The Lightning introduced they’ve recalled defenseman Declan Carlile from AHL Syracuse. He was simply sent down to the minors Sunday, together with Steven Santini. Because the latter wasn’t recalled Tuesday, captain Victor Hedman will in all probability return towards the Blue Jackets after lacking two video games with a lower-body damage. Head coach Jon Cooper confirmed this to Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times.
Carlile, 24, will play if Hedman can’t go however sit within the press field if he can. The Michigan native is coming off his second profession NHL look in Saturday’s win over the Kraken, scoring his first NHL objective whereas logging 11:10 of ice time. An undrafted free agent signing out of Merrimack Faculty in 2022, Carlile is now an alternate captain with Syracuse and has three factors with a +1 score in 21 AHL appearances this season. The “stalwart rush defender,” as described by Elite Prospects, had a career-high 27 factors in 61 video games with Syracuse final season.
The 6-foot-3 left-shot defender is within the first season of a two-year, two-way extension he signed in June. He’ll stay waiver-exempt all through 2024-25 however would require waivers subsequent fall if the Lightning don’t checklist him on their opening night time roster.
Not solely did the Bolts handle to win their final two video games with out Hedman, however they did so in reasonably dominant style with an 8-3 victory over Calgary and a 5-1 trouncing of Seattle. Dominant wins and shut losses have been the norm for the Lightning this season — they’ve a division-best +30 objective differential however solely a 16-10-2 report, putting them third within the Atlantic based mostly on factors share (.607).
In his first season as captain following the departure of Steven Stamkos, Hedman, a six-time All-Star, has 25 factors and a +4 score by way of 26 video games. It’s secure to say the soon-to-be 35-year-old is as much as his typical methods, tying for sixth within the league in factors by defensemen and rating fourth in factors per sport with 0.96. Tampa has dominated possession with him on the ice at even energy, controlling 54.2% of shot makes an attempt and 57.6% of anticipated objectives.
The Bolts’ lively roster rely stands at 22 after recalling Carlile.
