A right-shot defenseman that has size and is mobile? In the Tampa Bay Lightning system, it might not be long until Tomas Kralovic is making his NHL debut.
| Name | Tomas Kralovic |
| Position | Defenseman (Right Shot) |
| Age (as of October 1, 2026) | 21 |
| Height/Weight | 6’3″, 203 lbs. |
| Expected 2026-27 Team | Syracuse Crunch |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2026, 3rd (90th) |
| Previous Rankings | Not Applicable |
| JustinG. Ranking | 9 |
| Final Rank | 13 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
Tomas Kralovic’s summer has been a bit of whirlwind. First getting drafted in the third round by the Lightning (a little bit of a reach for some prognosticators), then, a few days later at Tampa Bay’s development camp, the lanky defender signed his entry-level contract. It was a little shocking that the then 20-year-old inked his deal so quickly as it wouldn’t have been a shock to see him spend at least another season in Slovakia.
Instead, he’s coming overseas and will likely start his North American career in Syracuse this fall. In an organization where the defensive depth is about as deep as a puddle in a parking lot after a 15-minute Tampa rainstorm, it might not be long before he’s skating in the NHL. That being said, it’s a long way from the Extraliga to the NHL, and there are definitely some things that Kralovic will have to work on in order to see time with the Lightning.
The most intriguing part of his game is his ability to generate offense. As a 20-year-old he put up 31 points (6 goals, 25 assists) in 52 games. That was good for 7th overall in the Extraliga last season, and only Ryan O’Conner put up more points as a defenseman. Only four of his points came on the power play, but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him emerge as one of the Crunch’s more reliable quarterbacks.
His biggest strength is his skating ability. Yes, for once we don’t have to add the “improve his skating” cravat to his skill set. Kralovic can move the puck from one zone to another effortlessly and doesn’t mind joining the rush as an extra attacker. Once he’s in the zone he has an effective wrist shot that he can put on net with regularity.
With his size he can take opponents out of the play without being overly physical. He can throw a hit and make it count, but he doesn’t go out of his way to bury other players into the ice. The Lightning tend to favor hockey sense over dynamic skill in selecting their prospects, but in this case, the scales may be tipped in the other direction.
One of the biggest hurdles he’s going to have to deal with is handling the increased pressure on forechecks from higher-skilled AHL attackers. Can he process the game fast enough to make the right decisions when he’s under pressure. If he can, he has the skill to lead the rush out of the zone and turn defense into offense.
Your Thoughts:
“Kralovic has the physical traits to get him to NHL quickly especially with Lightning’s lack of organizational depth at D – will be a replacement for Cernak in 2027.”
The new defenseman peaked at the five spot on one voter’s rankings while his most popular spot was 11th.
Highlight Videos:
What we like about this play is that Kralovic never stops moving his feet in order to get to the slot. A lot of defenders will take a couple of strides and then glide into the area before taking their shot. That gives defenders a chance to slide out and block shots. Kralovic got to where he needed to be and snapped off his shot.
The kid has some hands. The Lightning can always use another skill guy on the shoot-out. He took a nice angle and sold the toe-drag before flipping it over the glove.
