The Lightning are going to have to make do without Brayden Point for a while, and the first move is already in place. Tampa Bay has placed Point on injured reserve and brought up center Sam O’Reilly from AHL Syracuse, according to Lightning Insider.
O’Reilly was already on the ice with the club at Tuesday morning’s practice, while Point was absent. No additional details were available.
Point’s absence lands at a frustrating time for Tampa Bay. He had missed 19 games last season, and he’d been heating up again lately.
Over his last 10 games, he put up 13 points after managing just three in his first six. Four of those points came on the power play, which makes his absence especially notable for a special teams group that now has to adjust on the fly.
For O’Reilly, this is a chance to step into a much bigger spotlight. The 2024 first-round pick arrived in the Lightning organization in July 2025 as part of the trade that sent Isaac Howard to the Edmonton Oilers after the team couldn’t work out an entry-level contract with him.
O’Reilly has quickly become one of the more intriguing names in the system. He comes with plenty of junior pedigree, too: he’s a two-time Memorial Cup champion and won the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s MVP earlier this year.
At the AHL level, he has two goals and two assists for four points in 12 games. That’s a solid start as he adjusts to a new level, and now he’s getting his first real taste of NHL life. Tampa Bay Times reporter Eduardo Encina noted that O’Reilly is getting reps on the first-team power play in practice, which suggests the Lightning are looking for more than just a temporary fill-in.
In Other News...
Lightning Fans Should Keep A Close Eye On Syracuse Right Now
The Syracuse Crunch took a pair of losses in Week 6, dropping 5-2 to the Utica Comets before falling 3-2 in overtime against the Hartford Wolf Pack, and the results are worth watching closely for Tampa Bay fans. Syracuse has been a key development stop for the Lightning, and the Crunch still have some important dates ahead, including Military Appreciation Night plus upcoming games against Laval, Toronto and Utica.
One bright spot has been the play of Jakob Pelletier, who has given Syracuse some needed offense during the skid. The Crunch are still trying to find more consistency as the season settles in, and the roster picture has already shifted with rookie forward Sam O'Reilly back with Tampa Bay after appearing in 12 games for Syracuse this year. [Read more 🡒]
Leafs Suddenly Have A Bigger Problem Than Their Recent Slide
The Maple Leafs recent slide has already put some pressure on the room, but the injury report only deepened the concern heading into the next game. Toronto said forward Colton Sissons is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury, while defenseman Morgan Rielly is day-to-day, and winger Kirill Marchenko is still week-to-week with the same issue. It is the kind of update that forces a team to adjust quickly, especially when it is already trying to steady itself in the standings.
Toronto also made a roster move to help patch things together, recalling forward Ryan Tverberg from the AHL and sending Vinni Lettieri back down. With Sergei Bobrovsky slated to start in net for the upcoming game, the Leafs will be looking for answers in a hurry, and the bigger concern now is not just the slump itself but how long the lineup can hold up while key pieces are unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Suddenly Need A Lot From Sam OReilly
The Lightning have turned to a familiar kind of midseason pressure test, recalling prospect Sam OReilly from AHL Syracuse as they try to patch together the middle of their lineup. OReilly, who came over from Edmonton in a trade and is in the first year of his entry-level contract, has been getting his first real look at what life could become in Tampa Bay, and the timing could hardly be more demanding.
The move comes as the Lightning search for answers down the middle and look to a young player with little NHL experience to help steady things. OReillys next step is expected to be his debut, and the organization is suddenly asking a lot from a player who was still building his pro resume in the minors not long ago. [Read more 🡒]