Raw Charge
Summary
Y’all thought we forget about this, didn’t you? We actually had these done a little while ago, but wanted to wait until there was a break in the action to post them. We’ve hit the top of the class when it comes to prospects in the Lightning system. We all know who they are going to be, but in what order? First up is Benjamin Rautiainen – the best prospect not currently in North America. Although, that should change soon. Name Benjamin Rautiainen Position Forward Age (as of October 1, 2026) 21-years-old Height/Weight 6’0″, 183 lbs. Expected 2026-27 Team Tappara (Liiga) Draft – Year, Round 2025, 4th Round (#108) Previous Rankings 20th ( 2025 ) JustinG. Ranking 5 Final Rank 4 Stats: Our Thoughts: There isn’t a prospect in the organization that did more for himself last season than Benjamin Rautiainen. All he did was post a league-leading 77 points (25 goals, 52 assists), get named as the best player in the Liiga, and help Tappara win the championship. Not too shabby as a 20-year-old. To cap things off, he signed his entry-level contract with the Lightning, sparking hope that he might join Tampa Bay to start the 2026-27 season. He gave it a run, but was loaned back to Tappara after having a nice training camp. The road to his success was always pointing in that direction, after all the Lightning aren’t exactly the most welcoming organization when it comes to giving young players playing time. They’re just not in that stage of team development. So, Rautiainen went back to Finland with a mission – improve his defensive play and get a little stronger. In regards to his defensive games, there really isn’t much to worry about, he processes the game at a NHL level already, and didn’t look out place in his preseason action. While he’s ranked fourth by the readers, he might be the most dynamic offensive prospect in the system. There isn’t much he can’t do from the center ice through the offensive zone. He has decent skating speed, and skates well with the puck, but it’s his ability to change speeds that throws off defenders. The 21-year-old can slow his game down to slip into open spaces, but also accelerate to wrong-foot defensemen off of the rush. Once he’s established in the zone, he’ll take whatever space the opponents give him, holding onto the puck and moving to the right position to open up a passing or shooting lane. Like the best offensive players in the sport, he sees the ice really well and is able to anticipate what the defense will do and uses that against them. While he is primarily a playmaker first, he doesn’t hesitate to shoot the puck when that option presents itself. His wrist shot is good enough to keep goaltenders honest. Rautiainen has a pretty good work rate as well and isn’t adverse to heading into the corners on the forecheck. While he’s not going to muscle too many people off of the puck, he does use his stick to dig the puck out of scrums and force turnovers. He does need to improve his consistency as well as his ability to read plays in his own zone so that he’s not out of position. While fans might be a little disappointed that he didn’t make the team in October, another season in Finland isn’t the worst thing in the world. He’ll be in a league where he is comfortable and confident in his offensive ability. That should give him the freedom to work on the other parts of his game, which is what the Lightning want to see. Depending on how Tappara’s season plays out, there is a chance he joins the Syracuse Crunch on a try-out deal and start the North American portion of his professional career. If all goes well, he should have a legitimate shot at making the 2027-28 Lightning in training camp. Can he be the player that fills the final winger position the Lightning have been looking for over the past two seasons? Possibly, but he’ll also have to show the team that he can contribute in a different role until he earns a look. Last season showed the talent he has, this year he has to show that he can replicate or even improve that success. That doesn’t necessarily mean putting up more points, but by rounding out his game. It should be a fun year for him, and for fans following his play overseas. Your Thoughts: “Rautianen has high upside with the incredible season he had in Liiga last year. Wish he could have shown more in the playoffs.” “Rautiainen could be a very boom or bust offensive player.” “Rautiainen has shown he can be an impact player again men. We shall see how he does against NHL/AHL pros.” “Rautiainen could be our next Kuch” “The others like Pridham, Kulebyakin, and Rautiainen had such prolific seasons that it’s hard to ignore their scoring pedigree…Lastly, you hear about what Rautiainen is doing in the Finnish league amongst men, and how unprecedented his season was last year. How his name is being compared to Aleksander Barkov, and his future seems to be just as impressive as the above mentioned. I think because he was able to put up those numbers against older, more seasoned players that’s what gives him the edge against Kulebyakin.” “Benjamin Rautiainen got bumped up because of the buzz, but that might be overanking him, we’ll see.” Highlight Videos: 🚨JOOOAACHIM BLICHFELD🚨 Tappara siirtyy 2–0-johtoon, syöttäjinä Benjamin Rautiainen ja Julius Mattila 🔥 📺 MTV Urheilu pic.twitter.com/SUIcpXKQda — Tappara Tampere (@Tapparaofficial) May 13, 2026 Rautiainen is a playmaker, pure and simple. And while, he might not have top-end speed, he is excellent on his edges. Here he baits the defenders down below the goal line, cuts on a dime, and then feeds it to his linemates. 🚨 BENJAMIN RAUTIAINEN 🚨 Tappara siirtyy 2–0-johtoon ylivoimalla 💥 📺 MTV Urheilu pic.twitter.com/q3D1WjqKy4 — Tappara Tampere (@Tapparaofficial) April 21, 2026 He’ll probably get a bulk of his points with assists, but his shot is already at a NHL level. His ability to pass the puck will give him a little bit more space in the offensive zone, so he’d be wise to take it occasionally and not be too unselfish. 🍏 Benjamin Rautiainen (#78 in blue) picks up assist #50 of the Liiga season! #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/O4gekNH1hZ — Future Bolts (@FutureBolts_) March 8, 2026 One thing Rautiainen needs to work on is his size. Here he does a nice job of absorbing the initial hit, but in the NHL, he’s probably getting pushed into the boards here. Still, what he does after getting the puck back is special. Again, being able to cut and change direction in such short spaces works well in any league.