Geekie made his NHL debut with Tampa Bay last season and scored 14 points (8G / 6A) in 52 games. That said, the 21-year-old forward, the 11th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, has spent most of the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he has excelled with 51 points (14G / 37A) in 47 games with the Syracuse Crunch.
James exited Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres late due to a leg injury, and is expected to miss Tampa's next two games. The 23-year-old James is averaging 12:14 time-on-ice and has 15 points (7G / 8A) in 43 games this season.
Goncalves was limited to 8:17 time-on-ice in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, exiting the game with an undisclosed injury and is now expected to miss at least the next two games and beyond. The 25-year-old forward is averaging 12:11 time-on-ice and has 20 points (7G / 13A) in 54 games this season.
Carlile will return to the lineup on Thursday as the Lightning opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Emil Lilleberg will sit in his place.
Lilleberg will take a seat on Thursday as the Lightning opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Declan Carlile will play in his place.
The Lightning are on the tail-end of a back-to-back on Thursday, so Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the night off in favour of Johansson. Johansson got shelled in his last start way back on January 24th, allowing six goals on 29 shots in an 8-5 loss in Columbus. The 30-year-old netminder brings a 10-7-1 record and an .890 SV% into Thursday night's matchup, where the Lightning enter action at +125 on the money line.
The Lightning will unsurprisingly turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes when they return from the Olympic break to host the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Vasilevskiy was on an absolute heater prior to the break, posting a .937 SV% and a perfect 8-0-0 record over his last eight starts. He's a good bet to stay in the win column on Wednesday, as the Lightning enter action as huge favourites at -225 on the money line.
Lilleberg has not played since mid-December due to an undisclosed injury, but is set to return in Tampa Bay's first game back from the Olympic break on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 25-year-old defenseman is averaging 17:21 time-on-ice and has six points (2G / 4A) in 32 games this season.
Paul missed Tampa Bay's final two games before the Olympic Break due to a lower-body injury and remains out week-to-week after being reevaluated. This marks Paul's second extended stint on the sidelines this season. He has 12 points (6G / 6A) in 34 games.
Point missed the final four weeks leading up to the Olympic break and was ultimately removed from Team Canada's roster for the Olympics at the last minute. The 29-year-old Point has had a down season, with 30 points (11G / 19A) in 37 games, but was starting to return to his elite production before his injury, scoring 19 points (8G / 11A) in his last 15 games.
D'Astous has been a welcomed addition to Tampa Bay in his first NHL season and will return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 27-year-old rookie defenseman is averaging 19:23 time-on-ice and has 17 points (3G / 14A) in 43 games this season.
Hedman did not see any ice time in Sweden's final game of the Olympics, but he will be in Tampa Bay's lineup when they return to action on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 35-year-old Hedman has battled a myriad of injuries this season, scoring 13 points (0G / 13A) in only 21 games, and seemingly losing his role on the top powerplay unit to Darren Raddysh.
Point was forced to miss the Olympics after a lower-body injury took him out in early January but has returned to Tampa Bay's practice in a regular jersey on Wednesday. The 29-year-old has struggled in 2025-26 compared to previous seasons, with just 11 goals and 30 points in 37 games this season.
Tampa Bay's injuries continue to pile up after they announced Maxwell Crozier would miss approximately 10 weeks following surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The 25-year-old has been a solid contributor on Tampa Bay's back end this season, with a goal, 10 points and a +7 plus/minus in 34 games played this season.
Point has not played in over three weeks due to a lower-body injury and has been taken off of Team Canada's roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics. Carolina's Seth Jarvis has been announced as Point's replacement. The 29-year-old Point has had a down season, with 30 points (11G / 19A) in 37 games, but was starting to return to his elite production before his injury, scoring 19 points (8G / 11A) in his last 15 games.
Tampa Bay has been among the hottest teams in the NHL over the last two months and, even with Vasilevskiy recording an uncharacteristically low sub- .900 SV% in his last two games, has still salvaged victories. That said, the minor blip in Vasilevskiy's past two outings is overshadowed by a magnificent three-month stretch in which he has posted a dazzling 1.77 GAA and .930 SV% in 24 games (21-2-1). Tampa Bay enters the action on Thursday as -180 home favourites against a Florida Panthers team that defeated the Boston Bruins 5-4 last night in a shootout.
