Five Free Agent Targets for the 2026-27 Lightning

By Taylor Landau

With the Stanley Cup Final nearing its end, everyone’s starting to turn to the offseason with the start of free agency on the horizon. The NHL’s salary cap will rise to $104 million this coming season—an $8.5 million increase—and assuming the Tampa Bay Lightning let their UFAs walk, they are currently projected to have a little more than $13 million in cap space to play with. The Lightning are likely heading into free agency with two main goals: improve depth scoring and bolster defense. Let’s take a look at five potential free agent targets for Julien BriseBois.

John Carlson

It’s no secret that the Lightning are looking to re-sign upcoming free agent Darren Raddysh. Still, if he walks, current Anaheim Duck and longtime Washington Capitals veteran John Carlson could be a worthy replacement. Despite his age (36), Carlson continues to solidify himself as a coveted right-shot defenseman, something the Lightning will need in Raddysh’s (potential) absence. This past season, he scored 14 goals and notched 46 assists (totaling 60 points) in 71 games. Notably, 14 of those points came on the power play, which could come in handy without Raddysh and with a Lightning unit that struggled to find a 2nd power play defender the majority of last year.

Ideally, Carlson would slot somewhere around a one-, two-, or three-year deal, given his age. Getting older is not necessarily on the Lightning’s checklist of offseason goals, but for a veteran presence and effective defenseman like Carlson, the sacrifice may be worth it.

Jamie Oleksiak

The Big Rig returns! No, not that one. Another player on the older side, 33-year-old Jamie Oleksiak, is nothing to sneeze at. A towering 6-foot-7 defenseman, Oleksiak would bring a big size advantage to the team. Not to mention, he’s a strong penalty killer and can play well on both sides of the ice. While he saw a drop off in playing time with the Seattle Kraken during his previous contract, he’s still a vital depth asset to any defensive squad, something the Lightning could use. His offensive stats are not the greatest (5 goals and 10 assists in 78 games), but a strong, physical presence on the blue line may be valuable enough for BriseBois to make an offer.

Teddy Blueger

Strong centers are slim pickings this offseason, but Teddy Blueger may be a good fit for the Lightning. Despite the Vancouver Canucks’ abysmal season, Blueger was one of the only highlights upon returning from injury with 9 goals and 8 assists (17 points) in 35 games. If he’d been healthy and continued on that pace for all 82 games of the season, Blueger could’ve finished with over 60 points, which would’ve been a career high. Tampa Bay is in desperate need of some help on the bottom six, and a speedy, defensive-minded center could fit that bill and check off lots of boxes.

A bonus: Blueger has playoff experience. He’s been to the playoffs six times and won the Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. At 31 years old, he’s a little older than what the Lightning would probably like, but for much-needed depth scoring and extra playoff experience, that’s something the team might overlook.

Eeli Tolvanen

Pivoting to a younger option, 27-year-old Eeli Tolvanen could be another forward to provide some bottom-six depth. This past season with the Seattle Kraken, Tolvanen finished with 36 points (12 goals and 24 assists), which is his second-highest career total. He’s also an asset to the power play and scored 14 points with the man advantage. He’d likely fit best with the second unit, something that could prove useful in the likely absence of Oliver Bjorkstrand next season. Despite his smaller size, he’s not afraid to get physical either, having ended the season with 187 hits. This total would’ve put him behind Zemgus Girgensons this season, with 195 hits, and Yanni Gourde with 115.

The only major question for Tolvanen is how much his contract will be worth. His last contract was worth a little over $3.4 million. The Athletic projects his next one will hover somewhere around the same number, but in a less-than-stellar free agency lineup, he may fetch a higher price than the Lightning is willing to pay. Still, if Tampa Bay can get him for a reasonable price, he’d make an excellent addition to the middle of the lineup.

Nick Blankenburg

Undersized defenseman Nick Blankenburg may be one of the more under-the-radar picks for any team this offseason. 28-year-old Blankenburg is still early on in his career, having only played his fourth season this year, split between the Nashville Predators and the Colorado Avalanche. Still, the offensive-minded defenseman finished the season with 24 points in 61 games; not too shabby for a depth player! He’s a right-shot defenseman as well, something that could become a priority for the Lightning to acquire if they let Raddysh walk.

The major concern with Blankenburg is his size. At 5-foot-9, he’s certainly on the smaller side as far as NHL players go. Still, he’s an efficient puck mover, and he doesn’t let his small size keep him from playing a big game. He’s also coming off a small contract (league minimum), and while he is undoubtedly looking for a pay increase, he may not be asking for the big bucks like some other veteran free agents on the market. He could be a valuable (and somewhat cheap) asset for a cap-strapped team. 

While the free agents this year may not have the biggest names, the Lightning still have an opportunity to make a big splash and acquire some much-needed help going into next season. With several options on the horizon, the question now becomes whether Brisebois adds through free agency or looks for better options via trade.

What do you think? Are there any strong free agents we missed? Let us know!