We’re not going to lie. This post was already half-written with the intention of announcing that the Tampa Bay Lightning had recalled Conor Sheary to be their extra forward taking Gage Goncalves spot on the roster after the rookie was placed on waivers yesterday. Instead, general manager Julien BriseBois and the coaching staff went in a different direction by recalling Jack Finley from the Syracuse Crunch.
The recall will be the 22-year-old’s first experience with the Lightning during the regular season after he’s spent a few training camps with them since joining the organization. The first thing folks notice about the 2020 second-round pick is his size. At 6’6″ and 220 lbs., Finley will be the tallest forward on the team (Conor Geekie and Nick Paul are 6’4″) and trails only the 6’7″ Victor Hedman for the title of tallest player on the roster.
The second thing people might notice is the fact that he hasn’t played a lot this year, or the year before. Injuries have followed the British Columbian native throughout his career and had him on the sidelines until December. When he plays, he contributes. Finley has 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 131 games with the Crunch dating back to the 2020-21 season. In 10 games with Syracuse so far this season, he’s recorded 2 goals and 4 assists. His play while on the ice has earned him the 11th spot in our latest Top 25 Under 25 rankings.
He makes his living in front of the net with deflections and rebounds while also providing a more than adequate screen in front of opposing goaltenders. His skating has been good enough to get by at the AHL level, but it’ll be tested in the NHL. His game doesn’t rely on speed, though, and more than a fair share of big-bodied players have made a comfortable living simply by playing in front of the net and outworking their opposition.
While he has experience at center, chances are the Lightning will use him on the wing since they are pretty much set down the middle of the ice. Coach Cooper doesn’t like to bring up players and have them just sit on the sidelines, so expect him to rotate in at some point, possibly with Cameron Atkinson. Finley will likely line up on the third or fourth line, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he might sneak onto the second power play unit at times.