playoff push in the season ahead.
