Tampa Bay Lightning Announce 2025-26 Opening Night Roster
The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced their opening night roster for the 2025-26 season. The lineup consists of many of the same stars fans have gotten to know, along with a few new faces.
A couple of notable additions are prospect forward Jack Finley and free-agent pickup Pontus Holmberg. Forward Curtis Douglas was added recently as a waiver claim. Defenseman Max Crozier, who has played 18 career NHL games over the last two seasons with the Lightning, cracked the roster to start things off as well.
The Lightning will also notably roll with a third goalie on the roster. Pheonix Copley was picked up off waivers last week, and he could potentially help fill gaps where starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy might need extra rest.
As reported previously, Nick Paul will be absent for the first month or so of the season. They’ll be without Zemgus Girgensons as well.
Here is the breakdown of the roster as the Lightning look to not just make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth season in a row, but make it past the first round since they reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2022.
Lightning 2025-26 Opening Night Roster
Forwards (13): Oliver Borkstrand, Mitchell Chaffee, Anthony Cirelli, Curtis Douglas, Jack Finley, Conor Geekie, Gage Goncalves, Yanni Gourde, Jake Guentzel, Bandon Hagel, Pontus Holmberg, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point
Defensemen (7): Erik Cernak, Max Crozier, Victor Hedman, Emil Lilleberg, Ryan McDonagh, JJ Moser, Darren Raddysh
Goalies (3): Pheonix Copley, Jonas Johansson, Andrei Vasilevskiy
Injured and/or Non-Roster: Zemgus Girgensons (IR), Niko Huuhtanen (IR/NR), Nick Paul (IR)
Those who are new to the roster will aim to provide the Lightning with the depth they have been lacking over the last couple of seasons, most notably in the bottom six. The Lightning will open the season on Thursday, Oct. 9, when they host the Ottawa Senators at the newly named Benchmark International Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
Emmy Award-wining, behind the scenes series, 'Recharge', set to return for a seventh season tomorrow night
Episode 1 will debut on the Lightning's YouTube channel at 5 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Emmy Award-winning behind the scenes series, Recharge, returns for a seventh season this week. Episode 1 of the season, entitled “Another Go,” will debut on
The season premiere immerses fans in the latest chapter of the Bolts’ journey as head coach Jon Cooper enters his 13th full season leading the team. With consistency as a guiding principle, the Lightning return with a roster largely intact from last year’s campaign. “Another Go” introduces fans to some of the new faces in Tampa Bay, including forward Pontus Holmberg and the newest addition to the coaching staff, Dan Hinote.
Fans will follow the Bolts beyond the rink as Recharge takes them inside George M. Steinbrenner Field for Victor Hedman’s ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays’ matchup with the Boston Red Sox. The team also had the chance to explore the facilities and take some swings in the batting cages at the Rays’ temporary home.
The episode also dives into the team’s franchise-best 6-0-0 start to the preseason and the tools needed to continue its strong play into the regular season. One of which is the Lightning power play, led by reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov.
Viewers will get an intimate look into the lives of players off the ice, including forward Jake Guentzel, who reflects on settling his family into Tampa and the camaraderie of a roster now wearing the Lightning bolt for another season together. With minimal roster turnover, expectations remain high for the Lightning as the team embarks on the 2025-26 campaign.
Fans can go back and relive all the magic and stories from previous seasons of Recharge by visiting HERE on TampaBayLightning.com.
Nik Bonitto's Hot Start Puts Him in Company of Legendary Broncos Names
Denver Broncos rush linebacker Nik Bonitto is off to a very hot start to the 2025 season. Five weeks in, the Pro Bowler has already amassed seven sacks.
In the Broncos' stunning come-from-behind upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday,
The Broncos prevailed 21-17. Bonitto's 2.5 sacks carved out a nice piece of Broncos historical real estate.
Multiple Sacks in Three Straight Games
Bonitto became just the fourth Bronco, and the first since Von Miller in 2014, to record multiple sacks in three straight games. Bonitto's seven sacks are the second-most by any Bronco through five games in a season.
Elvis Dumervil holds the record for the most sacks through five games, with eight registered in 2009. He would finish with 17 quarterback takedowns, garnering the NFL's sack crown and breaking the franchise record previously held by Simon Fletcher (16).
Miller would eclipse Dumervil's single-season franchise record, recording 18.5 sacks in 2012. That season ended up being Dumervil's last as a Bronco.
Of the top-10 sack seasons in Broncos history, Miller owns four of the slots, while Fletcher holds three. Bonitto put up 13.5 sacks in his breakout 2024 campaign, which ranks as the sixth-most in team history.
Bonitto's Path to Stardom
A 2022 second-round pick out of Oklahoma, Bonitto had a bit of a slow start, but he showed improvement in each year of his career before breaking out last season. On the heels of garnering Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors, the Broncos extended Bonitto with a four-year, $106 million deal in early September.
Earning $26.5 million per year, Bonitto is the 10th-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL. Considering his red-hot start to the 2025 season, he might actually be underpaid.
Micah Parsons' $46.5M/year contract with the Green Bay Packers makes him the NFL's highest-paid edge rusher. Parsons has just 2.5 sacks thus far.
Bonitto's Defensive Player of the Year odds have skyrocketed in tandem with his production. He's considered among the four frontrunners, including Parsons, Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson, and Cleveland's Myles Garrett.
Bonitto has drawn some stiff left-tackle matchups this season, but has come out on top. He's faced Joe Alt in Los Angeles and Philadelphia's All-Pro Jordan Mailata just last week.
Indianapolis' Bernhard Raimann is the only opponent to shut Bonitto out this season, in Week 2. But Denver's pass-rushing ace quickly made up for it by stockpiling six sacks over the ensuing three games.
Even a Special Talent Needs Help
The Broncos have something special in Bonitto, that much is now crystal-clear. He is complemented by a ferocious front seven that includes fellow All-Pro Zach Allen on the inside and Jonathon Cooper opposite him at outside linebacker. Cooper has the same number of sacks as Parsons.
Last year, the Broncos led the NFL in sacks, with 63. Vance Joseph's unit is on pace to shatter that franchise record, as the Broncos are still leading the NFL in sacks with 21 this season. The Detroit Lions are the next-closest team with 16.
Bonitto is making all the difference. What's even more impressive is that he's played with a wrist injury for most of the season, and had a procedure to correct a bone spur in his foot during training camp.
