For the second time in a little over 48 hours, the Lightning have taken care of one of their pending restricted free agents. The team announced that they’ve signed Jack Finley to a three-year contract worth the league minimum of $775K per season. The structure is identical to the one that Maxwell Crozier signed on Friday in that it’s a two-way deal in year one before converting to a one-way pact for the final two seasons.
The 22-year-old was a second-round pick by the Lightning back in 2020, going 57th overall after being picked out of WHL Spokane. His time in major junior was limited the rest of the way with the 2020-21 campaign largely being shelved while he managed 50 points in 60 games in his final season.
Over his first three professional seasons, Finley has spent the bulk of it in the minors with AHL Syracuse. This season, Finley was limited to just 40 games with the Crunch due to injuries but still had a productive year, notching 14 goals and 14 assists. He also made his NHL debut with Tampa Bay back in January, logging 8:25 in a mid-month game against Boston.
Notably, Finley will be waiver-eligible beginning next season so if he doesn’t make Tampa Bay’s roster out of training camp, he’ll have to pass through waivers unclaimed. With a cheap three-year deal in hand now, that could make him likelier to be claimed if the Lightning want to send him down if there’s another team that feels he’s worth of an NHL look.