Bolts Make Moves: Five Players Ink Deals as Lightning Bolster Roster
The Tampa Bay Lightning have been busy today, announcing five significant signings to bolster their roster for the upcoming season. The team has inked forward Nick Abruzzese to a one-year, two-way deal, re-signed promising young forward Gage Goncalves to a two-year contract, brought back familiar face Boris Katchouk on a one-year, two-way deal, added defenseman Simon Lundmark for two years on a two-way contract, and signed forward Tristan Allard to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Undrafted Forward Tristan Allard Earns Entry-Level Deal
Highlighting the recent flurry of activity is the signing of Tristan Allard to a two-year, entry-level contract. This marks a significant milestone for the 23-year-old, who has steadily advanced up the ranks after going undrafted. Allard, a 6-foot-2, 196-pound forward from Renfrew, Ontario, spent last season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
He skated in 45 games, tallying a career-high seven goals and adding nine assists. Over his 108-game AHL career, Allard has accumulated 12 goals and 34 points with an impressive plus-10 rating. He also brings playoff experience, having appeared in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games for the Crunch. Initially signing a two-year AHL contract with Syracuse on April 27, 2023, Allard’s consistent performance and dedication have clearly caught the eye of the Lightning’s front office, earning him this NHL entry-level opportunity.
Familiar Face Returns: Boris Katchouk Joins the Fold
Among the new additions, Boris Katchouk returns to the Lightning organization on a one-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old forward, originally a second-round pick by Tampa Bay in 2016, spent last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he was a key offensive contributor.
In 67 games, the 6-foot-2, 206-pound Katchouk recorded 21 goals and 49 points, leading the team in games played and ranking second in points. He also chipped in an assist in two Calder Cup Playoff games.
Katchouk has skated in 176 career NHL games with the Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks, and Ottawa Senators, accumulating 15 goals and 36 points. He previously played 38 games with Tampa Bay during the 2021-22 season, scoring two goals and four assists before being traded to Chicago as part of the Brandon Hagel deal in March 2022.
He also has extensive AHL experience, with 60 goals and 144 points in 240 games across stints with Syracuse, Rockford, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
READ: Lightning Bolster Future With Eight Picks On Day 2 Of 2025 NHL Draft
Abruzzese Adds Forward Depth
Nick Abruzzese, a 26-year-old forward, joins the Lightning after spending his entire professional career with the Toronto Marlies.
Last season, the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Abruzzese played in 71 AHL games, tallying 15 goals and 43 points. In 211 career AHL games, he’s amassed 47 goals and 143 points. He also brings Calder Cup Playoff experience with two goals and eight points in 12 contests.
Abruzzese, a native of Slate Hill, New York, represented Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Games, contributing a goal and four points in four games. He made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2, 2022, and has played in 11 total NHL contests, posting a goal and two assists.
Goncalves Locked Up After Breakout Season
The re-signing of Gage Goncalves to a two-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $1.2 million secures a key piece of the Lightning’s future forward core.
The 24-year-old made his NHL debut with the Lightning on January 11, 2024, and had a breakout 2024-25 season. In his first full NHL campaign, he played 60 games, tying for the Lightning rookie lead in goals (8) and leading all Bolts rookies in assists (12) and points (20).
The 6-foot-1, 184-pound forward from Mission, British Columbia, also made a significant impact in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Goncalves played in all five of Tampa Bay’s playoff contests, tallying four points (1 goal, 3 assists), which tied him with Nikita Kucherov for the second-most points among Lightning skaters.
READ: Tampa Bay Lightning Eye Future Talent With 7 Selections At 2025 NHL Draft In Los Angeles
Lundmark Strengthens Blue Line
On the defensive side, the Lightning have signed 24-year-old Swedish blueliner Simon Lundmark to a two-year, two-way contract. Lundmark, a 6-foot-2, 193-pound defenseman, played in 66 games with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League last season, posting four goals and 14 points.
In 254 career AHL games, all with Manitoba, he has recorded 16 goals and 62 points. He also has five career Calder Cup Playoff appearances. Lundmark was originally drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the second round, 51st overall, in the 2019 NHL Draft.
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