Now that we are inching closer to September, hockey season is right around the corner. The Tampa Bay Lightning will certainly be an interesting team to watch next season, as they will be looking to prove that they are still legitimate contenders. 

When looking at the Lightning's roster, it is clear that they still have plenty of star talent. However, they also have two under-the-radar players who could end up being nice surprises for them in 2025-26. Let's discuss them now.

Gage Goncalves 

After putting together multiple strong seasons in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, Gage Goncalves finally got a real chance with the Lightning last season and took advantage of it. In 60 regular-season games with the Lightning, he posted eight goals, 20 points, and a plus-7 rating. He then followed that up with one goal and four points in five playoff games for the Bolts. 

Overall, Goncalves demonstrated this past season that he can provide decent secondary offensive production. Yet, when noting that his play noticeably improved as the season rolled on, the possibility of him significantly improving his offense next season should not be ruled out. 

Pontus Holmberg 

The Lightning made an interesting move earlier this off-season when they signed forward Pontus Holmberg to a two-year, $3.1 million contract in free agency. This was after he posted seven goals, 19 points, and a plus-4 rating in 68 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25. 

Overall, Holmberg has shown promise early on his career, and it will be interesting to see if this move to Tampa Bay can help him take that next step. If he can get his offense up while maintaining his solid defensive play, he will be a strong addition to Tampa Bay's bottom six. 

Lightning Defender Is Intriguing Contract Extension Candidate The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> are entering this upcoming season with multiple players on expiring contracts. Among the Lightning players who will be pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) heading into the 2025-26 season is defenseman Darren Raddysh.