The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2025 offseason is in full swing. The action will pick up in roughly a month, with the NHL Draft in late June and NHL Free Agency in the first week of July. While the Lightning are short on draft picks again, having a prospect like Isaac Howard could make their draft night interesting.
Nevertheless, free agency is also an intriguing event for the Lightning each year. Tampa Bay is a desirable place to play in the NHL with the team’s recent success, coaching staff, and location. Who are some early potential targets that could help patch holes for the Lightning heading into the 2025-26 season?
Matt Grzelcyk
Last summer, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year deal worth $2.75 million. The left-shot defenseman was a lifelong Boston Bruins blueliner before joining Pittsburgh. Under Mike Sullivan’s Penguins, Grzelcyk set a career-high in assists and points. He scored a goal and 39 assists for 40 points in 82 games in 2024-25 with Erik Karlsson as his defense partner. The 31-year-old from Charlestown, Massachusetts, was excellent in his one-year “prove it” deal with the Penguins, considering the NHL salary cap is expected to rise over the next three seasons.
Scoring 0.49 points per game with Pittsburgh last season makes Grzelcyk an intriguing target for the Lightning, considering the age of Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh on the left side. Furthermore, if the team is to lose out on Nick Perbix, Grzelcyk fits that player archetype, while also providing a potential quarterback role on the second power-play unit. His agent, Peter Fish, has two clients on the Lightning as well. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Declan Carlile share an agent with Grzelcyk, so his management team is familiar with the Bolts organization. Depending on the price, Grzelcyk might be a good fit for the Lightning in the fall. To learn more about Grzelcyk, check out my trade deadline target article on him earlier this season.
Taylor Raddysh
Next on the list is the Lightning’s 2016 second-round pick at 58th overall and brother of Tampa Bay defenseman Darren Raddysh. That’s 27-year-old Taylor Raddysh, who had a productive season in the bottom-six for the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Washington Capitals winger scored seven goals and 20 assists for 27 points in 80 games this season, and has his one-year, $1 million deal expiring this summer. Raddysh proved he’s an effective bottom-six possession player on a contending team with the right coaching. After all, he’s just two seasons removed from a 20-goal and 37-point campaign with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23.
Raddysh was part of the 2021-22 Tampa Bay team that lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche. He notched five goals and 12 points in 53 games for the Bolts that season. Raddysh can come in as a fourth-line winger and add some offensive stability to a player like Zemgus Girgensons. He’d also play alongside his brother Darren. That’s a win for the Raddysh family and the Lightning organization.
Robby Fabbri
The final player also has an agent connection to some of the roster players for Tampa Bay. Robby Fabbri’s agent, Patrick Morris, works with Anthony Cirelli and J.J. Moser as clients. As for Fabbri, the final season of a three-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million comes to an end this summer. Following a trade to the Anaheim Ducks in 2024, the 2014 first-round pick hasn’t been the same since his St. Louis Blues days. He showed flashes during the 2023-24 season with 32 points in 68 games, but had an underwhelming season in Anaheim. He scored just 16 points in 44 games and was injured for half the season.
At 29 years old, Fabbri could come to Tampa Bay with a clean slate and play a third-line role for the team. Furthermore, he could jump into the top six temporarily if needed. He’s due for a pay cut, and following an injury-riddled season, the price shouldn’t break the bank. Considering his agent’s familiarity with the Lightning, both sides could strike a deal. He’d be a perfect depth piece for the Lightning at a reasonable price.
With all that, the Lightning must focus on the 2025 NHL Draft before handling and negotiating with free agents. Keep an eye on Howard, who the Lightning might move on from for some draft picks or a roster upgrade. The team is notorious for finding gems in the later rounds and developing them into studs.
