Understandably, he\u2019s in the AHL to start the season, but I thought he might have a shot given the lack of center depth. Some more experienced options had a good preseason, too.\u00a0The Lightning opted to lean on some of those options. <\/p>\n
He had a respectable performance in the preseason, tallying three assists for three points. He played clean defense and, apart from an off night, finished with a faceoff percentage of 57.1% or better in the other three games.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Expect him to be on the radar for an appearance in the NHL this season since he was vying for a spot to begin with. <\/p>\n
According to Elite Prospects, O\u2019Reilly is a two-way center who is also noted for his playmaking ability.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Benjamin Rautiainen, Center\/Left Wing<\/p>\n
He didn’t land a spot on the opening night roster, so he’s back in Finland for one more year to finish the final year of his contract with the team. <\/p>\n
Rautiainen is coming off a historic year with Tappara, being the first player since the 2007-08 season to finish with at least 70 points. His effort earned him multiple awards, and he took home the championship on top of it. <\/p>\n
He picked up a goal in his first game back in Finland, so he’s already back off to the races. <\/p>\n
Rautiainen won’t be in the conversation this year. He’s required to stay over once the decision has been made. On the bright side for him, the hype can keep building. <\/p>\n
Ethan Gauthier, Left\/Right Wing<\/p>\n
It feels like we\u2019ve been hearing about Gauthier for a while now. It\u2019s been over three years since the Lightning took him in the second round of the 2023 draft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This will be just his second full season in the AHL. He\u2019s going through a growth phase, tallying 27 points across 56 games with Syracuse, after averaging a point per game over his final three seasons in juniors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
However, he had a strong finish to the season with 18 of those points over his final 25 games. <\/p>\n
Could he see time in the NHL this year? Maybe, but we\u2019ll have to see what the needs are and if they think he\u2019s ready. Some other notable names are going to be ahead of him, including O\u2019Reilly, Dylan Duke and Jakob Pelletier. They\u2019re either guys who have NHL experience or simply closer to being ready for action.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to Elite Prospects, Gauthier is a two-way forward, a trait the Lightning have latched onto more in recent years. You can see why it\u2019s a common trait among all of these guys being listed here, including the third and final name.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jack Pridham, Right Wing<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not signed yet, but he\u2019s new to the prospect pool.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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