If the Tampa Bay Lightning don't act fast, Kaden Pitre will be re-entering the NHL Draft this summer.
The Lightning have just four days left to sign Pitre, or for him to commit to play NCAA hockey, otherwise the team's rights will expire. The 20-year-old center was drafted by the Lightning in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft and is known for his ability in his own zone.
Since being drafted by the Lightning, Pitre has produced at a respectable pace offensively despite his clear focus on the defensive side of the game. In 106 games in the Ontario Hockey League since being drafted by the Lightning, Pitre has scored 40 goals and tallied a total of 97 points while splitting his time between the Flint Firebirds and North Bay Battalion. He also registered 85 penalty minutes and was a +18 during that span.
In October of 2024, Dobber Prospects contributor Markus R wrote the following about Pitre: "A wildcard, he has the mentality and motor to be a bottom-six defensive forward with continued linear growth. Should he start growing more aspects of his game, he could be an excellent all-around bottom-six player."
The Lightning already retained the rights of one player, as Jan Golicic's rights were also set to expire, but he committed to Quinnipiac University earlier this month.