There weren’t many NHL regulars on the ice for the Lightning’s preseason finale against the Panthers on Saturday night, but there was still plenty at stake. With Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline to set a 23-man roster, the players competing for the final spots had one last chance to make their case. One of those players is Benjamin Rautiainen [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/benjamin-rautiainen-8485587/stats], who the Lightning drafted in the fourth round in 2025. He’s coming off a breakout season in Finland’s top professional league, where he led the league with 77 points. The 21-year-old scored the game-tying goal in the third period on the power play and won the shootout in the Lightning’s 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers. Rautiainen’s contract leaves little room for a middle ground. If he doesn’t make the opening-night roster, he will return to Finland to finish out his pro contract there and then return to the Lightning next season to begin his entry-level contract. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said it’s been one of the most competitive training camps the team has had in quite some time. “It was a pleasure to be around all the kids and the guys that aren’t with us anymore. This was a different camp,” Cooper said Saturday. “It’s impressive some of the players that (general manager) Julien BriseBois and our scouting staff have brought in here without wheeling around some high picks that we haven’t had.” The coaching staff knew there would be some difficult decisions to make at the end of camp, with players like Conor Geekie [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/conor-geekie-8483447/stats] entering his third training camp and top prospect Sam O’Reilly also pushing for a spot in the lineup. The competition among the defensemen only adds to the difficulty. If the Lightning choose to carry eight defensemen to start the season, they can keep just 13 forwards, leaving two spots between Jansen Harkins, Geekie, O’Reilly, Rautiainen and veteran Scott Sabourin. [https://www.nhl.com/lightning/player/scott-sabourin-8477149/stats] Both Geekie and O’Reilly can be assigned to the AHL without going through waivers. Sabourin, however would have to clear waivers, and given the Lightning just signed him to a new contract, it seems unlikely they would risk losing him that way. There’s also Jakob Pelletier, who is coming off his most productive season in Syracuse. Dylan Duke is another player who would love to be a go-to on the Lightning’s list of potential call-ups. “Hopefully, we don’t need as many guys as we needed last year,” Cooper said. “That was a tough year in the injury department. But the one thing about training camp is you get your look at guys. For instance, last year Dominic James and Charlie D’Astous, those are two guys that we didn’t really know until we watched them play in the preseason. Then we knew what we had.” “So, that’s what happens with a lot of these players. And there will be, at some point, a D’Astous and then a James that made an impression the way those two did last year. They’ll make one this year, and they’ll get a chance.” As the Lightning enter the new season looking to break their streak of four straight first-round playoff exits, they’re focused on putting together the most competitive group possible. That could mean some deserving players don’t make Monday’s cuts, but there will still be opportunities to make changes before Thursday’s season opener against the Rangers in New York.
