The Lightning’s first preseason meeting with the Panthers had a little bite, but not the chaos that came with last year’s version. At Benchmark, Florida left Tampa with a 5-3 win after adding an empty-net goal late, and the game looked more like real hockey than a fireworks show.
Tampa Bay got goals from Jansen Harkins, who scored twice, and Connor Geekie, who finished off a clean 2-on-1 with Sam O’Reilly. The two clubs will see each other again Saturday on the other side of Alligator Alley.
For Harkins, the two-goal night was a strong step in a battle to remain with the NHL club. He played 44 games with Anaheim last season, putting up three goals and five assists, and he now has 305 NHL games on his résumé across seven seasons. Hockey is clearly in the family, too, with his father Todd and uncle Brett both spending time in the league in the 90s.
There was also more movement in the Lightning prospect pipeline. Raw Charge’s Top 20 Under 25 list has reached the top five with Ethan Czata, the 19-year-old who went 56th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Czata is headed back to the Guelph Storm of the OHL this season, along with another 2025 Lightning draftee, Grant Spada.
Early preseason form has already produced a few players building momentum through the first two games, and there were three takeaways floating around after the opening pair of contests against Florida.
Around the league, Pittsburgh’s Andrei Kuzmenko is taking a leave of absence after his father, Alexander, was killed in a tragic bear attack on a fishing trip in Russia.
Elsewhere, Columbus and Adam Fantilli quickly reached a new deal after reports had suggested the two sides were far apart. General Manager Don Waddell got the long-term agreement he was hoping for, with Fantilli signing for six years and $82.5 million, carrying a $13.75 million cap hit. He is expected to report to practice today.
There’s also a broader playoff picture piece making the rounds, with eight of the 16 teams in each conference set to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs. One look at the Eastern Conference clubs that fell short last season shows the paths they’ll need to take to get back into the dance.
And in Chicago, a recent contract extension could have effects that reach beyond one roster. The Blackhawks re-signed 21-year-old Oliver Moore, the 19th overall pick in 2023, to a five-year, $21.25 million deal with a $4.25 million cap hit. Moore has appeared in 60 games over the last two seasons and had five goals and 14 assists in 51 games last year, while averaging 12:51 of ice time.
In Other News...
Senators Suddenly Have A Goalie Depth Question Behind Linus Ullmark
The Ottawa Senators moved quickly to shore up their goaltending depth after Leevi Merilainen was claimed off waivers by the Vancouver Canucks, bringing in Jonas Johansson from the Tampa Bay Lightning. For Ottawa, the need was obvious once Merilainen departed, and Johansson gives the club an experienced option behind Linus Ullmark as it tries to stabilize the position.
Johansson had been serving as a backup in Tampa Bay, where he spent the past three seasons working behind Andrei Vasilevskiy. His career resume includes a .888 save percentage and 43 wins, and the move gives the Senators a more established presence in the crease mix while leaving one small detail of the deal to the side for now. [Read more 🡒]
Stars Suddenly Face A Dylan Larkin Question They Can't Ignore
Dylan Larkins trade list has apparently grown from a narrow group to roughly eight teams, and Tampa Bay is now among the clubs believed to be in the mix. For a Lightning team that is always looking for ways to stay in the mix, that alone is enough to make the situation worth watching, especially with Dallas, Washington and Colorado also said to be involved as Detroits search for a workable framework continues under interim GM Shawn Horcoff.
The challenge for Tampa Bay is the same one that shadows most of these conversations: finding a path that actually works under the cap and fits what both sides would need. Anthony Cirelli would make the most logical Lightning center piece in a deal, but his trade protection and Tampa Bays thin prospect pool make that kind of move difficult, which is why this has the feel of a market to monitor rather than a deal close to happening. [Read more 🡒]