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Jack Finley, pictured with the Spokane Chiefs, was extended by the Lightning this offseason (Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs)

3 Lightning Prospects to Watch During 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Harrison Smajovits | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 4:10 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2025-26 regular season is approaching. This month, the preseason slate will get underway, giving us a better picture of how the roster and prospects could potentially shape up going forward.

With the season approaching, let’s look at three prospects who are worth keeping an eye on. They might not see action in the NHL this season, but they have stood out.

One rule I’m setting is that they have to be prospects who have played no more than one NHL game and also have zero NHL points, just to avoid discussing more well-known options, such as Conor Geekie.

I’m also skipping players who have gotten their own feature pieces, so Sam O’Reilly and Harrison Meneghin are sitting this one out, too.

Jack Finley, Forward

The Lightning’s 2020 second-round pick will be the team’s representative in the NHLPA’s Prospect Showcase on Sept. 3. The 23-year-old also received a three-year contract extension over the offseason, indicating he’s part of the long-term plan.

Finley has progressed in his offensive game in each of the three seasons he’s spent with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Syracuse Crunch. While it might not show in the counting stats, it shows in the per/game averages.

2022-23: 0.31 points per game
2023-24: 0.615 points per game
2024-25: 0.70 points per game

Long-term injuries have been an issue in the past. He missed the opening months of last season, and he only played in 40 AHL games. However, the Lightning’s desire to keep him around reveals their interest in his overall skillset, making him worth keeping an eye out for.

Of the three players being discussed, he’s the most likely to see significant action in the NHL this season.

Ethan Gauthier, Right Wing

20-year-old Ethan Gauthier is entering his first full season in the professional ranks. He played in three regular-season games and one Calder Cup Playoff game for Syracuse last season.

He’s been a prospect fans have been eyeing for some time, but his style of play is growing more significant for the Lightning. He’s a two-way forward, a type of player the Lightning have been stocking up on lately. Over the offseason, they acquired former first-round pick O’Reilly (who, again, was discussed in his own story) from the Edmonton Oilers in the Isaac Howard trade and drafted Ethan Czata with their second-round pick.

Both are considered to be two-way talents who could complement Anthony Cirelli, and eventually Gauthier as well, nicely in the future. Since he’s entering his first full AHL season, it’s unlikely we’ll see much or any of Gauthier in the NHL this season unless he pops off. However, keep an eye on how he does in the AHL.

Ryan Fanti, Goaltender

This is my chance to touch up on another goalie prospect, since Meneghin’s run in the Memorial Cup got him a shoutout already.

Fanti is another former member of the Oilers system who was signed by the Lightning ahead of last season. The 25-year-old netminder from Thunder Bay reached new heights in his first season in the Lightning’s system; after posting a .907 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.75 goalie against average (GAA) with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears in 37 regular-season games, he popped off in a short stint with Syracuse and during the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Playoffs.

During his seven games with the Crunch, he had .946 SV% and a 1.45 GAA. Come the Kelly Cup Playoffs, he had a .935 SV% and a 2.07 GAA. I’m not sure if we’ll see him in the NHL this season, but he was re-signed over the offseason. The Lightning wanted him to stick around, and maybe he could become a quality backup to Andrei Vasilevskiy one day.

Naturally, there are more than three prospects who could potentially stand out this season. This trio stands out but might not get their own feature story just yet. In time, as they stand out more, they’ll be circled back to in further depth.