Anthony Cirelli has established himself as one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's most valuable players over the past few seasons due to his 200-foot game. He's one of the best defensive centers in the NHL, which earned him the honor of being named a finalist for the Selke Trophy for the second-straight season. Had he appeared in all 82 games this season, Cirelli likely would've built upon his career highs offensively as well.
Overall, it was one of Cirelli's best seasons in the NHL and had he been healthy, he would've been rewarded with the opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympic Games for the first time in his career.
Statistics
Games Played - 71 - The fewest games played for Cirelli since the 2022-23 season.
Goals - 23 - Cirelli surpassed the 20-goal threshold for the third-straight season.
Assists - 29 - The second-highest of Cirelli's career, just three assists lower than his career high.
Points - 52 - The second-highest point total in Cirelli's career, trailing just the 2024-25 season.
Shots - 125 - Cirelli has 35 less shots than he recorded in the 2024-25 season.
Shooting Percentage - 18.4% - The highest of his career over the course of a full season, nearly four percent higher than his career average.
Time on Ice - 17:19 - The third-lowest of Cirelli's career as a full-time NHLer. The lowest since he averaged 16:34 during the 2022-23 season.
Plus/Minus - +38 - The third-highest on the Lightning, trailing just Nikita Kucherov and JJ Moser. His defensive play earned him recognition, as he was named a finalist for the Frank J Selke Trophy.
Giveaways - 50 - He finished the season with the tenth-most giveaways on the team.
Takeaways - 25 - The third-most takeaways on the Lightning.
Playoffs
Goals - 0 - Cirelli failed to score a goal in the Lightning's seven game series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Assists - 2 - Tied for the third-most assists on the Lightning during the playoffs.
Points - 2 - Tied for the seventh-most points on the Lightning.
NHL EDGE
Hardest Shot - 85.40 MPH - Cirelli's hardest shot of the season came against the New York Islanders in December. He only had three shots exceed 80 miles per hour during the 2025-26 season, but finished in the 54th percentile for hardest shot.
Max Skating Speed - 22.45 MPH - Despite finishing in the 61st percentile for max speed, Cirelli nearly doubled the league average for 22+ MPH bursts, finishing in the 80th percentile in that regard.
Total Miles Skated - 177.79 - Cirelli covered 54 miles more than the league average, placing him in the 68th percentile despite missing 11 games.
Cirelli had one of the best seasons of his career, although all of his counting stats took a step back compared to the 2024-25 season due to injury, his overall play earned him league recognition as a finalist for the Selke Trophy.