The Tampa Bay Lightning have room to sort out in their bottom six, and that makes a professional tryout a reasonable path to explore as training camp approaches.
One name that fits that idea is Adam Henrique.
The veteran forward is coming off a quiet season with the Edmonton Oilers, finishing with three goals and 15 points in 65 games. That kind of production would not jump off the page for any team looking to add offense, but it also comes on the heels of a much stronger year. In 2024-25, Henrique put up 12 goals and 27 points in 81 games for Edmonton.
Go back one season further, and the case gets even more interesting. Henrique posted 24 goals and 51 points in 82 games during the 2023-24 campaign, splitting time between the Anaheim Ducks and Oilers. That wasn’t long ago, which is why he could still be worth a look for Tampa Bay on a PTO.
If he were to come into camp and earn a contract, Henrique would offer more than just another name for the lineup. He could settle into a useful role in the Lightning’s bottom six and bring along a respected veteran presence for a group that includes younger players who could benefit from that kind of voice.
At 16 years in the NHL, Henrique has the kind of resume that makes a tryout easy to justify. For Tampa Bay, there would be no real downside in seeing whether he still has enough left to help.
In Other News...
Flyers Fans Can Already See The Debate Around This Scoring Gamble
Patrik Laines future is already drawing attention around the league, and Tampa Bay has quietly entered the conversation. Reports now list the Lightning among several teams, including Minnesota, the Rangers, Philadelphia and Toronto, that have shown interest in the winger for the 2026-27 season. For a club that has long valued scoring talent, the fit is easy enough to understand, even if the process remains very much in the early stages.
What makes Laine such an intriguing name is the structure that could come with him. Because of his injury history, he qualifies for a performance-based contract, which lowers the base cap hit and changes the calculus for teams trying to add offense without taking on too much risk. The Islanders were previously the only public link, and even that came through a professional tryout, so there is still a long way to go before this turns into anything more concrete. [Read more 🡒]