NHL Prospect Watch: Tampa Bay Lightning
Ahead of the 2024-25 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight WHLers who have been signed to an NHL contract, were recently drafted, or are included in the NHL’s definition of a rookie.
Today, we check in with a formidable crew gunning to find a roster spot on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jaydon Dureau
Former Portland Winterhawks forward Jaydon Dureau’s second full professional season was shortened by an injury in February. Still, he had a major impact with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears while earning a brief call-up to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. The 5-foot-11, 174-pound winger potted nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 34 regular-season games with the Solar Bears (including a two-goal, two-assist effort against the South Carolina Stingrays in January) while appearing in two games with the Crunch. Dureau, 23, hit a new level in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, netting three goals an eight assists in 11 games to tie for the team lead in scoring and help the Solar Bears reach the South Division Final, where Orlando bowed out against the eventual champion Florida Everblades. He was selected by Tampa Bay in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
🚨 SOLAR BEARS GOAL 🚨
Dureau cashes in on the power play to give us the lead. 1-0. @ECHL pic.twitter.com/kvTHoXioEo
— Orlando Solar Bears (@OrlandoHockey) May 1, 2024
Jack Finley
Towering centreman Jack Finley set new career highs in his sophomore professional season with Syracuse after recovering from offseason surgery. Standing 6-foot-6, 223 pounds, Finley racked up 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 52 regular-season AHL outings. The 21-year-old tied for fifth in goals and his five powerplay goals were the second most on the Crunch. The Kelowna, B.C. native also made his pro playoff debut with a pair of contests in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Tampa Bay picked up Finley in the second round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Finley spent the bulk of his WHL career with the Spokane Chiefs, serving as captain during the 2021-22 campaign before a move to the Winnipeg ICE in his final season of junior elgibility. He graduated from the league with 127 points (55 goals, 72 assists) in 192 career WHL regular season games.
Another day, another power-play goal from Jack Finley pic.twitter.com/fnsbNb8IYi
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) April 7, 2024
Conor Geekie
Two trades in one season? Well, it seems to be working out for WHL Player of the Year nominee Conor Geekie. The dynamic centre Conor Geekie was acquired by Tampa Bay as part of the trade that sent Mikhail Sergachev to Utah in late July. A 6-foot-4, 197-pound powerhouse, Geekie has averaged well over a point per game in three straight WHL seasons. The Strathclair, Man. product is coming off a career year that saw him light the lamp 43 times and tack on 56 assists for 99 points and a +51 rating in just 55 games split between the Wenatchee Wild and Swift Current Broncos, who picked Geekie up in a WHL trade-deadline blockbuster deal. His +51 rating was second among all WHL skaters, his 1.80 points-per-game ranked fourth and he had a career-best four-goal performance in a 6-5 overtime win over Portland in December. Originally drafted 11th overall by Arizona in 2022, the 20-year-old made his professional debut with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners upon the conclusion of Swift Current’s playoff run. Geekie also represented Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he recorded two goals and three points in five games.
Conor Geekie with a rocket to open the scoring 🚀@SCBroncos | @ArizonaCoyotes | #Yotes pic.twitter.com/jJE2IK7LjB
— The WHL (@TheWHL) April 18, 2024
Gage Goncalves
In his third season of professional hockey, former Everett Silvertips forward Gage Goncalves made his NHL debut and led the Crunch with 13 goals (including a pair of game-winners) and 45 assists for 58 points in 69 games. Standing 5-foot-11, 188 pounds, he went on a number of strong points streaks, including a six-game run that saw him add three goals and six assists. Goncalves made his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils on January 11 and suited up against the Anaheim Ducks two days later, kicking up six penalty minutes and an average of 10 minutes of ice time. The Mission, B.C. product was Syracuse’s representative at the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic and signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Lightning in June. A second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 NHL Draft, Goncalves collected 46 goals and 74 assists over 151 regular-season WHL games, all with the Silvertips.
Hey now, you're our All-Star! 🌟
Gage Goncalves will represent the Crunch at the 2024 #AHLAllStar Classic in San Jose! pic.twitter.com/27S1I58gPx
— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) January 10, 2024
Niko Huuhtanen
After earning Liiga Rookie of the Year honors in his native Finland in 2023-24, winger Niko Huuhtanen has made the jump to North American pro hockey. A seventh-round pick of the Lightning in 2021, Huuhtanen inked an entry-level deal with Tampa Bay in May before hopping a flight to New York state. The 21-year-old made his Crunch debut in the Calder Cup Playoffs, netting a pair of assists in four contests. He played the regular season with Liiga’s Jukurit, where he snagged 19 goals and 27 assists for 46 points in 52 tilts, leading his club in goals and points. Standing 6-foot-2, 204-pounds, Huuhtanen played the 2021-22 season with the Everett Silvertips, putting up 37 goals and 40 assists for 77 points and a +20 rating in 65 games, in addition to another 10 points (five goals, five assists) in five postseason contests.
