After yesterday’s check-in on the first half of the Lightning’s Top 25 Under 25 for 2025 there are thirteen spots left. Thanks to a trade and some waiver activity, there are only ten players left to take a look at. Roman Schmidt (#12), Niko Huutannen (#9), and Jack Finley (#4) are all now in other organizations. Still, some pretty good names are left, so let’s take a look at how they’re doing this season.
13 Dyllan Gill – Orlando Solar Bears – ECHL
46 games, 2 goals, 9 assists
After not having that many players under Lightning contract in Orlando over the last couple of seasons, the affiliation is really helping out. Gill is getting some reps in his debut season and could be inline for a call-up to Syracuse if they need help at some point.
12 Roman Schmidt – Traded
The Lightning swapped young defenders with Philadelphia, sending Schmidt north in exchange for Ethan Samson
11 Ethan Czata – Niagara IceDogs – OHL
52 games, 22 goals, 21 assists
If the NHL and CHL go through with their agreement to allow one 19-year-old on AHL rosters next season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Czata with the Crunch. He is putting up identical numbers in Niagara this season and you have to wonder if he’s waiting for the next challenge.
10 Max Groshev – Syracuse Crunch – AHL
42 games, 3 goals, 14 assists
It’s still a work in progress for Groshev as he reaches the one-year mark since transitioning to a defenseman. In the meantime he’s made his NHL debut and continues to improve in all aspects of the game. His ability to skate the puck out of the defensive zone really is unmatched in the organization, and it won’t be long before the Bolts give him a sustained look at the NHL level.
9 Niko Huuhtanen – Waived
In the end, things just weren’t working out for the talented Finnish forward and the two sides agreed to mutually part ways. Huuhtanen signed with EHC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland where he has 1 goal, 1 assist in 7 games.
8 Jakob Pelletier – Syracuse Crunch – AHL
45 games, 20 goals, 33 assists
Pelletier has been as advertised with the Crunch. Among the top scorers in the AHL, he’s had a couple of cups of coffee with the Lightning, and could be parlaying this season into a spot on the roster next year.
7 Ethan Gauthier – Syracuse Crunch – AHL
39 games, 7 goals, 7 assists
After a long career at the junior level, Gauthier is getting his feet wet in professional hockey. Some injuries have knocked him out of the line-up over the course of the season, and he’s struggled a bit with consistency, but he has shown flashes of the two-way potential that made him one of the highest draft picks in recent memory for the Bolts.
6 Dylan Duke – Syracuse Crunch – AHL
51 games, 25 goals, 18 assists
Of his 25 goals, 16 have come on the power play. And the combined total feet of those goals away from the crease is probably 30. Duke is having a breakout season for the Crunch and doing it in a way that should translate to the NHL. He establishes himself in front of the net and outworks the opponents.
5 Sam O’Reilly – Kitchener Rangers – OHL
47 games, 24 goals, 28 assists with London and Kitchener
After a couple of successful seasons in London, O’Reilly was part of an offensive overhaul for the Kitchener Rangers at the deadline. He’s been as good as advertised with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games. Expect him to join the Crunch after Kitchener’s season is over.
4 Jack Finley – claimed on waivers
Finley was claimed by St. Louis at the beginning of the Olympic break. It’ll be interesting to see if the big guy makes it through the season without going back on waivers. The Blues are dealing with some injuries up front, and might have a roster crunch when everyone is healthy. Unless, of course, they deal away some of their forwards.
3 Emil Lilleberg – Tampa Bay Lightning – NHL
32 games, 2 goals, 4 assists
It’s been a bit of a lost season for Lilleberg as injuries have limited him to just 32 games. It does appear that he is healthy and ready to go. The question down the stretch of the season will be where he plays. With Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and J.J. Moser healthy on the left side of the ice, that leaves him playing on his off-side.
2 Gage Goncalves – Tampa Bay Lightning – NHL
51 games, 6 goals, 11 assists
It’s been a hot-and-cold season for the Portuguese Pistol. At times he’s used his puck skills and sneaky good shot to put up some points and drive offense, but at other times he’s been invisible. Can he reclaim his spot on a line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov now that Point is healthy again, or will he be watching from the press box should Julian BriseBois obtain another forward?
1 Conor Geekie – Syracuse Crunch – NHL
45 games, 13 goals, 36 assists
The Conor Geekie reset is going about as well as can be expected. After starting in the NHL this season, the Lightning reassigned him to Syracuse with sole purpose of playing top center minutes. Not only that, but he’s getting ice time in all situations, including the penalty kill. There are times when he is the most dominant player on the ice for the Crunch, and that experience is more valuable than 10 minutes of ice time a night in Tampa.
