Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings
#30: Tampa Bay Lightning
Number of Ranked Prospects: 30
Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 1
Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 0
Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 138th
Top Forward Prospect in The System: Conor Geekie (21st)
Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Roman Schmidt (118th)
System Score: 1
The Tampa Bay Lightning have been one of the most consistently powerful hockey clubs of the last decade, and they have shed multiple draft picks and prospects to maintain that level of excellence. In fact, had they not traded one of their top defenders for a package of picks, a young NHL defender and a top 25 forward prospect in Conor Geekie, the Lightning system would rank even lower than 30th overall.
The Bolts have had two first-round picks in the last seven years. They selected Nolan Foote 27th overall in 2019, and Isaac Howard 31st overall in 2022. Foote was traded to the New Jersey Devils and has struggled to stick in the NHL, while Howard is coming off a great year with the Michigan State University and will play at least one more year in the NCAA. Not only have they had only a couple of first round picks, they have been equally spare on second and third-round picks, too. In the last four NHL drafts, Tampa has had only four total picks in the first three rounds, one of whom was the aforementioned Howard.