As free agency has started in the National Hockey League, many teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, are making significant roster moves with free agents and player extensions. Just yesterday, July 1, for day one of free agency, the Lightning extended young 24-year-old Portuguese forward Gage Goncalves to a two-year contract worth $1.2 million a year (Tampa Bay Times, 2025).
In addition, they also added former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.55 million. After day one, the club also added more young depth to the roster, as they signed Jakob Pelletier to a three-year contract — a two-way deal for two years before converting into a one-way for year-three.
More About The Players
Goncalves had himself a season with the Bolts last season, giving himself a name that impressed so many. Acting as a sort of “Swiss army knife” type player, Goncalves was able to fit his play style and game developed from the AHL to the NHL without much problem, going so far as to play with top players like Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel, and participating on the power play units.
Hailing from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, with citizenship in Portugal, the 24-year-old made his NHL debut with the Bolts during the 2023-24 season by playing in two games. Fast forward to last season, and Goncalves earned himself a full-time spot on the roster. Skating in 60 games, he recorded eight goals and 20 points, becoming a plus-7 in rating. The young left-handed shooter scored his first NHL goal on Dec. 19 against the St. Louis Blues.
During the 2023-24 season, Goncalves spent the majority of the season with the Syracuse Crunch in the AHL, where he racked up 13 goals and 58 points in 69 contests.
Holmberg will be entering his fourth season in the NHL, this time with a different team in Blue. From Vasteras, Sweden, the 26-year-old right-winger spent the last three seasons with the Maple Leafs. During last season’s tenure, he skated in 68 contests, tallying seven goals and 19 points, with a plus-4 rating. In the 2023-24 season, he played in 11 games with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, racking up six goals and ten points, while spending the majority of his tenure with the Leafs with 54 contests skated in and seven goals and 17 points recorded.
From three seasons in the NHL with the Leafs, Holmberg appeared in 159 games, earning 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points, with a plus-15 rating.
Pelletier, 24, split time between the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers during last season, as he skated in 49 games in total with seven goals and 19 points earned. Additionally, during that tenure, he also appeared in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Calgary Wranglers, racking up three goals and 19 points.
Hailing from Québec City, Pelletier made his NHL debut on Jan. 21, 2023, against the Lightning, before recording his first goal on Feb. 11 against the Buffalo Sabres. Since 2023, the 5-foot-11 winger has appeared in 86 NHL games with a tally of 11 goals and 29 points.
It’s only been two days since free agency began, so expect more moves from general manager Julien BriseBois in the coming days, especially on the future of Isaac Howard.
ITR 45: Everything Is Happening – Inside The Rink
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