Lightning sign Niko Huuhtanen to three-year, entry-level deal

Huuhtanen, 20, recently joined the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, for the Calder Cup Playoffs. He appeared in two games and was held off the scoresheet.

The 6-foot-2 forward was drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He played with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League during his draft year, scoring 37 goals and 40 assists for 77 points in 65 games.

After being drafted, he spent two seasons in the Finland with Jukurit Mikkeli. In 100 career regular-season games, he scored 36 goals and 40 assists for 76 points and 118 penalty minutes.

Internationally, Huuhtanen has represented his native Finland multiple occasions. He played in the 2023 World Junior Championship, scoring two goals and an assist for three points in five games.

He also played at the 2021 World U18 Championship, scoring two goals and three assists for five points in seven games.

The Lightning went 45-29-8 with 98 points in 2023-24, finishing fourth in the Atlantic Division. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by their state rival, the Florida Panthers, in five games.

Nikita Kucherov led the team with 44 goals and 100 assists for 144 points. He became the fifth player in NHL history to reach the 100-assist mark in a single season. He was also nominated for the Hart Trophy, along with Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid.

Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos also hit the 40-goal mark, scoring 46 and 40, respectively. Point reached it for the third time of his career, and Stamkos did it for the seventh time in his 16 seasons.