The 2025 NHL draft is right around the corner, causing hockey clubs around the National Hockey League to spiral into action. However, Tampa Bay will be looking to make entirely different waves from their fellow competitors.
With the 2025 NHL draft a mere few days away, Lightning fans anxiously wait in the wings hoping for Tampa Bay to make a splash in order to improve the roster. The Tampa Bay Lightning were quickly bounced from the first round of the 2025 NHL playoffs at the hands of their in-state rival, the Florida Panthers. The 2025 NHL draft will the first full opportunity the Bolts will have to completely turn the page from their early exit and look towards next season.
PuckPedia reports that the Tampa Bay Lightning currently own seven draft picks in the 2025 NHL draft. The highest pick Tampa owns is the Los Angeles Kings second round pick, which PuckPedia lists as being the 56th overall pick.
The NHL draft is an opportunity for National Hockey League clubs to readily draft players for the future. It is here where legacies are born. Therefore, the Bolts may be looking to draft the next set of Lightning talent.
Potential future Bolts
With the Bolts drafting most prominently at pick #56 in the second round, a number of young players will be available for the Bolts to select. A plethora of forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders will all be looking for new homes at the draft. Now, who could the Bolts be eyeing at pick #56? ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie in her article, “2025 NHL draft big board: Ranking the top 64 prospects,” has diligently created a list of the top 2025 NHL draft prospects. Consequently, ESPN lists the following players with the corresponding overall ranks:
54. Jacob Rombach, D, Lincoln (USHL)
55. Peyton Kettles, D, Swift Current (WHL)
56. Hayden Paupanekis, F, Kelowna (WHL)
57. David Bedkowski, D, Owen Sound (OHL)
58. Ethan Czata, F, Niagara (OHL)
All of the above players are real candidates to be in a Tampa Bay sweater in the not so distant future. While making the right choice will be critical for Tampa Bay, making the right choice may not come in the form of making a draft selection.
What to expect from the Bolts during the 2025 NHL draft.
Hockey clubs around the National Hockey League will gather at the NHL draft in order to recruit the next generation of star talent. However, Tampa will be in an entirely different situation from clubs with high draft picks: Tampa has a win-now mentality.
While certain organizations will be focused on building for the future, Tampa must capitalize on the present. The Bolts must concretely find solutions to the team’s playoff woes. All eyes will be on Julien BriseBois, general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, over the next week. He will experience growing pressure to improve Tampa's squad moving into the 2025-2026 season. Thus, the NHL draft will be a pivotal moment for the Bolts to strike.
The Bolts, simply put, need to make changes to the roster now. Julien BriseBois is no stranger to aggressive trading. BriseBois’s track record shows he is a man who does not fear what others think. He will do the necessary research, have the fundamental conversations, and ultimately, make his best decision for the Tampa Bay Lightning franchise. As a result, it would not be surprising to see BriseBois active on the NHL draft floor utilizing his picks as assets to get players in the Tampa Bay locker room. Building for the future is a luxury the Bolts unfortunately do not have at the moment. Of course, organizations are constantly working on how to be competitive for years to follow. The Bolts have done a fantastic job at consistently remaining a threat in the Atlantic division. Despite the past success, the Bolts must be present in the current moment. Look for a potentially busy Bolts organization at the 2025 NHL draft.
