Top 10 Lightning Draft Gems: Best Late-Round Picks & Undrafted Signings

The 2024 NHL Draft is less than a week away, and while this should be an exciting time for hockey fans, the enthusiasm among Tampa Bay Lightning supporters seems to be lacking. The reason? The Lightning don’t have a first-round pick this year. In fact, barring any future trades, the team isn’t slated to make a selection until the fourth round.

Because of this, many fans feel there’s little reason to pay attention to the draft, assuming the Lightning won’t be acquiring a significant player. However, there’s still plenty of value in following the event, and here’s why:

Not only have many great hockey players been drafted outside of the first round, but the Lightning in particular have a long history of finding gems in later rounds. So to show that, and to hopefully help build some excitement for this year’s draft, we will present the top ten best Lightning draft steals in the later rounds. 

Before we begin it’s important to note that the players who were considered had to be both drafted by the Lightning and have made their NHL debut for the Lightning. No late-round picks who later broke out on the Lightning were considered.

Also, we decided to include undrafted players when making this list. The only rule is they must have first been signed by the Lighting and made their NHL debut for the Lightning. So no, Martin St. Louis isn’t on this list. 

Now that we’ve gotten those rules out of the way, let’s get to the list. 

#10: Cédric Paquette (2012, Round 4, Pick #101)

Paquette would start his pro career in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch before making his NHL debut in 2014. He would get sent back down to the Crunch for the rest of the year. He started with the Crunch in the 2014-2015 season only to get recalled again. This time, the move was permanent.  

Paquette would be a mainstay on the team for many of their playoff years. In total he played in 377 regular season games in seven seasons with the Lightning, racking up 53 goals and 85 points. He also appeared in 77 playoff games and had 12 playoff points. 

In his final season with the team, he helped the team win the 2020 Stanley Cup. 

#9: Anthony Cirelli (2015, Round 3, Pick #72)

A member of the 2019 All-Rookie team and key contributed to the Lighting winning back-to-back Cups. 

Cirelli was recalled from the Crunch in 2018 and has since gone on to play in 431 regular season games, with 97 goals and 136 points, and 103 playoff games, with 17 goals and 42 points. 

He also has one of the most important goals in franchise history. In Game Six of the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals, Cirelli scored the series-winning goal in overtime to send the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

#8: Yanni Gourde (Undrafted)

Gourde signed with the Lightning in 2014 and spent three seasons with the Crunch before being recalled in 2015, though he was sent back down after only two games. He would be recalled again the next season and after that became a fan favorite for his drive and chippy, no-fear style of play. 

Gourde appeared in 310 regular season games, scoring 101 goals and 235 points, and 69 playoff games, scoring 16 goals and 29 points.

He was a key contributor to the team winning back-to-back cups, with his most notable contribution being when he scored the game-winning, shortened goal against the New York Islanders in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. 

#7: Tyler Johnson (Undrafted) 

An undrafted guy who wasn’t even in the minors for two full seasons. 

After helping the Lightning’s previous AHL team, the Norfolk Admirals, win a Calder Cup, Johnson was recalled from the minors in 2013 and would go on to remain with the Lightning for nine seasons, playing in 589 regular season games and 116 postseason games.

He recorded 161 goals and 360 points in the regular season and 32 goals and 65 points in the playoffs. He was named to the 2014 All-Rookie team and the 2015 NHL All-Star team and while he was a member of the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup teams, Johnson will most be remembered for being the best player during the Lightning’s run to the 2015 finals. He had 13 goals and 23 points in 26 games and had many notable moments, such as a buzzer-beating, game-winning goal in Round 2 against the Montreal Canadiens. Had the Lightning beaten the Chicago Blackhawks in the Finals, Johnson would have probably won the Conn Smythe. 

#6: Alex Killorn (2007, Round 3, Pick #77) 

A person who became such a mainstay of the team, he made general manager Julien BriseBois tear up when discussing him in a press conference. 

