As the 2025-26 NHL season approaches, the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves in a familiar position: navigating the complexities of the salary cap while aiming to remain competitive. A key aspect of their planning involves several prominent players entering the final year of their contracts. These pending free agents could significantly impact the team's future, making the upcoming season crucial for both the players and the organization.
One of the most notable names on this list is Ryan McDonagh. After moving back and forth between Tampa Bay and Nashville, McDonagh is still under the same contract he signed with the Lightning in July 2018. The Lightning were happy to have him back last season, and McDonagh seemed happy to be back as well. Many would like to see him finish his career in a Lightning sweater. According to Eduard Encina of the Tampa Bay Times, Julien BriseBois has communicated with McDonagh that they will likely discuss an extension after the season.
Oliver Bjorkstrand also barely qualifies for this list. He came in at the trade deadline from the Seattle Kraken with Yanni Gourde. Because he was more than just a rental and is expected to return and be healthy this season, he makes the list.
The Lightning's management faces the challenge of evaluating these players' performances throughout the 2025-26 season to determine their future value to the team. Several factors will influence these decisions, including player performance, potential salary demands, and the overall salary cap situation.
Finding a way to keep these guys while still having cap space to add in 2026-27 would be huge for the Lightning. For once, they'd be hanging onto additions, or re-additions, long-term as opposed to having to scrape the bottom of the barrel for exclusively cap-constrained options. At the very least, a success would be hanging onto three of them. Whether they can or want to will be decided by how the season and discussions play out.
The Lightning have been actively making other moves to shape their roster for the upcoming season and beyond. They signed forward Ethan Czata to a three-year, entry-level contract. Czata, drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft, recorded 21 goals and 55 points in 68 regular-season games with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season. The Lightning also signed forward Scott Sabourin to a one-year contract. Additionally, they acquired forward Sam O'Reilly from the Edmonton Oilers. The Lightning also signed Jakob Pelletier to a three-year contract.
These additions and potential departures highlight the constant roster management required in the NHL. The Lightning will aim to strike a balance between retaining key veterans and infusing the team with new talent. The performance of the players on expiring contracts will be a significant factor in determining the team's success in the 2025-26 season and its long-term competitiveness.
