By Tampa Bay Lightning Top Five Prospects: Who Could Make an Impact in 2026-27?
TAMPA — For years, the Tampa Bay Lightning operated with one of the NHL’s thinner prospect pools, a consequence of trading draft choices and young players while chasing Stanley Cups.
That picture is beginning to change.
The Lightning enter the 2026-27 season with several legitimate NHL prospects, including a couple who could force their way onto the Lightning roster sooner rather than later.
Here is a look at the top five prospects in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization right now, where they played in 2025-26, how they performed, and their chances of seeing NHL action this season.
1. Sam O’Reilly, C
2025-26 team: London Knights/Kitchener Rangers, OHL. Regular season: 56 games, 29 goals, 42 assists, 71 points. Drafted: No. 32 overall, 2024, by Edmonton. Acquired by Tampa Bay: July 2025
No Lightning prospect improved his stock more last season than Sam O’Reilly.
The 20-year-old put together a remarkable final junior season, winning the OHL’s Red Tilson Trophy as its most outstanding player before adding playoff MVP and Memorial Cup MVP honors. He finished the OHL playoffs with 17 goals and 28 points in 18 games.
O’Reilly’s value extends well beyond his scoring.
He’s a responsible 200-foot center who competes for pucks, understands positioning, and has shown an ability to perform when the games matter most.
Lightning director of player development J.P. Cote specifically praised O’Reilly’s big-game mentality.
“Some players just elevate their game, and you take note of those things,” Cote said.
The biggest remaining question is whether O’Reilly’s skating is ready for NHL speed. Tampa Bay has been working with him in that area, and Cote said the Lightning have seen significant improvement.
Chance of making Lightning roster: Good
O’Reilly will get every opportunity during training camp. Syracuse remains a logical starting point because Tampa Bay traditionally avoids rushing young players, but he is advanced enough defensively that he could force the Lightning into a difficult decision.
Even if O’Reilly doesn’t break camp with Tampa Bay, don’t be surprised if he makes his NHL debut sometime during the season.
2. Benjamin Rautiainen, F
2025-26 team: Tappara, Finnish Liiga. Regular season: 59 games, 25 goals, 52 assists, 77 points. Drafted: No. 108 overall, 2025
Benjamin Rautiainen might be the most intriguing player in Tampa Bay’s entire pipeline.
All he did last season was lead Finland’s top professional league in scoring.
Rautiainen produced 77 points in 59 games, becoming the first Liiga player since 2007-08 to surpass 70 points.
His 77 points also established a Tappara single-season scoring record, and he received the Lasse Oksanen Award as the league’s top regular-season player.
That’s impressive because Rautiainen wasn’t dominating teenagers in junior hockey. He was producing against experienced professional players.
The Lightning rewarded him in May with a three-year entry-level contract.
Rautiainen has the offensive instincts many players in the Lightning system have lacked in recent years.
He sees the ice extremely well, creates opportunities for teammates, and has enough scoring ability to make defenses respect his shot.
Chance of making Lightning roster: Good
Rautiainen is one of the names to circle when training camp begins. He has already shown he can produce against professionals, though adjusting from the larger European ice surface to the NHL game will be a big change.
If his offensive creativity translates immediately, he has a legitimate chance to earn a spot.
3. Conor Geekie, C/LW
2025-26 team: Syracuse Crunch/Tampa Bay Lightning AHL: 57 games, 17 goals, 42 assists, 59 points NHL: 14 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points Drafted: No. 11 overall, 2022, by Arizona
It almost seems strange to continue calling Geekie a prospect because Lightning fans have already seen him in Tampa Bay.
But the 22-year-old remains one of the organization’s most important young players.
Geekie took a major step offensively with Syracuse last season, recording 59 points in 57 games and earning a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic.
At 6-foot-4 and more than 200 pounds, Geekie brings something different from many of Tampa Bay’s skilled forwards. He has size, reach, and offensive ability, and his production in Syracuse suggests his game is maturing.
The challenge is translating that success and being more consistent in the NHL.
