three-rookies-who-could-make-their-nhl-debut-for-the-lightning-this-season
Raw Charge
The original theme of this article was going to be, “Which Lightning rookie could win the Calder Trophy?” but, to be honest, the chances of that happening are about the same as Frenchy’s restaurant taking over the naming rights to Benchmark Arena. Sure, it could happen, and it would be great, but it’s probably not going to happen. The betting sharps seem to agree considering that as of the time of publication, not a single member of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization has posted odds to win the Calder on the Hard Rock Bet app.
<p>As of right now, Philadelphia’s Porter Martone is the odds-on favorite at +275 and they have 48 other players listed with Vancouver’s Adam Novotny rounding out the list at +25000. Yes, we did have to look up Novotny’s organization. In short, the touts don’t feel like any of the Lightning’s prospects are going to make a dent in the Calder Trophy race. Which is cool. After all, it’s one award a member of the Lightning has yet to win, and based on the fact they haven’t drafted a top 10 prospect in The Rizzler’s lifetime, chances are they won’t win one soon.</p>
<p>So, instead of looking for a dark horse, we pivot. Based on their moves this offseason, it’s going to be very, very hard for any rookie to make the team out of training camp this season. While lines and defensive pairings aren’t set, there just aren’t that many spots that are going to be open when camp opens in just over a month. </p>
<p>Of course, that was the case last season and the Lightning still managed to have eight players that qualified as rookies play last season with three of them (Dominic James, Max Crozier, and Declan Carlile) playing at least 30 games. Charle-Edouard D’Astous was also a big part of the team, but due to his age, he didn’t qualify as a rookie despite never having played in the league. Of those eight players, four made their NHL debut last season. James, Curtis Douglas, Max Groshev, and Simon Lundmark made up the quartet of debutantes last season, and all of them, with the exception of Douglas, could see time in the NHL again this season.</p>
<p>There is some comfort in having an experienced, veteran line-up. For the most part, you know how they are going to perform. They can handle increased expectations and don’t let pressure get them. The Lightning don’t just have a veteran line-up, they have an exceptional line-up. Which makes it kind of hard for new players to make their mark. </p>
<p>There is one way for rookies to get a shot, though. And it’s one of the drawbacks of having a veteran team – injuries. Not only do older players tend to get hurt more often, they tend to stay out of the line-up longer (please note, we have done zero research to substantiate that thought, but it seems to make sense). That’s the main reason we saw so many young players last season. </p>
<p>While we don’t hope that happens again this year, it could be an avenue to playing time for other young players in the system. So, lets look at three players who might make their NHL debuts at some point in the 2026-27 season.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sam O’Reilly</h2>
<p>We’ll start off with the most hyped prospect of the bunch – Sam O’Reilly. The kid has yet to lace up his skates for a pro game, but Lightning fans are already excited about what he can bring to the table. The 20-year-old wrapped up one of the most successful junior careers in recent history as helped the Kitchener Rangers on the way to a Memorial Cup title. All he did along the way was snatch up the OHL regular season MVP, the OHL playoffs MVP, and the Memorial Cup MVP. Not a bad bit of hockeying.</p>
<p>In the grand vision of things, the Tampa Bay Lightning would probably like to have him adjust to the pro game in Syracuse, surrounded by what should be a very good Crunch roster. There he can adapt to the increased pace and physical nature of the AHL while not having to carry the pressure of carrying a franchise on his shoulders. </p>
<p>The somewhat rough-and-tumble start to Conor Geekie’s career might also make them a little more apprehensive at starting O’Reilly in the NHL. That being said, of all of the prospects in the system, O’Reilly has the level of skill that could force the Lightning’s hand. If he has a strong prospect showcase followed by a good training camp, he might just earn a spot on the roster on opening night. It’s unlikely, but not impossible.</p>
<p>The more realistic scenario would be for him to start in Syracuse, get his feet wet playing all three aspects of the game, and if he continues to excel, he could earn a call-up later in the season, especially if the Lightning need a depth center. Even at a young age, his skill set could fill a need for the Lightning as a bottom-six center. He can win face-offs, he’s a reliable player in his own zone, and a monster shorthanded (he had 7 regular season short-handed goals between Kitchener and London last season). </p>
<p>The Bolts are deep down the middle with Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, Yanni Gourde, and Dominic James likely to be the top pivotmen this season. They also have Zemgus Girgensons, Jake Guentzel, and Pontus Holmberg who can play the position as well. Still, if things don’t go according to plan, there is a path to a debut for Sam O’Reilly.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ethan Gauthier</h2>
<p>Quick – over the last decade, who is the highest drafted player selected by the Lightning that is still in the organization? Since we put this question in Ethan Gauthier’s section, you would be right to guess that at 37th overall, the 21-year-old winger holds that honor. Even if you factor in all of the prospects that the Lightning have traded away, only three players had a higher draft spot (Isaac Howard at 31, Nolan Foote at 27, and Cal Foote at 14). So there is a little pedigree there.</p>
<p>It does seem like Gauthier has been in the system forever, but he was drafted in 2023, and last year was his first full professional season. It wasn’t bad, as he had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 56 games, but there were some stretches where he wasn’t as effective as the Crunch needed him to be. It’ll be a big season for him to see if he can level up his game now that he knows what a professional season is like.</p>
<p>At his best, he is a jack-of-all trades forward that can do a lot of things well. He is a decent skater, doesn’t mind making a hit or two, and is more than willing to do the dirty work on the forecheck to get the puck. With the Lightning lacking right-handed shots, he could have a leg up on some of his AHL teammates should Tampa Bay need to call up a winger at any point during the season. He still projects as a middle-six forward and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for the Bolts to give him a call up to see how he handles life at the NHL level.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lucas Mercuri</h2>
<p>A slightly older player, and one who might not be as familiar to Lightning fans who aren’t familiar with the Crunch, is Lucas Mercuri. The 24-year-old right-shot forward has size (6’3″, 223 lbs), skill, and a bit of an edge to his play. The voice of the Crunch, Lukas Favale, had plenty of good things to say about him on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiHJMqomytw&t=330s">most recent episode</a> of Backchecking the Bolts (shameless plug – listen and subscribe). When asked who on the Crunch might be a future Lightning fan favorite, he mentioned Mercuri, who also got his vote for biggest surprise on the team. </p>
<p>The Lightning picked up his rights from the Carolina Hurricanes in March of 2025 in exchange for a sixth-round pick. He debuted last that season, appearing in six regular season games without recording a point. Last season, he played in 67 games posting 14 goals and 12 assists. Which is even more impressive considering he spent 132 minutes in the penalty box. The next most penalized player in Syracuse – Matteo Pietroniro at 86.</p>
<p>If the Bolts are looking for a forward that plays with a little more edge, he wouldn’t be a bad call-up. Not only will he be the first to step up in a post-whistle scrum, but he also has enough talent to put the puck in the net. He excels in front of the net, and could be one of those players that scores 96% of his goals within a stride of the blue paint. Think of him as a younger, slightly more skilled Scott Sabourin. </p>
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<p>It’s going to be a long season, and the Lightning are going to need more than the 23 players that make up the opening night roster. While there might be some old favorites like Conor Geekie, Dylan Duke, or Jakob Pelletier among the call-ups, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of these new faces get the call as well. </p>
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