By Michael Wax
The Tampa Bay Lightning have gotten a jumpstart on organizational depth for next season, signing forward Dylan Duke to a three-year, entry-level contract that will begin in the 2024-25 season.
Duke will join the Syracuse Crunch for the remainder of the 2023-24 season on an amateur tryout contract, bolstering Syracuse for the run to the Calder Cup.
The Lightning selected Duke in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Duke had ended his season with the US National Development Team of the USHL at the time, putting up tangles and seven assist for 17 points in 26 games with the program. Duke was also teammate with 2022 Lightning first round pick Isaac Howard that season.
In three seasons at Michigan, Duke saw improvement in both play style and numbers. Appearing in 41 games in each of his three collegiate seasons, Duke transformed from a 10 goals scorer his freshman year to a 26 goals scorer during his junior season, and saw his total flourish from 19 during his freshman campaign to 49 this past season. As an assistant captain for the Wolverines this past year, Duke finished first on the team in goal scoring and third in points behind Gavin Brindley and Rutger McGroarty.
Duke's magnum opus during his collegiate career came in the regional finals this past season, where he was matched up against Michigan State and former teammate on the development team, Isaac Howard. Duke put up two goals to send Michigan to the Frozen Four for the third consecutive season, his first goal an absolutely highlight-reel play to get Lightning fans excited about their newest prospect.
After a third consecutive loss in the Frozen Four semifinal, Duke turned pro and signed his ELC today. For the Lightning, it'll provide a much-needed jolt to an organization that can use some top-end scoring in the pipeline.
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