tbl-2026 Tampa Bay Lightning Top 20 Under 25: #12 Noah Steen

Summary

Ondrej Palat will forever be the prime example of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s ability to find talent in late rounds. Could Noah Steen be the next example? Name Noah Steen Position Forward Age (as of October 1, 2026) 22 Height/Weight 6’1, 194 lbs. Expected 2026-27 Team Syracuse Crunch Draft – Year, Round 2024, 7th (199) Previous Rankings Not Ranked JustinG. Ranking 19 Final Rank 12 Stats: Our Thoughts: Can a career be defined by one play? Especially for a seventh-round pick that has yet to play in the NHL? In the case of Noah Steen, the answer may be yes. That play: NOAH STEEN OT HERO‼️ #MensWorlds #IIHF pic.twitter.com/noVLGvcZu4 — IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 31, 2026 Steen’s overtime goal against Canada in the World Championships locked in Norway’s first medal, a bronze, in the history of that tournament. If nothing else, he’ll always be able to hang his hat on that accomplishment. The goal itself was prototypical of what Steen does on the ice. In his own zone he won a board battle to force a turnover which caught Canada outnumbered. He drove to the net on the ensuing two-on-one and then snapped a shot past the goaltender for the win. He’s a hardworking, pest of a player that skates a little bit better than one imagines and has a little bit more offensive talent than teams may expect. In short, the perfect candidate to be a bottom-six forward that can kill penalties and chip in the occasional goal while getting under the skin of opponents. He’s the type of player that won’t put up gaudy numbers but quietly help his team tilt the ice in their direction. After a 22-point season with Orebro HK of the SHL, the 22-year-old signed his entry-level contract with the Lightning and joined the Syracuse Crunch on an ATO for a brief seven-game stint in the AHL, in which he recorded his first North American goal. Expect him to spend the 2026-27 season with the Crunch as he competes for a spot in their forward group while getting some time on the penalty kill. With things a little crowded in Salt City there could be the possibility he spends a little time in Orlando, but having played 103 regular season games in the SHL over the last two seasons, he likely has a leg up on some of the other prospects competing for a spot in the roster. Like the vast majority of the forwards in the Lightning’s prospect barrel, his path to the NHL isn’t going to be lined with sparkling goals and dazzling assists. Rather it will be pushed forward along the boards and in the dirty areas in front of the net. He does have a strong transition game and can be dangerous off of the rush which could lead to some offense short-handed (honestly, the Lightning penalty kill in 2029 could be really lethal if some of these kids evolve to their expected levels). His skating is good but could use some refinement. He has decent size, and while he isn’t overly aggressive, he’s also not afraid to stick his nose into a scrum or let an opponent taste the outside of an unwashed glove. His ability to play a physical brand of hockey will be tested this year in the AHL, and if he finds success, the NHL could be within the grasp of the seventh-round pick in a couple of seasons. There is a little bit of Yanni Gourde in his game. Gourde might have slightly better offensive instincts, but Steen plays with that same sort of relentless energy that exhausts other teams. Steen’s goal against Canada in the bronze medal game capped off a World Championship tournament that heightened his profile from run-of-the-mill late-round pick to potential diamond-in-the-rough. It was his seventh of the tournament, which tied him for the overall lead with old friend Rudolfs Balcers, and was one more than NHL luminaries Macklin Celebrini and Nico Hischier. Not a bad run of play for a kid drafted 199th overall in 2024. The scoring outburst is a bit atypical of Steen’s career where he has yet to hit the 20-goal mark in any single season, and it might have led to a bit of recency bias for his overall ranking. Or, on the other hand, he is a player that is aging into his game and figuring things out as a 21- and 22-year-old as opposed to someone who does it in junior hockey. After all, he did put up 12 goals in 52 games for Orebro last year. The upcoming season will be an important one for him. If Steen can put up similar production while playing a heavy game in the defensive zone, he’ll be in line for a depth role in the organization. Your Thoughts: Highest ranking was fifth. The spot that he received the most votes for was 15th (16.3%), but he had enough higher spots to bring him up a few notches. “Steen could be the sleeper if can improve his skating dynamics as he already has a nose for scoring against NHL competition.” “Steen had a good tournament last year. Will see what he can do in AHL.” Highlight Videos: Noah Steen received an unsportsmanlike penalty after something he said to Filip Hronek after the final whistle. #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/efphd3ISP8 — Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) May 25, 2026 See. He’s already getting under the skin of NHL players. 🚨 This guy has been unbelievable! Noah Steen (#12 in red) forces the turnover, fights off the backchecker, and rips it home shorthanded for his 2nd goal of the game and his 5th goal of the World Championship! What a tournament he is having. ⚡️ #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/cp4J3OvI9W — Future Bolts (@FutureBolts_) May 24, 2026 This is a really nice play. He made a nice play to get the puck and he pressured a player that was at the end of his shift. The spin move to the inside caught Sweden completely off guard and Steen had the skill to beat the goaltender. It will be interesting to see if Joel Bouchard matches him up with Sam O’Reilly on the penalty kill in Syracuse this season. The first one for Noah Steen! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/I7sBPbtqB2 — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) April 12, 2026 This likely won’t be the last tip goal for Steen in his professional career. He has the ability and size to play in front of the net.