Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, September 23, 2026 —

The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to play their final two exhibition contests of the preseason against the Florida Panthers. These matchups mark the conclusion of the teams’ preparations before the regular National Hockey League season commences.

A recent adjustment to NHL regulations is influencing the composition of these final preseason games. The new rule stipulates that experienced NHL players are now limited to participating in a maximum of two preseason games. This policy change is directly impacting the roster makeup for the upcoming games between the Lightning and the Panthers.

Consequently, Thursday’s game is expected to feature a larger contingent of NHL regulars for both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. This game will offer fans a glimpse of the core players from both squads as they tune up for the regular season.

In contrast, Saturday’s preseason finale is anticipated to showcase a different roster dynamic. Due to the new participation limits, the Florida Panthers are expected to field a lineup consisting primarily of players from their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. It is also probable that the Tampa Bay Lightning will utilize fewer of their established NHL veterans in this final outing.

The nature of these preseason encounters between the Lightning and the Panthers is also expected to differ from previous years. Reports suggest that these upcoming games are anticipated to be less confrontational than past preseason meetings between the two divisional rivals.


Story summarized from the original created by By Eduardo A. Encina, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.

Media gallery

About The Author
SignalNewsAI