Cirelli played a key role for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their run to the Stanley Cup championship in 2020. His overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Islanders put the Lightning into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2015, and he contributed three assists in six games against the Dallas Stars in the Cup Final to help Tampa Bay win its first championship since 2004.

The Lightning selected Cirelli in the third round (No. 72) of the 2015 NHL Draft after he had 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) for Oshawa of the Ontario Hockey League. He scored twice including in overtime in the 2015 Memorial Cup final against Kelowna of the Western Hockey League.

On May 19, 2016, Cirelli signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Lightning.

In 2016-17, he had 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 26 games for Oshawa before he was traded to Erie on Jan. 9, 2017. He had 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 25 games with Erie, which advanced to the 2017 Memorial Cup Final, losing 4-3 to Windsor of the OHL.

He began the 2017-18 season with Syracuse of the American Hockey League and had 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 51 games before being recalled on March 1, 2018. He made his NHL debut that night against the Dallas Stars and scored his first goal and assist in a 5-4 overtime win.

In the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Cirelli had three points (two goals, one assist) in 17 games.

Cirelli took a big step forward in 2018-19, settling in as a third-line center and finishing with 19 goals, 39 points and a plus-25 rating to help the Lightning tie the NHL single-season record with 62 victories. He continued to boost his offensive numbers in 2019-20, scoring 16 goals and finishing with NHL career highs in points (44) and plus-minus rating (plus-28).

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• NHL All-Rookie Team (2019)