Lightning sign Jakob Pelletier to three-year contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning worked late into the night on the first day of NHL Free Agency, reaching a three-year contract with 24-year-old winger Jakob Pelletier, securing him through the end of the 2027-28 season. 

According to TVA Sports reporter Renaud Lavoie, the deal begins at $775,000 in the first season as a two-way contract, before turning into a one-way contract for $850,000 in the second year and $900,000 in the third year. 

Pelletier only became available to sign late in the process, after he did not receive a qualifying offer from the Philadelphia Flyers, with whom he had joined midseason from the Calgary Flames alongside Andrei Kuzmenko and a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. However, he scored only three goals and eight points in 25 appearances.

Split between the Flames and Flyers, the five-foot-nine winger played in 49 games in 2024-25 and collected seven goals and 19 points, bringing his NHL total to 11 goals and 29 points in 86 regular-season games. 

Initially drafted No. 26 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Flames, Pelletier waited until 2021-22 for his professional debut, starting with the Calgary Wranglers, before playing 24 games in his first NHL season with the Flames in 2022-23, where he scored three goals and seven points. 

However, Pelletier only began to carve out a consistent NHL role in 2024-25, when he split his talents over two organizations.

Before his pro career, the native of Québec City played four seasons in the QMJHL, starting with three years with the Moncton Wildcats, before moving to the Val d’Or Foreurs for his final junior season in 2020-21. He wrapped up his junior career scoring 275 points over just 210 games. 

Now, he joins a Lightning team looking to remain near the top of the Atlantic Division, after posting a 47-27-8 record for 102 points, and second place behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25.