Tampa Bay Lightning forwards sidelined by injuries

The Tampa Bay Lightning will face depth challenges in their forward group heading into the 2026-27 NHL season due to recent injuries. General Manager Julien BriseBois announced that forward Yanni Gourde is expected to be sidelined until December following offseason hip surgery.

Additionally, center Dominic James is set to miss the beginning of the season after fracturing his hand during offseason training. The loss of both players impacts the team’s bottom-six forward rotation. While the Lightning maintain significant offensive talent in their top lines, led by Nikita Kucherov, the injuries may necessitate increased playing time for players such as Conor Geekie and Sam O'Reilly.