Oliver Bjorkstrand is heading into his first full season with the Tampa Bay Lightning after the franchise acquired him at the 2025 trade deadline.
The Lightning paid a hefty price to acquire Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde, sending Michael Eyssimont, two first-round picks and a second-round pick to the Seattle Kraken. They also sent a fourth-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings to retain 50 percent of Gourde's contract. In the end, the Lightning received Bjorkstrand, Gourde, Kyle Aucoin and a fifth-round pick.
Upon his arrival, the 30-year-old scored five goals and nine points in 18 games, but suffered an injury just before the start of the post-season. The Lightning lost to the Florida Panthers in the first round, doing so without Bjorkstrand. He suffered the injury on April 11 against the Red Wings, and the injury was far worse than initially feared; he suffered Compartment Syndrome.
This occurs when there is excessive pressure around your muscles. In Bjorkstrand's case, it required him to be rushed to the hospital at 2 a.m. for emergency surgery to fix the issue. Fortunately, Bjorkstrand is expected to make a full recovery and will be a vital piece of the Lightning's offence this season.
With all of the concerns expected to be behind him for the start of the season, the expectations are high for a right-winger with a career high of 28 goals and 59 points. Early projections show that Bjorkstrand could line up next to Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli on the second line. The trio should complement each other very well. Offensively, they are all very balanced, each obtaining strong shots and good playmaking instincts.
Cirelli and Hagel are great forecheckers, among the NHL's best, which will open up space for Bjorkstrand to receive the puck in high-danger areas and create opportunities, bringing out his best attributes. In addition to Bjorkstrand's offensive game, he is a reliable two-winger with a six-foot frame, which will bode well alongside Cirelli and Hagel, who coach Jon Cooper uses in a shutdown role at times.
The Herning, DEN native is also outstanding on the power play, capable of playing on both flanks. With the Lightning, he won't receive the power play time he did with the Kraken or even with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the second power play unit will likely run through him. If that's the case, the Lightning could be sending out two very dangerous units, even if one unit dominates the bulk of the ice time.
Bjorkstrand's offensive versatility means he doesn't have to be stapled next to Hagel and Cirell. In his short time with the Lightning, Bjorkstrand show excellent chemistry with Gage Goncalves and Nick Paul, playing over 47 minutes together and holding 70.5 percent of the expected goals, according to MoneyPuck.com.
If Bjorkstrand plays over 15:00 a night, he could score north of 25 goals and 50 points, giving the Lightning one of the top forward groups in the NHL. Entering the fifth and final year of a $5.4 million contract, Bjorkstrand will be at his best in hopes of earning another payday.
