Increased confidence, offensive ability showing for Goncalves in most recent NHL chance

When Gage Goncalves was re-assigned to the American Hockey League in January, he knew he would have to take advantage of his next NHL opportunity.

Goncalves began the season with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, but was an early recall in November. He posted his first two NHL points across 26 NHL games with the Lightning before being sent back to the AHL on Jan. 13.

Two weeks later, the young forward found out he was returning to the Lightning locker room. Since rejoining the team for a Jan. 28 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the 24-year-old’s confidence has seen a visible boost.

Goncalves has seven points in his previous 10 games and scored the game-winning goal on Saturday to help Tampa Bay push its winning streak to an NHL-best eight games. They will look to make it nine straight wins against the Florida Panthers on Monday at Amerant Bank Arena.

“I think just kind of my confidence got up a little bit,” Goncalves said of what has changed since returning to the NHL. “I think in the past, prior to getting sent down that second time, I was just kind of hesitating plays and stuff like that. So now I'm just trying to play with a lot more confidence. I know I’ve got to try and bring some offensive side to the game and try and help our team win that way. So, I feel like it's been going pretty good so far.”

Tampa Bay selected Goncalves in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft, and the player is now pushing for a regular NHL roster spot. Goncalves got his first regular taste of the NHL this season and scored his first career goal in a Dec. 19 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper has noticed Goncalves’ improvement.

"He showed some really good signs early the first time he came up, and then I think a bit of the grind got to him. But there's always that sense when you kind of get a taste of being here and really knowing what you need to work on to get back,” Cooper said. “He did that, and since he's been up he's really had a positive impact on our team. So good on him.”

Goncalves has mostly played alongside Mitchell Chaffee and Nick Paul on the third forward setup for Tampa Bay since his latest recall. Paul recently saw a four-game goal streak while Chaffee has established career highs in games played, goals, assists and points this season.

Alongside Goncalves, the trio has found some chemistry. The bruising, physical style of play from Chaffee and Paul has benefitted Goncalves and helped him find open ice.

“They're two great, big, powerful skaters who kind of push the pace in the offensive side, and they win a lot of pucks down low,” Goncalves said. “So if they keep doing that I think we're just gonna keep having success.”

On Saturday, Goncalves accepted a drop pass from Paul in the high slot before snapping his shot into the top left corner of the Washington net and extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 2-0 in the third period.

Goncalves is up to two goals and seven assists for nine points in 37 games this season. He saw his first NHL opportunity in a two-game audition with Tampa Bay in 2023-24, and now the offense is starting to appear in year two.

Part of that is due to noting the passing wizardry of Lightning teammate and defending Art Ross Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov, who sat third in the NHL scoring race heading into Monday.

“Just kind of watching Kuch every day, just seeing all the preparation, all the little puck touches he does, even if it's off the wall on a rim or it's in the middle of the ice, or the way he sauces something on his backhand. Just being able to watch him and talk to him about it has been really big for me,” Goncalves said.

No NHL opportunity comes with a guarantee, and Goncalves knows that. His focus remains on improving and taking advantage of every opportunity he’s given.

So far, so good.

“He can make plays,” Cooper said of Goncalves. “And to the point where I think he was trying to make too many plays, so he had to find that balance between taking a little bit of the risk out of his game. But he's done that, and it’s worked well.”