The Lightning announced that they have assigned forward Jack Finley to AHL Syracuse on a conditioning stint. The stint can last for up to two weeks but he will remain on Tampa Bay’s active roster while on assignment.
The 23-year-old has played in 11 games for the Lightning this season but has only suited up twice over the past nine contests. He has a goal and an assist in those outings along with 18 hits but is only averaging 8:49 of playing time per game. Waiver-eligible for the first time this season, this assignment allows him to get a few games in with the Crunch where he can have a more prominent role in the lineup.
More from Tampa Bay:
- There could be some good news on the horizon on the injury front as Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times provided updates on several players. First, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy won’t return on Saturday but could be an option to start on Monday against Florida. He has missed a little more than a week with an undisclosed injury. The hope was that he wouldn’t be out for long but he ultimately landed on IR to allow for Brandon Halverson’s recall. Vasilevskiy has had a very strong start to the season with a 2.31 GAA and a .916 SV% in 19 starts so far.
- Meanwhile, defenseman Ryan McDonagh did some individual skating drills as he works his way back from a leg injury that has kept him out for more than a month. Following practice, head coach Jon Cooper upgraded him to day-to-day. The 36-year-old, who recently signed a three-year extension, has been his usual steady self when in the lineup, averaging over 20 minutes a night. With Victor Hedman out long-term again, McDonagh nearing a return will be crucial for a back end that has been beaten up this season.
- Lastly, rookie center Dominic James was a full participant in practice and could be an option to return on Saturday against the Islanders. If not, he should be back for Monday’s contest versus Florida. The 23-year-old signed with Tampa Bay this past offseason after declining to sign with Chicago, who drafted him back in 2022. After a good start in the minors, James was recalled less than two weeks into the season and has been up ever since. He has five points in 18 games so far and has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury.