The Tampa Bay Lightning added six players to their prospect pool on the second day of the 2026 NHL Draft, but the bigger story now shifts to what comes next. With the draft in the books, Tampa Bay is turning its attention to free agency, and general manager Julien BriseBois made it clear Saturday that forwards Corey Perry and Oliver Bjorkstrand are expected to test the open market when it opens July 1.
BriseBois also said the Lightning are still talking with defenseman Declan Carlile’s agent about a new contract.
The draft itself brought a busy day for Tampa Bay, which came away with three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. The most notable move came early, when the Lightning moved up six spots to land the 52nd overall pick from the Edmonton Oilers. Tampa Bay used that selection on Oleg Kulebiakin, a forward from the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, and sent the 58th and 133rd overall picks to Edmonton in the deal.
“We’re excited to bring him into our organization,” said Lightning GM Julien BriseBois. “His skill level is really high.
Truth be told, any comparison to Nikita Kucherov is unfair to whoever’s being compared to Nikita Kucherov. The one thing I hope that all our players take from Nikita, if anything, is his work ethic and commitment to excellence and being the best player he can be.
So, hopefully, over time here Oleg gets exposed to Nikita, and some of that rubs off of him.”
Bjorkstrand saw time on Tampa Bay’s top power-play unit after arriving at the trade deadline, though his stint came with uneven results. If he does leave, and with Darren Raddysh’s sign-and-trade to Toronto already gone through, the Lightning would be looking at two roster spots to fill in the coming days.
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Crunch Step Up For Mental Health In A Proud Lightning Family Moment
Members of the Syracuse Crunch took part in NAMIWalks Syracuse over the weekend, adding a visible hockey presence to an event focused on mental health awareness and services. The walk drew 145 participants across 14 teams and raised $36,479, a reminder that the Lightning organizations reach extends well beyond the ice through its affiliates and community ties.
A similar NAMIWalks event is coming to Tampa on Oct. 24, and interest is already building there with 46 participants registered. For a Lightning family that has long emphasized local connection, it sets up another chance for players, staff and supporters to show up for a cause that has become an increasingly important part of the conversation around sports and community support. [Read more 🡒]