Lightning Waive 23-Year-Old Forward Ahead of Olympics

Tampa Bay makes a surprising move with one of their recent draft picks.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have waived 23-year-old center Jack Finley, a former second-round draft pick, just before the NHL's Olympic roster freeze. Finley has played 22 games for the Lightning this season, recording 2 goals and 1 assist, but has averaged just 8 minutes and 25 seconds of ice time per game. The Lightning's decision to waive Finley is a risk, as another team could claim the 6-foot-6 forward who was once highly touted as a second-round pick.

Why it matters

This move by the Lightning is surprising, as Finley was a recent draft pick and has been with the organization since 2020. It signals that Tampa Bay may not see him as part of their long-term plans, and are willing to risk losing him on waivers in order to free up a roster spot. For other teams, this could be an opportunity to claim a young, big-bodied forward with potential.

The details

Finley has played 22 games for the Lightning this season, recording 2 goals and 1 assist while averaging just 8 minutes and 25 seconds of ice time per game. He has 37 hits as well. The Lightning drafted Finley in the second round (57th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft, and he has only played 1 NHL game prior to this season.

  • The NHL's Olympic break is here.
  • The Lightning made this move just before the roster freeze.

The players

Jack Finley

A 23-year-old center who was a second-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The NHL team that has waived the 23-year-old forward Jack Finley.

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What’s next

If Finley clears waivers, he could be assigned to the Lightning's AHL affiliate. If another team claims him, they would be getting a young, big-bodied forward with potential that the Lightning were willing to part with.

The takeaway

This move by the Lightning highlights the difficult decisions teams have to make with young prospects, especially those who haven't fully established themselves at the NHL level. It will be interesting to see if another team takes a chance on Finley or if he ends up staying in the Lightning organization.