Tampa Bay Lightning: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Is Tampa Bay Nearing an Ultimatum Scenario With Nikita Kucherov?

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Nikita Kucherov still don’t have a contract extension done, and Elliotte Friedman thinks the clock may matter more than it seems.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Nikita Kucherov Ranked as NHL's Third Best Player as Contract Negotiations Stall

The Tampa Bay Lightning return to the ice this week and the NHL Network has finished their rankings of the top-50 players in the National Hockey League.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Tampa Bay Lightning On SI / September 27

Tampa Bay Lightning Power Play Must Have a Bounce Back Year

The best teams in the National Hockey League often have one thing in common. Their special teams is amongst the top in the NHL. When they have a man advantage, they get the job done, when they are down a man, they don't let the puck in the net.

San Jose Sharks News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The ''EA NHL,'' covers since 2000' quiz

How many of the players to grace the cover of each EA NHL video game going back to 'NHL 2000?"

The 'First-overall NHL Draft picks' quiz

The 'Conn Smythe Trophy winners' quiz

The 'Most NHL goals all-time' quiz

NHL News / NHL Trade Talk / September 25

Senators Acquire Goaltender Jonas Johansson from Lightning

The Ottawa Senators have acquired goaltender Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for future considerations, both clubs announced. Tampa Bay general manager Julien Brisebois confirmed the move.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The best and worst NHL free agency deals since 2000

The NHL has had an interesting new millennium. It was a league sans a salary cap when the 2000s started… and then the owners locked the players out for an entire season.

Jonas Johansson News / Daily Faceoff / September 25

Senators acquire Jonas Johansson from Lightning

The Ottawa Senators filled a newly created need on Friday night when they swung a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning to acquire goalie Jonas Johansson in exchange for future considerations.

Jonas Johansson News / Pro Hockey Rumors / September 25

Lightning Trade Jonas Johansson To Senators

The Lightning have traded goaltender Jonas Johansson to the Senators in exchange for future considerations. The move ends a months-long effort by Tampa Bay to find Johansson a new home.

NHL News / Yardbarker / September 25

Four NHL teams under most pressure to win the Stanley Cup this season

Let's take a look at four NHL teams that are going to be facing the most pressure to win during the 2026-27 season.

Mark Messier torches Oilers for controversial Mike Babcock hiring

Zach Hyman invites Messier to visit Oilers after Babcock comments

Sharks name Macklin Celebrini 14th captain in franchise history

Is the NHL cooling down on expansion a good thing?

Five NHL rookies who have stood out the most during 2026-27 preseason

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Tampa Bay Lightning On SI / September 24

The Tampa Bay Lightning Lineup for Preseason Game 3 vs. Florida

In Tampa's third game of the preseason, they will take on their rival Florida Panthers. The two teams have ruled the National Hockey League for the better part of this decade and look to continue this chapter of their storied rivalry.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Tampa Bay Lightning On SI / September 23

Tampa Bay Lightning Look to Have Found Their Backup Goalie

In the National Hockey League, your starting goalie doesn't play all 82 games (84 now), it would be impossible. Typically they get time off and the nights where the backup goalies are in become uber important for the offense and defense to make sure you don't drop a game without your top goalie.

NHL News / Yardbarker

The defining figure for every NHL franchise

People will talk about the “Mount Rushmore” for a franchise, which is to say the four people, usually four players, that most define the franchise. Not always the four-best players, but the four that evoke the essence of the franchise.

Nikita Kucherov News / Trade Talk Sports / September 23

Insider Connects Nikita Kucherov to Montreal Amid Contract Uncertainty

It’s often very loud when a superstar in the NHL is heading into the final year of their contract with the potential to hit free agency at season’s end, yet that hasn’t necessarily been the case thus far with Nikita Kucherov.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / The Hockey Writers / September 23

3 Takeaways From Lightning’s First 2 Preseason Games

The Tampa Bay Lightning have their preseason underway, getting loosened up for when the games actually matter in a little over a week. So far, two games are in the books, splitting a home and away preseason series against the Nashville Predators.

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '100-receiving-yard playoff debuts' quiz

The 'Multiple 30/30 MLB seasons' quiz

The 'Active NFL catch leaders' quiz

The '4K-yard, 30-TD NFL seasons' quiz

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Daily Faceoff / September 21

2026-27 NHL team preview: Tampa Bay Lightning

As long as the current core exists, the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s expectations every season is Stanley Cup or bust. But after three consecutive first-round exits and minimal changes in the offseason, there was plenty of concern they were finally over the hill.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Tampa Bay Lightning On SI / September 20

Tampa Bay Lightning Finally Return to the Ice Against Predators

After a long summer, the Tampa Bay Lightning finally return to the ice for a contest against the Nashville Predators. The Lightning begin this season looking

Kyle Konin News / Daily Faceoff / September 18

Kyle Konin to serve as Lightning’s EBUG for 2026-27

A somewhat familiar face might have a more significant role this year. According to Lightning Insider Erik Erlendsson, Kyle Konin is reportedly set to be the Tampa Bay Lightning’s emergency backup goaltender for the 2026-27 season.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / Tampa Bay Lightning On SI / September 17

Tampa Bay Lightning 2026-27 Position Preview: The Forwards

The Tampa Bay Lightning enter the 2026-27 NHL season hoping to put their fourth consecutive first-round playoff exit behind them. After finishing the regular season with 106 points, the Lightning lost an excruciating seven game series in the opening round of the playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens.

Nikita Kucherov News / The Hockey Writers / September 17

Why Haven’t the Lightning Signed Nikita Kucherov to an Extension?

The Tampa Bay Lightning have found themselves in an all-too-familiar spot. It’s not quite the same, but being a season out from a star player becoming a free agent is a bridge they’ve arrived at before.

Yanni Gourde News / Pro Hockey Rumors / September 16

Lightning’s Yanni Gourde Out Until December Following Hip Surgery

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without a key bottom-six forward through the first chunk of the 2026-27 season. In his press conference before training camp, General Manager Julien BriseBois announced (via beat writer Benjamin Pierce) that forward Yanni Gourde will be out until December after offseason hip surgery.

Tampa Bay Lightning News / The Hockey Writers / September 13

4 Players to Watch in Lightning Prospect Showcase Games

The Tampa Bay Lightning‘s 2026-27 season is slowly approaching. Before the preseason can officially get underway, their prospects will get a chance to shine.

Wyatt McLeod News / Inside The Rink / September 11

ECHL: Wyatt McLeod Goes To Reading in Three-Team Deal

The Reading Royals, Toledo Walleye, and Trois-Riviéres Lions pulled off a three-team deal on Friday that included three players. In the trade, Toledo gets defenseman Carter Schade from Reading, Trois-Rivières gets forward Nathaël Roy, and the Royals get the rights to defenseman Wyatt McLeod.

Wayne Gretzky News / Yardbarker / September 9