Faceoffs a focus through Jack Finley’s fight for NHL job with Lightning

The 23-year-old center leads all Tampa Bay forwards in faceoffs taken through five preseason games.

Jack Finley hasn’t had much time to rest in September, and that’s quite alright with him.

Finley played his team-high fourth game of the 2025 NHL preseason for the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday as the 23-year-old forward tries to work his way onto the team’s opening night roster for the Oct. 9 regular season opener against the Ottawa Senators.

Following two training camps that saw the young forward deal with injuries, Finley is embracing the opportunity to win an NHL job this fall.

“I’ve come in this year trying to make the team,” Finley said… “For me, just having that mentality that you can't take a day off. You know they're always watching everything you do, and I just try and fit the role and look back and see what does this team need? I think for me it’s just playing hard and I think I still have another level to take, but I just try to work hard and play hard.”

The Lightning front office has received an extended peek at No. 62 this preseason, particularly in the middle of the ice. While he hasn’t registered a point, Finley has been seen on the penalty kill, including time as the lone forward at 3-on-5. On Tuesday in Orlando, he was quick to challenge a Panthers player in defense of teammate JJ Moser after the defenseman was boarded from behind.

Finley leads the team in faceoff wins (26) and faceoffs taken (52) this preseason, good for a 50% faceoff percentage. Tampa Bay is always looking to win more draws and has room at center ice after the offseason departure of longtime NHL faceoff expert Luke Glendening, whose 57% faceoff win percentage paced Tampa Bay in 2024-25.

Finley’s 6-foot-6 build and reach gives him an advantage in front of the net screening opposing goalies as well as in puck battles on the boards. He also uses it to his advantage when taking faceoffs, a skill he believes can separate him from other players in his push for a full-time NHL job. One number that sticks out on Finley’s faceoff sheet is in his own end—Finley has won 63% of his draws in the defensive zone this preseason.

“I take a lot of pride in faceoffs. I got a lot of opportunities the last three years in Syracuse to work on it, go out there and take big faceoffs. It's a big part of the game, especially when games are tight and you need to win a draw. So, it's something that I've really focused on, trying to dial that in and just having the mentality that every faceoff is important, every faceoff matters.”

Faceoffs have long been a strength of the second-round pick from the 2020 NHL Draft. The forward said former teammate and longtime captain of the Syracuse Crunch, Gabriel Dumont, was critical in his development as a go-to faceoff guy.

“He's another right-shot center, and he kind of made a career out of taking faceoffs,” Finley said of Dumont. “He taught me how important it is and how you can add minutes to your game by just being good on draws and on the PK, and he's helped me tremendously. We worked together a lot in practice in Syracuse, and I would give a lot of credit to him.”

Finley scored 14 goals and 28 points across 40 games for Syracuse in 2024-25, also making his NHL debut on Jan. 14 against the Boston Bruins. He spent much of his offseason focused on improving his skating, working with Lightning skating coach Barb Underhill this summer.

The forward also shared the ice in Kelowna, British Columbia with NHL players including Damon Severson, Joel Edmundson, Tanner Jeannot, Luke and Brayden Schenn as well as others.

Skating throughout the summer was a welcomed change for Finley after his previous two offseasons were disrupted by injuries.

“I haven't been able to skate at all the last two summers, and my first skate was at training camp. So for me to just stay on the ice all summer…working on skills, stuff around the net, faceoffs, my skating and my speed, I think just being able to stay on the ice all year-round is really helpful.”

Another young player at training camp, forward Conor Geekie, knows Finley well. The duo played together with the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League during the 2021-22 season before playing together last season in the AHL with the Crunch.

“He’s done nothing but get better,” Geekie said of Finley. “He's one of those guys that you want to play with and makes it super easy. He’s super good at faceoffs and good in the D-zone, but I think what goes unnoticed is he's got that offensive touch. You could see it last year in Syracuse…He's kind of got that all-around game that you want to play with and you want to be on the ice with him.”

Particularly in the faceoff circle, Geekie said Finley separates himself from the crowd.

“He's got a knack for it, and that's just what he's about. When he's on, he's one of the best, and even in practice you go against him and sometimes you just can't win. It's one of those things that he's done for however long, and he's obviously still doing it and still doing great.”

Over the years, Finley has watched and learned from NHL veterans including Ryan McDonagh, Victor Hedman, Pat Maroon, Nikita Kucherov and others.

While earning his NHL debut last year was a lifelong dream come true, becoming a full-time NHL player remains on his agenda. It could happen as soon as this year.

Opening day of the 2025-26 NHL season is approaching quickly, and Finley isn’t focused on outside headlines or projected lineups. Rather, he wants to control what he can control and stay focused on the details, much like when he lines up for a faceoff.

Finley plans to take it one day—one faceoff—at a time.

“It's taken a lot of development in Syracuse and adding things to my game and just becoming a professional off the ice,” he said. “I've worked my butt off my whole life to put myself in this position, and now it's just about executing and just trying my best.”