Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) waits for a face-off against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a1aae2d6-0e41-4bea-a112-37856c401d66.jpeg] Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) waits for a face-off against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg could be a candidate for a breakout season in 2025-26 for several reasons. The 2024-25 season was Lilleberg's real first season in the NHL, skating in 76 games, scoring a goal and 19 points, while averaging 15:17 of ice time. He played exclusively on the third pairing, skating in 686 minutes with Nick Perbix and 258 minutes with Darren Raddysh, according to MoneyPuck.com [https://moneypuck.com/lines.htm]. Although Lilleberg projects to play on the third pairing again, behind fellow left-handed defenseman Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, there could be opportunities for the 24-year-old to fight for an increased role and more ice time. Fortunately for the Lightning, Hedman and McDonagh were extremely healthy, participating in 79 and 82 games. They were phenomenal, showing little signs of aging. Because of Hedman and McDonagh's dominance, earning extra ice time at 5-on-5 might be challenging if the pair remains healthy, but he could earn extra time on special teams with Perbix's departure [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/nick-perbix-credits-lightning-players-as-he-starts-new-chapter-in-nashville] to the Nashville Predators [http://thn.com/nashville]. Lilleberg plays with a physical edge, and listed at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, he's more than capable of holding his own in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy and the Tampa Bay net. If Lilleberg can continue to improve on the penalty kill, it could allow Hedman additional time to rest and lower his minutes as the season moves along. With great size and excellent skating, Lilleberg should continue to improve and gain the trust of coach Jon Cooper, positioning himself to build on a stellar season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightning-defenseman-was-nice-surprise-this-season] and emerge as a breakout candidate.
