en-us SportSpyder - The Latest Tampa Bay Lightning News https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/news Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:10:35 GMT Tampa Bay Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57893690 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57893690 false false The former forward spent his first full season as a defenseman, know it’s time to crack the Tampa Bay Lightning line-up Name Max Groshev Position Defense (Left Shot) Age (as of October 1, 2026) 24 Height/Weight 6’2″, 198 lbs. Expected 2026-27 Team Syracuse Crunch Draft – Year, Round 2020, 3rd, (85) Previous Rankings 15 (2020), 15 (2021), 15 (2022) 15 (2023), 10 (2024), 10 (2024) JustinG. Ranking 11 Final Rank 8 Stats: Our Thoughts: Max Groshev is the oldest prospect in the countdown. Thanks to a December birthday, he snuck one last appearance in the Top 20. Yet, in a way, it’s really just his second year on the list in his new position. After making the switch to defense at the end of the 2024-25 season, Groshev spent an entire year as a blueliner with the Crunch. In 58 games he put up 3 goals and 18 assists, not far off from the 30 points he put up as a forward in his rookie season. Groshev’s top attribute is his skating. He’s a one-man breakout machine who has the ability to get the puck out of his zone before his opponents can catch their breath. He’s also not shy at joining the rush when he doesn’t have the puck, giving forwards another option down low to feed the puck. With a NHL-caliber shot, he can beat goaltenders clean. While there is no denying his offensive talent, there is still some work to do in the defensive end. There was improvement year-over-year, but there is still some issues when it comes to coverage in the zone and he often relies on his skating to overcome some positioning issues. That should improve with more reps as will his breakout passes. At times he forces plays that aren’t there, and while he doesn’t try to skate out every time he has the puck, he still tries to do it a little too often when the safe play might by flipping the puck out of the zone for a clear. The 24-year-old made his NHL debut last season while the Lightning defensive ranks were decimated with injuries, He was able to pick up an assist (ironically enough by flipping it out of the zone instead of carrying it out). Is there a chance he wins a spot on the Lightning roster in training camp? Well, there is always a chance, but it’s not likely. Tampa Bay’s defense is already pretty jammed at the NHL level so it will be tough for him to leap-frog the players already on the roster. That being said, he won’t be far down the call-up list if the injury bug strikes the blueline again. He’ll likely start the season in Syracuse on the top line generating power play minutes while working on his defensive skills. The fact that he signed a two-year extension early in the off-season is a good indication that the organization likes him and he wants to stay here. It will be a big season for Max Groshev, and despite the new deal, it’ll go a long way to determining his future with the Lightning. Expect him to see a lot of playing time in Syracuse, and while he might not be the best defenseman in the system, he might be the most exciting. Your Thoughts: His top ranking was fourth (11.6% of the votes had him in that spot) but after that he was all over the board. “The Bolts have some really solid prospects at forward who should turn into reliable NHL players, but the defense and goaltending prospects definitely lack quality outside of Groshev.” Highlight Videos: Mitchell Chaffee cashes in 💰 — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) Max Groshev is not here to mess around. He is here to shoot the puck. In this instance, it took him a moment to get his feet in the right spot, but once he did, Groshev snapped a nice, long-distance wrister that has some pace on it. Most importantly, he got it on net. Tic-Tac-Goal 🚨 — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) Groshev’s speed allows him to jump up on the rush and provide an extra body for defenders to have to deal with. How often do you see a team enter the zone four-wide? The fact that he is able to carry the puck in the zone pulled the defender out wide which left the Crunch with a three-on-one. A little bit of insurance from Chaffee! — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) The play started in the defensive zone where Groshev used his reach to knock the puck loose. Once the turnover happened, Groshev skated his way into the attack, slowing down just in time to cause a little unintentional intentional obstruction. OH. MY. MAX. GROSHEV. — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) This is quintessential Max Groshev. He pounced on the loose puck, built speed through his own zone, decked the first line of defense, and then snapped it past the goaltender with a NHL-quality shot. This is the dynamic he can bring to the Lightning if he can improve some of the defensive aspects of his game. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:17:44 GMT Justin G. https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57891437 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57891437 false false Tampa Bay Lightning depth battles for ice time as Conor Geekie and Scott Sabourin’s futures hang in the balance. Can Geekie’s AHL dominance earn him a regula... Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:15:05 GMT Locked On Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57889364 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57889364 false false For hockey fans of a certain age, Barry Melrose was quite literally the face of the NHL. Clad in bold suits, with his iconic long hair brushed back, he would provide exuberant commentary on ESPN and the newly-born ESPN2 on a nightly basis. A former player, coach, and broadcaster, the 70-year-old Melrose passed away on Wednesday. There was no mistaking the love he had for the game. While the broadcaster/analyst career might be the role he played for a few generations of fans, prior to that he had an 11-year playing career that spanned the WHA, NHL, and AHL. The former second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens played 300 games in the NHL with Winnipeg, Toronto, and Detroit before embarking on a coaching career that would culminate with a Stanley Cup appearance behind the bench for the Los Angeles Kings against the Montreal organization that had drafted him back in 1976. He would wrap up his career behind the bench in L.A. following the 1994-95 season and then head for the glamour of the TV studios for the next quarter-century. His time on the TV would be briefly interrupted in 2008, when he returned to coaching as the man in charge of the Tampa Bay Lightning. It wasn’t a long interruption, though. Melrose would be relieved of his duties in November, just five months and 16 games into his tenure. In hindsight, it was a perfect hire for that iteration of the Lightning. The chaos that was OK Hockey needed a media-friendly, recognizable face behind the bench promising a return to an attack-minded offense led by in-their-prime stars Vincent Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis as well as a young kid by the name of Steven Stamkos. And like everything else OK Hockey touched during their ruinous tenure in Tampa, it all fell apart. By all reports Melrose failed to connect with the team despite his reputation as a players’ coach. Reports of locker room tension arose early in the season and led to a few combative meetings between the coach and players. The fact that ownership constantly meddled into hockey affairs didn’t help, and the team’s lackluster 5-7-4 start led to assistant coach Rick Tocchet taking over the coaching duties. The defining quote of Melrose’s time with the Lightning was that Steven Stamkos “is not ready for the NHL”. We’ve already that he may have been right from a certain point of view, but the overwhelming sense of the time was that it Melrose who wasn’t ready to return to the NHL. As time wore on, it was water under the bridge, and one of the delightful outcomes of ESPN/Disney reacquiring NHL broadcast rights was the return of Melrose to regular coverage of hockey. His hair may have been a little grayer, but his love of the game remained. We didn’t always agree with his takes or analysis, but we always appreciated the joy he brought to intermissions and hockey segments on ESPN. He was a true ambassador of the game and will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:08:04 GMT Justin G. https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57886024 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57886024 false false Pat Maroon, Coach Chippy and Zac Bell lead their teams into the next chapter of The Big Rig Invitational as new faces join the competition. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 15:13:08 GMT https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57884455 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57884455 false false As we head into the 2026-27 NHL season, some Tampa Bay Lightning stars could hit new benchmarks and milestones worth celebrating. This is a non-exhaustive list; it’s a look at… Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:07:46 GMT Harrison Smajovits https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57882955 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57882955 false false A proven top-six forward rarely becomes available with no acquisition cost less than three weeks before the start of the NHL season, but that's the case w… Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:18:42 GMT Josh Wegman https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57879076 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57879076 false false Former player, coach, and broadcaster Barry Melrose has passed away at the age of 70. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:09:08 GMT Brian La Rose https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57879006 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57879006 false false Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:05:31 GMT Tampa Bay Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57877905 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57877905 false false Tampa Bay Lightning’s youth movement heats up as Maxim Groshev and Dylan Duke push for preseason breakthroughs. With veterans like Victor Hedman, Erik Karlss... Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:05:32 GMT Locked On Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57876294 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57876294 false false The Big Rig Invitational continues with some new additions to the group!This brand new golf series features 3x Stanley Cup Champion Pat Maroon, Coach Chippy,... Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:09:54 GMT Tampa Bay Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57873086 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57873086 false false The rivalry between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers has intensified in recent years. With last year’s preseason setting the stage for heated mat... Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:05:25 GMT Locked On Lightning https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57872220 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57872220 false false Ethan Gauthier had a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, first season with the Syracuse Crunch. Can he build on that and possibly make it to the NHL this season? Name Ethan Gauthier Position Winger Age (as of October 1, 2026) 21 Height/Weight 6’0″, 183 lbs. Expected 2026-27 Team Syracuse Crunch Draft – Year, Round 2023, 2nd (37) Previous Rankings 7 (), 5 (), 4 () JustinG. Ranking 8 Final Rank 9 Stats: Our Thoughts: For the fourth time in his tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, Ethan Gauthier has made it into the top ten of the prospect rankings. Unfortunately, for the third time, he’s slipped a little further down the list. Part of that might be prospect fatigue. It is also a sign that the Lightning have been able to add some pretty decent players to their talent pool since Gauthier was drafted in 2023. We’ve mentioned it rankings from previous seasons, but it felt like Gauthier was good enough to join Syracuse for the 2024-25 season, but the agreements at the time wouldn’t allow for it (we may have even floated the possibility of him starting that season in the NHL as a 19-year-old). So he returned to Drummondville and put up decent numbers (62 points in 50 games) but it put off his professional debut another season. In his first season with the Syracuse Crunch, the two-way forward put up a respectable 12 goals and 15 assists. The disappointment came in the fact that he only appeared in 56 games as he was in and out of the line-up throughout the first part of the season. What was nice to see was that he found his groove towards the end of the year, recording 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in his final 10 regular season games. This season he should have a chance to improve on those numbers as he should have a top-six role as well as a spot on the power play for the Crunch. If he can stay healthy and consistent, there is no reason he can’t be a 50-point guy at the AHL level. Along with the offense, he is an extremely solid defensive player. There isn’t much that is flashy about his game, but he does a lot of things really well. Gauthier has a solid wrist shot that can beat goaltenders from distance. He processes the game at a high level and has excellent vision on the ice. His skating has improved over the last few seasons, and while it might never be a strength, it’s getting to the point where it’s not going to be a hinderance to his game. Entering the second season of his entry-level deal, Gauthier could be an intriguing option for the Lightning throughout the season. He has a reasonable cap hit and is waivers-exempt. Should they need some help up front, he is the type of player that should be able to slide right into the line-up and give Tampa Bay some solid minutes. Some sexier names may have leap-frogged him on this list, but that doesn’t mean Gauthier’s ceiling as a prospect has dropped. He still projects out as a middle-six forward that can kill penalties and help on the power play (oh, yeah, he’s a right-shot as well). Your Thoughts: Highest rank was 5 with the bulk of votes spread between 6 and 13. It seems folks aren’t quite sure where to put the former second-round pick. No direct mentions of Gauthier in the comments. Highlight Videos: A PP goal right out the gate! — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) The nice thing about this play is that it probably shouldn’t have happened. The routine play would be for Gauthier to swing the pass back to the point (which he does later in the same game and it leads to another power play goal). Still, he managed to thread the pass through two defenders to put it right on his teammate’s stick. The awareness on this play is that he knows Spencer Kersten will be open in the slot once both defenders move towards Gauthier. The patience pays off 💰 — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) Another nice pass from an awkward position. The goaltender and defense have to respect the fact that he’s in a shooting position, but he saw Ethan Samson break into the slot and the pass it right on the money. Goals in back-to-back games for Gauts! — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) He recovered after a tough first touch and snapped a good hard shot to the far post through traffic. Gauthier has a NHL-level shot and the more he uses it, the more ice will be open for his passing. The boys are cooking 👨‍🍳 — Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) C’mon now. You have to enjoy this cheeky little pass. One thing you notice about Gauthier is that he doesn’t rush anything on the ice. He has the ability to stay calm and make plays even when caught up in a goal-mouth scramble. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:14:38 GMT Justin G. https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57870044 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57870044 false false Reigning Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov has only known a single NHL team in his NHL career, and he has become one of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s all-time great players. The future Hall of Famer is entering his 14th season with the club, but as things currently stand, he may not reach a 15th. The […] Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:08:59 GMT Ethan Hetu https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57869984 https://sportspyder.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/articles/57869984 false false