Killorn came up at the same time as Johnson, even winning the Calder Cup with him. He made his debut in 2013 and would remain with the team for eleven seasons. During the 2019-2020 season, he was named as one of the team’s alternate captains and would remain in that position until he signed with the Anaheim Ducks. 

Another key contributor to the team’s back-to-back cup wins, he played in 805 regular season games, scoring 198 goals and 466 points, and 140 playoff games, scoring. 37 goals and 77 points, with the team. 

#5: Pavel Kubina (1996, Round 7, Pick #179) 

One of the first great players to play for the Lightning.

Kubina would be recalled from the Lighting after spending less than a full season in the minors. He would actually have two stints with the team. His first one lasted from the 1997-98 season to the 2005-06 season. Then after some time away playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Thrashers, he would return to the Lightning for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. 

The physical defensemen played in 662 regular season games and scored 72 goals and 243 points, in addition to 46 playoff games with three goals and nine points. 

His best season with the team was the 2003-04 season, where he was named to that year’s All-Star game and he helped the Lightning win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.  

#4: Ondřej Palat (2011, Round 7, Pick #208) 

Palat was one of the faces of the Lightning’s best years.

He played alongside Johnson and Killorn on that Calder Cup-winning team before getting called up. In 10 seasons with the team, he played in 628 regular season games and recorded 143 goals and 423 points. 

Palat ranks this high because he may be one of the best postseason performers in team history. In 138 playoff games, he scored 48 goals and 94 points. He helped lead the team to the 2015 Finals as a member of the “Triplets” line alongside Johnson and another player (who may or may not be on this list), was a core piece to the 2020 and 2021 Cup-winning teams, and was the team’s best player in their run to the 2022 finals. 

#3: Brad Richards (1998, Round 3, Pick #64) 

There’s a reason this guy was inducted into the Lightning’s Hall of Fame.

Upon joining the team for the 2000-01 season, Richards would become one of the faces of the team during their first boom period. 

He suited up for the team 552 times in the regular season and scored 150 goals and 489 points. As for the playoffs, he suited up 45 times and scored 18 goals and 47 points. 

Richards was a member of the 2001 All-Rookie team and won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2004. But of course, Richards is remembered for his performance in the 2004 playoffs. His 26 points in 23 games helped the team win the Cup and won him the Conn Smythe Trophy. 

 #2: Brayden Point (2014, Round 3, Pick #79) 

One of the best playmakers in the NHL.

Point shocked everyone when he made the opening day roster for the 2016-2017 season. And since then he hasn’t looked back. 580 games and counting. 264 goals and 553 points at the time of writing. A 2018 All-Star. 42 goals and 87 points in 87 playoff games. A 51-goal season. Goals in nine straight playoff games, the second-longest streak in NHL history. Scored a Stanley Cup-winning goal. Key contributor to two Stanley Cups.

Yeah, I’d say he’s a pretty good player. 

#1: Nikita Kucherov (2011, Round 2, Pick #58)

Was there any doubt who would take this spot?

The team’s current alternate captain is objectively one of the top four players in team history. And as time goes on he could easily take the #1 spot. He’s one of the best players in the league today. Buckle up because he has one of the longest list of accomplishments. 

• 320 goals and 873 points in 725 games. 
• 53 goals and 167 points in 147 playoff games. 
• Has played in five all-star games.
• Two NHL first All-Star team selections and two NHL second All-Star team selections.
• Two Art Ross Trophies. 
• 2019 Ted Lindsay Award winner. 
• 2019 Hart Trophy winner and he might get a second one for his performance this past season.
• Only the fourth player in NHL history to have 100 assists in a season.
• A 144-point season, the most by a Russian player.
• Holds 11 Lightning records, including most playoff points, most playoff goals, most playoff assists, most points in a single playoff run and most assists in a single playoff run.
• Was the leading scorer in both the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup teams.

Whenever Kucherov is discussed he is mentioned a kingside some of the greatest players in NHL history. Considering only about 25% of second round picks even make it to the NHL it’s fair to say he’s outplayed his scouting report & teams regret passing on him for fifty-seven other players in his draft.