An offseason overhaul and a new wave of prospects put the spotlight on Joel Bouchard and the Crunch culture. Can they keep it up and maintain a steady pipeline for the Lightning?
Everything went right for the Syracuse Crunch last season, until the playoffs, that is. They had the second-best record in the North Division and provided the Tampa Bay Lightning with a steady pipeline of prospects to keep their NHL team’s contention window open. Then, they faced the Cleveland Monsters in the Calder Cup Playoffs and lost the series in a hard-fought four games.
So, where does that leave the Crunch? The optimist says that the culture built in recent years allows them to remain a great American Hockey League team. The pessimist looks at the roster overhaul and questions how they’ll be back.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 41-24-3-4 (2nd in the North Division, 5th in the Eastern Conference & 9th in the AHL)
Offense: 3.29 goals per game (8th in the AHL)
Defense: 2.62 goals per game (6th in the AHL)
The Burning Question: Who Stays All Season & Who Becomes A Regular On The Lightning?
The general theme of the Crunch is that they have multiple borderline NHLers. Jakob Pelletier, Dylan Duke, and Conor Geekie are all in their early 20s and can either be depth skaters on the Lightning or stars on the Crunch.
The question is where these players end up this season, since it changes the dynamics of the team. Pelletier had a league-leading 77 points last season, and if the Lightning want him in their forward unit, it leaves the Crunch with a significant void in their offense.
The Crunch were great because of their young borderline NHLers, the players who aren’t prospects but are still in their early 20s and developing into great players. They bought into Joel Bouchard’s system and piled up the wins.
Bouchard is a great coach and will pivot to work with the hand he’s given. There were times when the Crunch were a heavy-checking team, and then came games where they won with speed and offense. Bouchard will adjust as an established coach. That said, the talent might not be there this time around.
Another question, and certainly a question mark on the roster, is the goaltending. The Crunch are replacing the Brandon Halverson and Ryan Fanti tandem, a duo that was great and carried them, with Mads Sogaard and Olivier Rodrigue, two goaltenders who struggled last season.
Why The Crunch Are Optimistic
The Crunch return their best players from the past season, and considering the Lightning have limited roster spots available, a few of them will be regulars on the AHL team. Pelletier can build off a 77-point season, or Geekie can remove any doubt that he belongs in the NHL.
This is a team that leans on veterans, and they brought in more to help maintain that winning culture. Clark Bishop, Elliot Desnoyers, Zach Uens, and Michael Callahan were all brought in to add depth but also provide more leadership for the Crunch.
It also helps that the Crunch are a well-coached team with Bouchard’s vision playing off. They are a tough team to play against every night and will adjust throughout the season to remain competitive.
It’s part of the culture the Lightning want in place. It’s a veteran-led team that allows the prospects to learn and develop from. Plus, the Lightning remain patient with their prospects, allowing them to spend more time in Syracuse before they become regulars in Tampa. Expect the same this season as the Crunch remain one of the best teams in the North Division.
Prospects To Watch
At this point, the question is what more Conor Geekie must do at the AHL level to prove he belongs on the Lightning. He’s 22 and a big center who can score. If he’s on the Crunch, it looks like it will only be for a few weeks and not for the full season.
Benjamin Rautiainen spent the recent seasons developing in Finland and is expected to make the move over to North America. While he has plenty of skill, it will take time for him to adapt to the NHL style, and that’s why he might spend the season with the Crunch while becoming a key part of the offense.
A mystery is Sam O’Reilly, who was a standout in the Ontario Hockey League in each of the past two seasons. He’s playing on his entry-level contract, and the question is whether he’ll be on the Lightning, the Crunch, or back in the OHL as a veteran in the league (which won’t be a challenge for him).
Another new face to watch is Noah Steen, who signed a two-year ELC this summer and is expected to join the Crunch. Steen was a seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft, yet the forward is shaping up to be a pleasant surprise as a valuable depth scorer.
Two prospects on the Crunch to watch are Lucas Mercuri and Ethan Gauthier. Both were rookies last season and impressed at the AHL level. Mercuri is a bigger center who the Lightning will watch closely because he can develop into a fourth-line center.
