Raw Charge
Summary
Y’all thought we forget about this, didn’t you? We actually had these done a little while ago, but wanted to wait until there was a break in the action to post them. We’ve hit the top of the class when it comes to prospects in the Lightning system. We all know who they are going to be, but in what order? Dominic James was supposed to get his feet wet in Syracuse last season after signing with the Lightning. Instead, he was called up and never gave them a reason to send him back to the AHL. Name Dominic James Position Forward Age (as of October 1, 2026) 24 Height/Weight 6’0″, 190 lbs. Expected 2026-27 Team Tampa Bay Lightning Draft – Year, Round 2022, 6th (173) by Chicago Previous Rankings N.A. (he signed after the voting was complete) JustinG. Ranking 3 Final Rank 2 Stats: Our Thoughts: In a season where several players surprised fans with their play, Dominic James topped the charts. From free-agent signee , to Game Seven goal scorer, the 23-year-old rookie jumped into the line-up and looked like a seasoned veteran from his first game. Signed in early fall after the Chicago Blackhawks let his draft rights expire, the former University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldog was slotted to play in Syracuse after he joined the organization. Early season injuries opened up a spot, and despite our prediction of a short stay , James played his way into the line-up and never left. James injected a little speed onto the roster that desperately needed it as he scored in the 97th percentile in the league with his max speed burst of 23.71 and in the 96 percentile with 19 bursts of at least 22 MPH according to NHL Edge stats. The benefit of speed is obvious in the sense that it leads to a lot of solid chances on breakaways and shots off of the rush when the defense is not set. What James also uses his speed for, and this might be the best asset for a team like the Lightning, is to get the puck from his zone to the offensive zone without having to pass the puck. Let’s take a look at his zone exits and entries according to All Three Zones : Those are beautiful long blue bars, especially for a player that spent most of his time on the third or fourth line. Despite not having the most ice time, no one carried the puck out of the Lightning defensive zone more than James last year, and that frees up his linemates to get down the ice and set up without having to wait for a pass. It also keeps the defense guessing as James comes motoring down the ice. Will he keep it? Will he pass? They have to plan for both eventualities. After he gets the puck into the zone, it usually leads to a scoring chance. In fact, among Lightning players, only Brandon Hagel had more entries lead to scoring chances than James. Again, speed is such an advantage, especially when coupled with offensive skill. The youngster showed he has a nice shot, especially off of the rush, and is also willing to get in front of the net to work rebounds and deflections. About the only thing that slowed him down was injury. He missed a few games after taking a puck to the face, and then missed the end of the regular season after requiring surgery on his leg. James returned in time for the playoffs, and after shaking off some rust, was one of the Lightning’s best players against the Canadiens. While he might be known for his speed, James doesn’t shy away from the dirty areas along the boards and is willing to put the work in to create turnovers and keep the cycle going in the offensive zone. He also has a knack for drawing penalties, which is a nice little trait in a forward. James will slot in somewhere in the bottom-six to start the season, especially with Yanni Gourde out to start the season. Could he move his way up the line-up? Possibly. Coming off a hand injury suffered over his summer works will put him a little behind to start the season, but once he ramps up to full speed, he could find himself on a line with Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. That combination was used sparingly last year (only 7:04 together per Natural Stat Trick ) but they carried a 10-5 edge in shot attempts and a 6-3 advantage in scoring chances when together. Staying healthy will be a big focus for James this season, and it could lead to a nice little raise. He’s in the final season of his two-year, entry-level deal that carries a cap hit of $910,000. With arbitration rights, he could command a fairly big boost in pay if he builds on his performance from last season. Your Thoughts: With 32.6% of his votes coming in the number one spot, James had the second-most first place votes. The rest of his votes were all in the top seven with the bulk coming in the second spot. “James is already an NHL player with a middle 6 career likely.” “James I believe has more to show us I believe. I like what we saw from him in his rookie season.” “James was top cause already has Coops trust something Geekie hasn’t earned.” “Dominic James 1” “James is already an NHL player.” “Dominic James has solidified himself as an NHLer, but I think O’Reilly is/will be far better.” “James came out of nowhere for me last year, and I knew he was a touted prospect, I never expected him to flourish and contribute quite so quickly. I believe he too has a chance at pushing his stock up.” “I ranked James so high because he has proven he is an NHL’er at this point, he just needs to find and solidify his place.” Highlight Videos: DOMINIC JAMES NET FRONT WITH THE TIP WE ARE TIED!!!!! 🔥🚨 pic.twitter.com/pnJGSU34EG — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 3, 2026 First Lightning rookie to score in a Game 7 is a nice record to hold. Here he does a good job of finding a spot where his stick is free for a deflection and he makes it work. PERFECT TIME FOR YOUR FIRST PLAYOFF GOAL Dominic James ties it at 1 in the second! 🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9TymMk9 📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/1zw0ZSWlWX — BoltsCast (@Bolts_Cast) April 30, 2026 Love, love, love young players calling their own number off of the rush. He gets to top speed pretty quickly and checks his options as he crosses the blue line. The pass would have to be perfect and he knows it’s a defender (Ryan McDonagh) that has joined him on the rush. Better to take the shot and get it on net. Instead he beats the goaltender cleanly. Dominic James with a beauty to even the scoring 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/9pJU5QMVgy — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 18, 2026 Getting the puck through the neutral zone is his biggest asset. Here he gets just inside the neutral zone and is through in a couple of strides, pushing the defensemen back. That gives him the space to pass it to Jake Guentzel. After that James drives to the net, gets the puck back and puts it past the goaltender. All because of his speed. "SCORREEE!!! GAGE GONCALVES, and there's the first NHL point for Dominic James!" Gonzo's first of the season served up by another first for James! #TBLvsVGK 🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9TymMk9 📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/psdkR3G0IR — BoltsCast (@Bolts_Cast) November 7, 2025 This is just a really nice read of the play. He sees Oliver Bjorkstrand pressure the puck-carrier and knows that the only outlet is behind the net, so James steps into the spot, grabs the puck and fires it to Gage Goncalves in front of the net. Heads up play by a rookie.