Waltteri Merelä
Merelä enters his first Rookie Showcase as the oldest player on Tampa Bay’s roster at 25 years old. Signed to a one-year deal by the Lightning in early June, Merelä spent last season in his home country of Finland, where he helped lead Tappara to a second-straight Liiga title with a team-high eight goals in 14 playoff games.
After his season came to a close, Merelä earned a spot on Team Finland’s roster at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championship and scored one goal in as many contests. From there, NHL teams started calling.
“I had a couple of good options, but the way Tampa handled everything and all that they did was just perfect,” Merelä said. “They were really interested. They called my agent many times and I was able to chat with Julien BriseBois and Jon Cooper for a bit as well. Tampa is one of the best organizations in the NHL.”
Merelä skated in his first Development Camp with the Bolts in July and really stood out, ranking third among all skaters with six goals in as many contests during the annual 3-on-3 tournament. Once camp ended, he returned home to Finland where he trains with his longtime trainer, his former team (Tappara), as well as an on-ice group led by former NHL forward Ville Nieminen that includes the likes of Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov.
While the Ylöjärvi native says he prides himself on his 200-foot game and being a complete player, his play at Development Camp also gave Lightning fans a glimpse of his NHL-caliber shot, hockey sense, and ability to protect the puck with his 6-foot-2, 196-pound frame. We’ll see if he can carry that performance into the three games down in Estero.
Lucas Edmonds
When Edmonds fell to the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the Lightning saw an opportunity and jumped at it, trading the 103rd and 169th overall picks to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the 89th overall selection that was used to draft the native of North Bay, Ontario.
Following multiple seasons of playing in Sweden as a teenager, Edmonds made the move to the OHL for the 2021-22 season and proceeded to rack up 113 points (34 goals, 79 assists) in 68 games, leading his team in scoring and ranking third among all OHL skaters. Last season, the 22-year-old made the jump to the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, skating in 49 games and recording 15 goals and 27 points, both team-highs among all rookies.
After getting his feet wet during the first half of the year, Edmonds took off after the All-Star break, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists for 19 points in the final 22 games of the regular season.
At Development Camp in July, Edmonds scored seven goals in six games at the 3-on-3 tournament, tied with Ilya Usau for the most among all skaters. This will be Edmonds’ second trip to the Rookie Showcase, so he’ll bring some experience to the roster as well.
Ethan Gauthier
Just before the start of the 2023 NHL Draft, the Lightning traded forward Ross Colton’s rights to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for the 37th overall pick. With that pick, Tampa Bay selected Gauthier, a skilled forward that also brings plenty of grit to the ice that makes him a real pain to play against.
Still only 18 years old, Gauthier is the youngest player on the Bolts roster at the Rookie Showcase, so it should be fun to watch how he’s able to impact the game with his style of play against some older opponents over the three contests.
In 66 games with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix last season, Gauthier scored 30 goals (23 of which were scored at even strength) and added 39 helpers for 69 points as one of the youngest players on the roster. He also skated for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and had an excellent showing with six goals and seven points in just five contests.
Projected to be a first-round pick by a multitude of draft analysts, Gauthier’s work ethic, athleticism, and fearless attitude are some of the qualities he brings to the Lightning organization. That compete level has earned him comparisons to former Tampa Bay fan favorite Yanni Gourde.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound forward isn’t afraid to take the puck to the blue paint and has shown some real skill in tight at the front of the net. His skillset and pedigree prompted the Drummondville Voltigeurs to send six draft picks (three first rounders, two second rounders, and one third rounder) to Sherbrooke in a trade this June. The son of former NHL defenseman Denis Gauthier, Ethan will be a player to keep an eye on in Estero.
Ilya Usau
Another player who really stood out at Development Camp in July was Usau, who was tied with Edmonds for the most goals among all skaters in the 3-on-3 tournament with seven. Like Merelä, Usau showcased an impressive shot with a quick release and good hands in tight around the net.
Nearly a point per game player with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders in 2019-20, Usau recorded 52 points (22G, 30A) in 58 games before playing the following two seasons with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk. In his final season in the KHL, he scored nine goals and added 17 assists for 26 points in 40 contests.
Last season, Usau made the move to the AHL and picked up 16 points (4G, 12A) in 57 games with the Syracuse Crunch. He’s another player that brings experience to the Lightning roster after skating in the Rookie Showcase last year. He’ll be a player that the Bolts will look towards to provide some offense in the three games at Hertz Arena.
Maxim Groshev
One of Tampa Bay’s two third-round picks in 2020, Groshev will be playing in his first Rookie Showcase this weekend after signing a three-year, entry-level deal in May. The 21-year-old winger seemed to get better every day throughout Development Camp in July and by the end of the 3-on-3 tournament, he was using his size and strong skating ability to generate multiple quality scoring chances.
Playing with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg in the VHL last season, Groshev skated in 22 games and racked up 18 points with nine goals and nine assists. With the big club in the KHL, he posted six points (4G, 2A) in 34 contests.
Watching Groshev play, you get a real sense of determination in his game when he showcases his high motor. His creativity with the puck, along with his shot and hockey sense, have also stood out. While the 3-on-3 tournament is very entertaining to watch, it will be great to see what Groshev is able to do in an actual game environment this weekend.