LACROSSE ALERT ‼️
Niko Huuhtanen scored this beauty. His 17th goal of the season. 43 points in 46 game for this young talent.#GoBolts #Jukurit #Liiga
— Heikki Mannonen (@HMannone) February 3, 2024
Harrison Meneghin
Lightning, meet Hurricane. Tampa Bay picked up WHL Goaltender of the Year nominee Harrison Meneghin in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft after another All-Star showing. In his second full WHL season, the 6-foot-3, 170-pound puck stopper went 27-20-5-0 with a 2.59 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage and three shutouts. Meneghin, 19, finished among the WHL leaders in a number of major goaltending categories, including save percentage (.919, second), shutouts (3, tied fourth), minutes played (3,040, fourth) and saves (1,483, fifth). The Surrey, B.C. product stood tall with four games where he made 40 or more stops, highlighted by a 53-save performance against Medicine Hat on March 22. He was named the WHL Central Division Goaltender of the Year and earned Central Division First-Team All-Star honours.
🎥 SAVE OF THE NIGHT 🎥
Harrison Meneghin comes up huge with back-to-back stops. @RealCdnSS | @WHLHurricanes#SaveoftheNight | #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/YFqYTzN3qs
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 31, 2024
Lukas Svejkovsky
It was a full-circle moment for Lukas Svejkovsky after he was acquired in a trade by the Tampa Bay Lightning in June 2024. Svejkovsky, a four-year Western League veteran, became the second member of his family to join the Lightning franchise, as he follows in the footsteps of his father – and fellow WHL alumnus – Jaroslav Svejkovsky. Jaroslav spent a single season touring the WHL circuit, registering 101 points (58 goals–43 assists), before starting a four-year career in the NHL (suiting up for the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning). Decades later, Lukas took a similar path as his father, hearing his name called by the Vancouver Giants in the second round (36th overall) by the Vancouver Giants at the 2016 WHL Prospects Draft. In a four-season span, the product of Point Roberts, Wash. was a familiar face in three WHL markets – Vancouver, Medicine Hat, and Seattle. During his stint in Central Alberta, Svejkovsky caught the attention of NHL scouts, leading to his name being called in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Svejkovsky skated in a total of 196 WHL games, boasting a total of 74 goals, 88 assists, and 162 points. But, the forward’s legacy as a WHL alumnus was cemented in his final season in the League. Acquired by the Seattle Thunderbirds as a means to bolster the Club’s offensive output, the 20-year-old played a pivotal role during their 2022 WHL Playoffs campaign. Svejkovsky recorded 28 points (11 goals–17 assists) in a 24-game run that saw the Thunderbirds reach the 2022 WHL Championship Series.
🚨 TIK TAK TOE 🚨
Lukas Svejkovsky with the perfect give and go from Jordan Martel to win it 5-4 in OT! #ForgeTheFuture pic.twitter.com/J6ztwyHCGz
— Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) January 25, 2024
Gabriel Szturc
Kelowna Rockets Captain Gabriel Szturc earned an entry-level contract with the Lightning off the power of a career-best season that saw him surpass 30 goals for the first time in his WHL career. The 5-foot-10, 176-pound centre erupted for 33 goals and 50 assists for 83 points in 62 contests. His +22 rating ranked second on the Rockets while his 83 points sat third- a single point behind Utah Hockey Club prospect Tij Iginla. The Cesky Tesin, Czechia product had eight games where he registered three or more points, highlighted by a two-goal, two-assist effort against Calgary in a 7-6 win in late December. The 20-year-old continued his consistent play in Kelowna’s postseason run to the second round, finishing second on the squad in goals (seven) and points (12) in 11 matches. Despite going undrafted to the NHL, he closes out his WHL career with an NHL contract and an impressive 73 goals and 130 assists for 203 points and a +43 rating in 185 games. Szturc has also represented Czechia twice at the IIHF World Junior Championship, winning silver in 2023.
📽️ HIGHLIGHT REEL 📽️
Gabriel Szturc, aka Captain Kelowna.@Kelowna_Rockets | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/GRbfbwL9DN
— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 20, 2023