Dominic James didn’t need a long apprenticeship in Syracuse to make his mark with the Lightning. After signing with Tampa Bay in early fall, the forward was supposed to get a look in the AHL first. Instead, injuries created an opening, James grabbed it, and he never gave the team a reason to send him back down.
That’s why he lands at No. 2 in the Lightning’s Top 20 Under 25. At 24 years old on October 1, 2026, the 6-foot, 190-pound forward is expected to be on Tampa Bay’s roster again in 2026-27 after being drafted by Chicago in the sixth round in 2022. He was not ranked previously because he signed after the voting had already been completed, but this time around he surged near the top of the list, finishing with a 3 from JustinG and taking the final No. 2 spot.
What stood out most in James’ rookie year was how quickly he looked like he belonged. The season included a Game Seven goal, and the rookie’s speed gave Tampa Bay something it had been missing.
NHL Edge data had him in the 97th percentile with a max speed burst of 23.71, plus the 96th percentile with 19 bursts of at least 22 MPH. That kind of explosiveness changes how a shift feels.
It creates breakaways, rush chances, and the kind of offensive chaos that forces defenses to turn and chase.
But James wasn’t just flying up the ice for the sake of it. His ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive end made him especially valuable.
According to All Three Zones, he had the strongest zone-exit numbers on the Lightning last season, even though most of his work came on the third or fourth line. He also led Tampa Bay in puck-carry exits from the defensive zone, which let his linemates get moving without waiting on a pass and made defenders account for his options on every rush.
Once he got into the offensive zone, the damage often followed. Among Lightning players, only Brandon Hagel produced more entries that led to scoring chances than James. His shot plays off the rush, but he also showed a willingness to drive the net, look for rebounds, and battle for deflections.
Injuries were the one real interruption. James missed time after taking a puck to the face and later missed the end of the regular season after surgery on his leg. He still returned for the playoffs, shook off the rust, and was one of Tampa Bay’s best players against the Canadiens.
There’s more to his game than speed and straight-line attack, too. James is willing to work the boards, help create turnovers, and keep the cycle alive in the offensive zone. He also has a knack for drawing penalties, another useful edge for a forward trying to carve out a bigger role.
He should begin this season in the bottom six, especially with Yanni Gourde out to start the year. Even so, there’s a path for him to climb.
A hand injury from summer workouts has slowed him a bit early, but once he gets back to full speed, a look alongside Hagel and Anthony Cirelli isn’t out of the question. That trio was used only 7:04 together last season, but it controlled play with a 10-5 edge in shot attempts and a 6-3 advantage in scoring chances.
The big question now is health. James is in the final season of his two-year, entry-level deal with a cap hit of $910,000, and with arbitration rights he could be in line for a meaningful raise if he builds on what he showed last season.
The voting reflected how fast he has changed people’s minds. James received 32.6% of his votes in the No. 1 slot, the second-most first-place votes in the group, and the rest of the ballots kept him inside the top seven. Several voters clearly see the same thing the Lightning saw: a player who already looks like an NHL regular, with more room to grow.
“James is already an NHL player with a middle 6 career likely.”
“James I believe has more to show us I believe. I like what we saw from him in his rookie season.”
“James was top cause already has Coops trust something Geekie hasn’t earned.”
“Dominic James 1”
“James is already an NHL player.”
“Dominic James has solidified himself as an NHLer, but I think O’Reilly is/will be far better.”
“James came out of nowhere for me last year, and I knew he was a touted prospect, I never expected him to flourish and contribute quite so quickly. I believe he too has a chance at pushing his stock up.”
“I ranked James so high because he has proven to be an NHL’er at this point, he just needs to find and solidify his place.”
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