Lightning sign Benjamin Rautiainen to entry-level contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning have just locked up the first of their two fourth-round picks from the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

On Friday, the Lightning announced that they have signed center Benjamin Rautiainen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Rautiainen, 20, was Tampa Bay’s second selection of the 2025 draft at 108th overall. He has played the last two full seasons with Tappara Tampere of the SM-liiga, the top professional hockey league in Finland. This past season, he broke out with one of the best campaigns from a European prospect in recent memory, as he put up 25 goals and 52 assists for 77 points in 59 games. While his postseason was somewhat underwhelming, as he contributed only a goal and six assists for seven points in 18 playoff games, Tappara still went on to win the league championship.

In the 2024-25 season, Rautiainen had 10 goals and 23 assists for 33 points in 50 games, and then added two goals and two assists for four points in nine postseason games. He also represented Finland at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he notched two goals and two assists for four points in seven games as Finland earned silver after falling to the United States in the gold medal game.

Last offseason, Rautiainen was ranked as the Lightning’s sixth best prospect by Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis, though his excellent 2025-26 season has likely bumped him up that list. Ellis noted that Rautiainen “isn’t a play driver, but he’ll chase you down all game long to try and get the puck back and can be a general nuisance. Rautiainen isn’t big or particularly strong, but he makes up for it with good hockey IQ.”

Rautiainen stands at 5’11” and weighs 174 pounds. While he’s not prototypically sized for a center, he should continue to grow into his frame so that he’s not outmatched physically in the NHL.