The Portuguese Pistol makes it back up to the number two spot in the countdown based on a strong finish to his season. After a slow start to the 2025-26 season, it appears Gage Goncalves is starting to get back to that type of production.
| Name | Gage Goncalves |
| Position | Forward |
| Age (as of October 1, 2025) | 24 |
| Height/Weight | 6’1″, 190 lb. |
| Expected 2025-26 Team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2020, 2nd Round (62) |
| Previous Rankings | 6 (2024), 2 (2023), 8 (2022), 13 (2021), 23 (2020) |
| JustinG. Ranking | 2 |
| Final Rank | 2 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
As this countdown has dragged on much, much longer than anticipated, we’ve tried to keep the focus on the player’s performance during the 2024-25 season. There were two reasons for that. First, it’s because the voting was done over the summer, and two, it would kind of blur the lines for the 2026 Top 25 Under 25.
We’re going to make an exception for Gage Goncalves. For one reason, it’s because he will age out of the countdown next season, and two, we’re not sure there has been a more divisive player on the roster this season outside of Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Before we get to this season, let’s take a look at the 2024-25 season for Goncalves. The 2020 draft pick finally cracked the NHL roster on a consistent basis, appearing in 60 regular season games and posting 8 goals and 12 assists. He followed that up with 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in the playoffs. It wasn’t the smoothest of seasons for him though.
Goncalves made his season debut on November 5 against St. Louis, averaging between 10 and 15 minutes on a nightly basis. As he moved up and down the line-up he only recorded 1 goal and 1 assist before being assigned to Syracuse in the middle of January. After two weeks in Syracuse where he put up 8 points in 6 games, Goncalves was recalled at the end of January.
Over the last 34 games of the season he put up 7 goals and 11 assists and saw his time on the ice increase. It seemed like he brought the style of game he showed with the Crunch which blended some playmaking along with a bit of physical nature to his game. That earned him a two-year contract and a shot at the Lightning’s middle-six.
After a nice start to the season (3 assists in the first 4 games), the wheels kind of came off of his season. He would post just 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) over his next 20 games. Not only was the production not there, some of the other aspects of his game seemed to have faded away. He seemed to be knocked off of the puck a little too easily, and he wasn’t winning the battles along the boards that he had been at the end of 2024-25 season.
He was holding onto the puck a little too long and didn’t seem to trust his instincts. Any hesitation in the NHL leads to turnovers, and that was apparent in his game. It seemed he was struggling with his confidence and his that led to him being ineffective for long stretches of play.
Things seemed to have bottomed out in early December against Toronto when he picked up a game misconduct penalty for kneeing Dakota Mermis. Whether he had tweaked something or was in the doghouse, Goncalves was scratched for the next four games. A few games later, Coach Cooper decided to give him a shot on a line with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point.
Their first few games did not go well as the Lightning were on the wrong side of shot attempts (17-31) and scoring chances (11-18) during their first three games together. Despite losing the possession battle, they did have a 3-0 edge in actual goals scored. Against the Kings, something clicked and they found their rhythm.
Since then (well, at least until Brayden Point was hurt) they have not only produced, they’ve dominated play. On the season, the Bolts have an 11-2 edge in goals scored, 56.31% edge in expected goals, and a 60.71% edge in high-danger chances when they’re on the ice. Those are the types of numbers a top line should be producing.
Goncalves hasn’t been a passenger either. Since his hiatus, he’s scored 4 goals and added 4 assists in 12 games with all of those points coming at even strength. If nothing else, playing with Kucherov and Point forces a player to process the game faster or else they’ll get left in the dust. The confidence has seemingly returned to his game and he’s been a lot crisper with his play.
With Point out of the line-up for a few weeks, the lines are going to be shuffled around and Goncalves is going to have to show the coaching staff that he can still make an impact with different linemates. Goncalves has to trust his skills and find a way to be productive.
What has been somewhat frustrating over his 103 game NHL career is that he is such a different player than what he showed in the AHL. With the Crunch he drove play, forechecked, and harassed opposing puckcarriers. In the NHL he seems to play to not mistakes and that leads to a bit of hesitation. For him to succeed there has to be a little risk in his game. That’s part of what makes Kucherov so dangerous, he’s willing to risk a turnover to make a play.
That’s not to say Goncalves should have a callous disregard for all things defensive, but he has to find that sweet spot between pushing the play and not making careless turnovers. He’s shown glimpses over his career, now he just has to do it on a more consistent basis.
Also, shoot the puck more kid. Goncalves has a nice shot from distance. It’s hard and it’s deceptive, the type of shot that can beat goaltenders or create rebounds. Shooting more will also give him more space, which will open up some more passing lanes.
Is Goncalves going to be a 100-point guy in the NHL? Probably not, but he has the skills to be a solid 20-goal/50-point player that provides middle-six depth. That’s not a bad career for a player.
Your Thoughts:
“Goncalves has proved it. Playoffs included.”
“Goncalves is going to have an incredible year. A big break through pushes him past Geekie in my eyes.”
“[Goncalves] has proven it”
Highlight Videos:
Probably his best goal of the season. He starts the play by creating the turnover in his own zone. Then he drives the net and shields off the defender to get the first shot off. Finally, instead of just jamming a backhand on net, he chips it up and over the defender.
He’s never going to set a speed record with his skating, but he is a little quicker than opponents think. He sneaks up and makes a nice play to steal the puck and then finishes it off.
The goal is nice, but what we like is how he went in along the boards and created a little chaos. He’s not a small guy and that’s the type of physical play that can be a difference maker.
This is the shot we’re talking about. A nice hard wrister that was spotted perfectly.
Goncalves starts the scoring sequence with a snap-pass across the ice. He threads the pass through two Bruins and right onto his teammate’s stick. That was a quick, confident pass.