Chance of making Lightning roster: Very good
Of the players on this list, Geekie may have the clearest path to Tampa Bay.
He already has NHL experience and has demonstrated that there isn’t much left for him to prove offensively in Syracuse.
This training camp could be about more than simply making the roster; it could be about establishing where he belongs in Cooper’s lineup.
4. Jack Pridham, RW
2025-26 team: Kitchener Rangers, OHL. Regular season: 65 games, 46 goals, 44 assists, 90 points. Drafted: No. 92 overall, 2024, by Chicago. Acquired by Tampa Bay: June 2026
Pridham is one of the newest additions to the Lightning prospect pool and immediately became one of its most interesting offensive players.
Tampa Bay acquired his rights from Chicago in June for a 2027 third-round pick.
Pridham scored 46 goals and 90 points in 65 games, finishing second in the OHL in goals and fifth in points. He followed that with 17 points in 18 OHL playoff games before exploding for five goals and nine points during Kitchener’s Memorial Cup championship run.
He’s a right-handed winger with speed, hockey sense and scoring ability, all attributes the Lightning would love to add to their NHL lineup.
Chance of making the Lightning roster: Zero this season
Pridham is headed to the University of Denver for the 2026-27 season, where he will continue his development with the defending national champions.
He is more likely part of Tampa Bay’s 2027-28 picture than its immediate roster plans.
5. Jayson Shaugabay, F
2025-26 team: Minnesota Duluth, NCAA Regular season: 40 games, 11 goals, 32 assists, 43 points. Drafted: No. 115 overall, 2023
Shaugabay has developed into one of Tampa Bay’s more promising offensive prospects.
After recording 26 points as a freshman, he jumped to 43 points in 40 games last season. His 32 assists ranked fifth nationally.
Shaugabay is an intelligent offensive player who excels with the puck and can create scoring opportunities, not just finish them.
Former Minnesota Duluth teammate and current Lightning forward Dominic James offered an interesting assessment of Shaugabay’s offensive ability.
“Whenever he has the puck, he’s controlling the game,” James told TampaBayLightning.com.
“There’s not a single play that Shaugabay can’t see or make.”
That’s strong praise from someone who recently made the same transition from Minnesota Duluth to Tampa Bay.
Chance of making the Lightning roster: Very low this season.
Shaugabay is expected to return to Minnesota Duluth, making this another development year.
But if his upward trajectory continues, he could become a serious NHL option down the road.
The Lightning’s Prospect Pool Is Finally Replenished
For an organization that spent much of the past decade sacrificing future assets to keep a championship window open, Tampa Bay suddenly has some legitimate young talent knocking on the door.
The most fascinating battles this fall should involve Geekie, O’Reilly and Rautiainen.
Geekie is the most NHL-ready. O’Reilly may be the organization’s best all-around prospect.
Rautiainen might possess the highest offensive ceiling.
Behind them, Pridham and Shaugabay are adding more skill as they develop in the NCAA.
And there are more names worth watching — including 2026 second-round selection Oleg Kulebiakin, 2025 second-rounder Ethan Czata, defenseman Jan Golicic and goaltender Harrison Meneghin.
For a Lightning organization that has spent years trying to squeeze every possible season out of its veteran core, the next wave is becoming visible.
The question this fall isn’t simply whether Tampa Bay has prospects.
It’s which one will be the next to force his way into the Lightning lineup?
SEO Title: Tampa Bay Lightning Top 5 Prospects Entering the 2026-27 NHL Season
Meta Description: A look at the Tampa Bay Lightning’s top five prospects entering 2026-27, including Sam O’Reilly, Benjamin Rautiainen, and Conor Geekie, their 2025-26 stats and chances of making the NHL roster.
Suggested URL Slug: tampa-bay-lightning-top-five-prospects-2026
Primary SEO Keyword: Tampa Bay Lightning top prospects
Secondary Keywords: Lightning prospects 2026, Sam O’Reilly Lightning, Benjamin Rautiainen Lightning, Conor Geekie Lightning, Tampa Bay Lightning roster
