The Tampa Bay Lightning are heading into the 2025-26 season with the expectation of being one of the top teams in the league. It is understandable, as they have plenty of elite talent, like Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, and Victor Hedman, to name a few.
Yet, when looking at the Lightning's current roster, there is no question that forward Oliver Bjorkstrand is an important player for them heading into the 2025-26 season.
The Lightning acquired Bjorkstrand with Yanni Gourde from the Seattle Kraken ahead of the 2025 NHL trade deadline. The decision to bring in Bjorkstrand was understandable, as the Lightning needed a boost at right wing, and the 30-year-old is a solid top-six forward when playing at his best. Due to this, the Lightning will be expecting 2013 third-round to prove that he is the answer for their second-line right wing spot.
After being traded to the Lightning, Bjorkstrand posted five goals and nine points in 18 games. Overall, it was a decent start to his Bolts tenure, but his season came to an end early due to a lower-body injury that led to him receiving surgery for compartment syndrome.
Yet, now Bjorkstrand has an entire season to find his fit with the Lightning. When noting that he is a skilled offensive forward, the potential for him to become a key part of the Lightning's top six is certainly there. This is especially so when noting that he has scored at least 20 goals in six out of his last eight seasons.
It will now be intriguing to see what kind of season Bjorkstrand can put together for the Bolts in 2025-26 from here.
Lightning Should Consider Signing Gritty Forward To PTO
When looking at the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>’s roster, it is clear that they have plenty of star talent. While this is the case, it is also fair to argue that they could benefit from adding to their forward depth.