‘It just clicked’: D’Astous, James band together through NHL emergence for Lightning

As the television broadcast spanned to the Tampa Bay Lightning bench in the moments following Charle-Edouard D’Astous’s first career NHL goal in Nashville last week, the 27-year-old defenseman couldn’t hide his smile.

The player seated next to him couldn’t hide theirs, either.

Rookie forward Dominic James put an arm around D’Astous, congratulating the teammate that has quickly become his closest friend in the Lightning locker room. With only 13 combined NHL games between the players—all this season—the first-year Bolts have become somewhat inseparable.

James and D’Astous are sticking together as they navigate their introduction to the league.

“Tons,” the 23-year-old James said of how much the duo relies on one another.

“I don’t know if we do anything without each other. We just want to make sure we’re on time, and we’re kind of helping each other out with that and meeting each other in the lobby. Whether we’re walking over, going out to eat, we’re just trying to make sure each guy is doing the right thing and we’re not late to any meetings or messing anything up.”

D’Astous was recalled from the American Hockey League on Oct. 20, and James joined the Lightning two days later. James was one of the team’s final cuts in training camp, while D’Astous has garnered attention in his return to North America following a strong run of professional play in Europe.

Now, both are in the NHL contributing together, occasionally at the same time—both have shared time on the Lightning’s second power-play unit in recent games.

They don’t have to travel far off the ice to see one another, either. D’Astous and James live two doors down from one another in Tampa, and both players enjoy having a familiar face nearby.

“It’s kind of funny. We were in Syracuse before we got called up and were like, it would be nice if we could get called up and play in Tampa together, and then a couple days later we both got called up and got a chance,” D’Astous said. “So, yeah, I think we’re both helping each other. We’re both in the same situation, first season in the NHL, so it’s nice to have someone to lean on and to help me, and I’m helping him, too.

"It’s been huge for both of us, I think.”

They had never met before Lightning training camp this fall, with James spending the last several years playing collegiate hockey while D’Astous was playing in Europe.

It didn’t take long, though, for their friendship to form.

“We got to meet at camp, and I don’t know,” D’Astous said. “Just a good connection and it clicked, and we’ve been good friends since that.”

And after getting his first NHL goal last month, the Lightning defender knows that James’s first tally is just around the corner. James has hit the goalpost already and helped create numerous offensive chances and goals for the Lightning.

“He’s such a good skater, and he creates so much space for him and his line,” D’Astous said of James. “I think the last couple of games they’ve had great chances, and I’m sure it’s gonna come. They’ve been doing really good, so I think it’s just a question of time.”

Whenever James’s first NHL goal arrives, he might be the second-happiest person in the building behind his newfound friend.

“You could tell he was really happy for me, and I’m gonna be the same when his first goal comes,” D’Astous said. “It feels good to have someone that is that happy for you…I’m gonna have the same reaction that he did, but I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be a big moment for him, too.”