The big guy is navigating his way through his first NHL season. There have been a few solid minutes spread between a lot of time in the press box.
| Name | Jack Finley |
| Position | Center |
| Age (as of October 1) | 23 |
| Height/Weight | 6’6″, 227 lbs. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2020, Round 2 (57th) |
| Previous Rankings | 11th (2024), 10th (2023), 13th (2022), 20th (2021) |
| JustinG Ranking | 9 |
| Final Rank | 4 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
An injury recovery prior to the 2024-25 season probably set Jack Finley’s career back a season, but once he was on the ice in Syracuse he put together a solid season. He set a career-high in goals with 14 and added another 14 assists. The only drawback was that he only appeared in 40 regular season games. It was still good enough for him to earn a one-game stint with the Lightning when they needed a center after Brayden Point was scratched due to missing a meeting.
This season, Finley has stuck around with the Lightning ever since training camp, and while the team has been careful with his minutes, the big forward has shown glimpses of what can make him effective in the NHL. He’s appeared in 13 games, recorded two goals and an assist while averaging 8:57 of ice time.
While most of his time has been spent on the fourth line, the Lightning have controlled the high-danger areas when he’s been out there. The Bolts have a 30-13 edge (70.45%) and a 4-1 edge in goals at 5v5. Those are pretty solid numbers for a rookie. Is that sustainable? Probably not, but it’s a good trend.
Normally, we would rather see a young player get more ice time at the AHL level as opposed to sitting on the sidelines at the NHL level. However, with Finley, an exception can be made. The biggest question that Finley has to answer as the season progresses is if he can handle the speed at the NHL where time and space is compressed. That’s not something he can work on with the Crunch. It has to come at the NHL level, and while he hasn’t been in as many games as he would like, even practicing at the highest level can help him adjust.
Will he see some more playing time over the second half of the season? Possibly. Part of it will depend on how the other forwards perform and if they can stay healthy. Coach Jon Cooper has leaned on a smaller, quicker line–up as of late with Finley and Curtis Douglas seeing time as a healthy scratch while Dominic James and Gage Goncalves are seeing more ice time.
At this point, there is a risk associated with attempting to send Finley to Syracuse through waivers. We tend to overestimate the chances of players getting claimed on waivers, but he is young enough that a team with a lack of depth down the middle of the ice might be willing to take a risk on him.
The Lightning seem committed to his development, especially since they signed him to a three-year deal this summer. The interesting part of the contract is that it switches to a one-way deal next season, meaning that he’ll make $775,000 whether he’s in the NHL or the AHL.
You can’t teach size is one of those axioms that roll around with players like Finley. And it’s true. He gives them an aspect that many forwards in their organization. With an offense predicated on shots coming from the points, Finley can eclipse a goaltender simply by standing there. Then he has the size and strength to fight for rebounds and jam them into the net.
The 23-year-old is one of the youngest players on the roster and has room to develop. If he can adjust to NHL speed he has the shot and awareness to be a solid contributor. Staying healthy enough to get on the ice is the first step. Not giving the coaching staff a reason to remove him from the line-up is the second step.
Highlight Videos:
Finley probably doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to pass the puck. This is a really nice feed to Dylan Duke. The timing is just right to get it under the sliding defender and it’s right on the stick. He can also use his long reach to change the angles or wrap passes around players that others can’t.
For someone that isn’t noted for his swift skating, Finley seems to be on the right end of a lot of breakaways. Once the big guy gets rolling he can be tough to catch from behind. Again, his reach is to his advantage. If a player is trying to catch him from behind, it’s another few feet to actually reach the puck.
How about another breakaway for his first career NHL goal? He builds a little speed through the neutral zone and when the Panther defender wipes out, Finley doesn’t miss a beat. Then the finish is pretty sweet as well as he pulls it to his backhand without slowing down.
