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Gage Goncalves, Tampa Bay Lightning (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Previewing the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2025 Offseason

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Jack Pallotta | Last updated May 6, 2025 11:29 AM ET

With the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s 2024-25 season coming to a close, the front office prepares for another summer of critical drafting, signing, and trading that can shape the organization for seasons to come. Believe it or not, some of the moves executed this summer can impact the Bolts for the next decade.

Despite an underwhelming five-game series against the Florida Panthers, Lightning fans should remain optimistic heading into the offseason. After all, this team wasn’t fully healthy, with Brandon Hagel and Oliver Bjorkstrand missing most of the series. With the NHL salary cap projected to rise each season for the next three years, the Lightning will finally gain some breathing room to make moves. Here’s a preview of the Lightning’s 2025 offseason ahead.

2025 NHL Draft

The Lightning don’t have their 2025 first-round pick from the Tanner Jeannot trade back in 2023, but they also surrendered their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for Bjorkstrand and Yanni Goude at the NHL Trade Deadline. Tampa Bay only has their second-round pick in the first three rounds of a weaker 2025 NHL Entry Draft. On an exciting note, the Bolts have four seventh-round draft picks to use in June, and they’re known to find those late gems, especially Ondrej Palat at 208th overall in 2011.

With seven total picks at the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, expect a quiet draft day from Tampa Bay this summer. Most of their focus will be on re-signing a few depth pieces and the free agent market with the salary cap rising.

Expiring Contracts

The Lightning are getting minimal cap space with deals coming off the books this summer. Most of their re-signings will be depth players. There are a few veterans with expiring deals for Tampa Bay. That includes Gourde (33), Luke Glendening (36), and Cam Atkinson (35). With Gourde’s love for Tampa Bay, a reunion between the two parties is likely. As for Glendening and Atkinson at the tail end of their careers, anticipate the Lightning to go younger in the bottom six for October. Jack Finley is a name that can turn heads. He appeared in one game during the regular season against the Boston Bruins. Another possibility is Dylan Duke, who played two games and scored his first NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings.

However, the most vital player expiring for Tampa Bay this summer is 24-year-old winger Gage Goncalves. The 2020 second-round pick turned his game up a few notches in the second half of the season, including a stellar playoff performance with four points in five games. A bridge deal for Goncalves seems like the best choice, and his new deal shouldn’t break the bank. He will be a valuable piece to the middle-six next season.

For the defensemen and goaltenders, only Nick Perbix and Jonas Johansson’s contracts expire this summer. Perbix is arguably the Lightning’s most polarizing player. With his $1.125 million cap hit expiring and the Lightning having six other NHL defensemen signed for next season, the promising puck-moving defenseman might hit the open market for a pay raise. One area the Lightning might look to splurge on is the backup goaltender. Johansson was decent at the league minimum salary, but the Bolts will probably look for an upgrade as a safety net for Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Free Agency

As for free agency, it’s way too early to tell, but don’t expect the Lightning to be in on any of the big UFAs. Given that Gourde returns to the Lightning lineup in the fall, they might target some fourth-line forwards. They might need a center replacement for Glendening unless they have Gourde fill that role. A few solid options for the Lightning are Kevin Labanc and Michael Carcone, depth players with an offensive touch that can drive play and have good underlying metrics. Both players would be bargains for Tampa Bay on the open market.

Closing Thoughts

As we move closer to free agency, the best targets for the Lightning will emerge once they handle the contracts within the organization. However, the Lightning’s best prospect, Isaac Howard, is unlikely to sign with the team. In other words, he’s a wildcard this summer as a potential trade chip for the Lightning to bolster the roster. Ideally, the defensive depth could use the most work. Although bounced in the first round to their state rival again, this Lightning core isn’t finished yet.