Lightning's Ethan Czata: Racks up three points in loss
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Czata scored twice on three shots and added an assist in OHL Niagara's 7-4 loss to Brantford on Thursday.
Playing against his hometown team, Czata had an impressive showing despite the loss. The 18-year-old center has eight goals and three assists over six games this season, which is an improved scoring touch, though he's done it on just 16 shots. Czata is a second-round pick (2025) of the Lightning and signed his entry-level deal in July after a 55-point effort over 68 regular-season games in 2024-25. Despite his recent scoring success, he's viewed as more of a checking-line option if he makes the NHL.
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Lightning's Darren Raddysh: Earns two assists in opener
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Raddysh provided two assists, two shots on goal and three hits in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators.
Raddysh helped out on goals by Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov at even strength. The 29-year-old Raddysh was listed on the top pairing alongside Victor Hedman, but he saw just 17:33 of ice time, lowest among the Lightning's blueliners. There's often some mixing and matching during games, with Raddysh's offense as the thing that makes him stick in a top-four role. He could slip down the lineup once J.J. Moser (suspension) returns to action Monday in Boston.
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Lightning's Victor Hedman: Offers two assists in loss
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Hedman notched two assists and three blocked shots in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators.
Hedman missed the last four games of the preseason due to an undisclosed injury. He looked no worse for wear Thursday, logging 23:49 of ice time to lead the Lightning. The 34-year-old defenseman is still among the premium scorers from the blue line in the NHL. He had 66 points in 79 regular-season outings a year ago and figures to have plenty of offense left in him for 2025-26.
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Lightning's Jake Guentzel: Collects two helpers
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Guentzel logged two assists, two shots on goal and a minus-2 rating in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators.
Guentzel helped out on goals by Oliver Bjorkstrand and Brayden Point just 1:25 apart in the first period. While Nikita Kucherov is the headliner of the Lightning offense, Guentzel is more than capable of a point-per-game season himself. He did that in 2024-25 with 41 goals and 39 helpers over 80 regular-season outings while cementing himself on the top line. The 31-year-old winger will also look to replicate his power-play production -- he earned 28 of his 80 points last year with the man advantage. Fantasy managers who took Guentzel with an early-round pick made a safe choice, though he's had a handful of injury-plagued seasons in his career.
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Lightning's Oliver Bjorkstrand: Sleeper season may be on tap
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Bjorkstrand (lower body) scored a power-play goal in a 5-4 loss to Ottawa on Saturday.
It came on an easy chip from the slot off a pass by Jake Guentzel. Bjorkstrand has alternated seasons of high 50s scoring with mid 40s over his last four years (57, 45, 59, 46), and this season is set to be the former. Bjorkstrand is deployed on a scoring line in Tampa, so that high-50s total is well within reach. He's a sneaky play; check your wire, as he may not have been drafted.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Keeps things close in loss
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Vasilevskiy made 29 saves in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Senators. He allowed four goals.
Dylan Cozens and Artem Zub each beat him once, and Shane Pinto scored two against him. The game was tied until the 18:13 mark of the third. Vasilevskiy is a fantasy stud. His team played a bit loose and let a 3-1 lead slip away. That won't happen often.
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Lightning's Nikita Kucherov: Double snipe night
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Kucherov scored twice Thursday in a 5-4 loss to Ottawa.
His first came on the power play in the first period; his second deflected in off a Sens defender with 13 seconds left in the game. Kucherov is four points away (996) from 1,000 in his NHL career (359 goals, 637 assists).
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Lightning's Brayden Point: Rip-roaring start to season
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Point had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 loss to Ottawa on Thursday.
Point put the Bolts up 2-0 at the 7:00 mark of the first with a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Linus Ullmark to the far post. Both assists came on the power play. The 29-year-old pivot has put up 139 goals and 128 assists over the last three seasons (240 games), and there's no reason to think he won't replicate that high-level production heading into 2025-26.
Cernak (undisclosed) will play Thursday versus the Senators, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Cernak missed some time late in the preseason due to his injury. The 28-year-old is set to serve as a shutdown defenseman on the Lightning's second pairing. His heavy playing style can be useful in deeper fantasy formats, but he is injury prone because of it.
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Lightning's Brandon Hagel: Set to play Thursday
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Hagel (undisclosed) is good to play against Ottawa on Thursday, per Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site.
Hagel suffered the injury during a preseason game against the Panthers on Oct. 2. He had 35 goals and 90 points in 82 regular-season outings with Tampa Bay in 2024-25. Hagel is projected to play alongside Anthony Cirelli and Gage Goncalves versus the Senators.
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Lightning's Victor Hedman: Ready to rock
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Hedman (undisclosed) will be in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Senators, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Hedman was bothered by an injury late in the preseason, which cost him four games. The 34-year-old was clearly just making sure to be ready for the regular season, and he'll resume his usual role as the Lightning's top overall defenseman.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Tending twine against Ottawa
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Vasilevskiy was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site signaling that he'll draw the Opening Night start at home against the Senators.
Vasilevskiy dealt with an undisclosed injury for most of training camp, but he suited up in Tampa Bay's preseason finale against Florida on Saturday and will unsurprisingly draw the start in Thursday's regular-season opener. He made 63 regular-season appearances last year, going 38-20-5 with a 2.18 GAA and .921 save percentage, and he should remain one of the league's top netminders during the 2025-26 campaign.
Moser will serve a two-game suspension for boarding, the Department of Player Safety announced Monday.
Moser joins teammate Scott Sabourin, who was hit with a four-game ban for his actions in Saturday's preseason contest, on the NHL's suspended list to open the season. With Moser unavailable, Emil Lilleberg and Max Crozier figure to be in the lineup, while Declan Carlile could be recalled from AHL Syracuse. In 54 regular-season games last year, the 25-year-old Moser notched two goals on 48 shots, 12 assists and 34 hits while averaging 18:51 of ice time.
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Lightning's Dominic James: Sent to minors
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James (undisclosed) was assigned to AHL Syracuse on Monday.
James has recovered from an injury he sustained during training camp and will start the 2025-26 campaign in the minors. The 23-year-old forward had 14 goals and 30 points in 35 NCAA appearances for the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2024-25.
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Lightning's Zemgus Girgensons: Surfaces on IR
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Girgensons (undisclosed) was moved to injured reserve Monday.
Girgensons will miss at least the first two games of the 2025-26 campaign after landing on the IR list. However, it is unclear when he will be available to return to the lineup. He had two goals, four assists, 83 shots on net, 50 blocked shots and 174 hits across 82 regular-season outings in 2024-25.
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Lightning's Niko Huuhtanen: Hits injured non-roster list
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Huuhtanen (undisclosed) was put on the injured non-roster list Monday.
Huuhtanen will likely head to AHL Syracuse once he's ready to return to action. He had eight goals and 20 points in 51 regular-season appearances with Tampa Bay's top minor-league affiliate in 2024-25.
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Lightning's Nick Paul: Put on LTIR
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Paul (upper body) was placed on long-term injured reserve Monday.
Paul won't be available to return from offseason surgery until early November. He accounted for 22 goals, 41 points, 141 shots on net and 66 hits across 76 regular-season appearances in 2024-25. Once he's healthy, he will be in the mix for a middle-six role and could see time on the second power-play unit.
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