Lightning Recall Dominic James

The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forward Dominic James. This move comes five days after James was assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, following his recovery from a hand injury sustained in the preseason. He has since appeared in two games with Syracuse, marked by no scoring and two penalty minutes.

James returns to the big club after getting his legs under him with a pair of AHL matchups. He spent the majority of his first professional season in the Tampa Bay lineup last year. The rookie James closed the season with 15 points in 43 NHL games and five points in four AHL games. More importantly, he carved out an impactful role among a Lightning bottom-six with multiple players fighting for minutes. In that crowd, James’ speed and tenacity helped him stand out. He notched 58 hits and a 50.4 faceoff percentage on 276 faceoffs, in addition to his scoring.

The Bolts will be eager to work James’ potential back into the lineup. He should slot in neatly next to Conor Geekie and Jeffrey Viel on the team’s fourth-line, rotating with Geekie on faceoffs. That lineup hole was left open in Tampa Bay’s last matchup against the New York Rangers, when the team opted to ice seven defensemen. With a two-game home stand coming up, Tampa Bay has opted for a bit more depth at the forward position. James will join Scott Sabourin as the Lightning’s extra forwards, vying for a lineup spot, headed into Thursday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.