Is Opening Night Roster Set & Conor Geekie Earns Spot | Lightning Power Lunch - September 25, 2026

As the Tampa Bay Lightning prepare for their final preseason game, the picture of the opening-night roster is beginning to come into focus. Dave Mishkin and Greg Linnelli break down the latest camp developments, including why Conor Geekie appears to have earned a spot on the NHL roster, the strong preseason from Jansen Harkins, and what could be next for top prospects Sam O'Reilly and Benjamin Rautiainen. The guys also discuss the practice groups that may reveal Tampa Bay's projected opening-night roster, why the organization believes more development time could benefit O'Reilly, and how Geekie's offseason work on his skating and strength has translated into his best training camp yet. Plus, thoughts on Victor Hedman's encouraging preseason, the ongoing evolution of the Lightning power play, Jansen Harkins' surprising push for a roster spot, and what to watch in Tampa Bay's preseason finale against the Florida Panthers. Timestamps 0:00 Opening thoughts and final preseason game preview 2:15 Reading the tea leaves: Is the opening-night roster already set? 8:10 Why Conor Geekie appears to have earned an NHL job 14:45 Sam O'Reilly's future and why Syracuse might be the right path 20:05 Jansen Harkins' surprising camp and roster case 26:30 Breaking down the projected 23-man roster 33:10 Takeaways from the Panthers preseason game 39:00 Victor Hedman's strong preseason showing 44:15 Has the Lightning power play improved? 50:10 Benjamin Rautiainen's future and development path 55:00 Final preseason game preview vs. Florida 58:15 Closing thoughts ⚡ Subscribe for daily Tampa Bay Lightning coverage, roster updates, prospect analysis, game previews, postgame reaction, and exclusive interviews throughout the 2026-27 season. #TampaBayLightning #GoBolts #LightningPowerLunch #ConorGeekie #SamOReilly #VictorHedman #JansenHarkins #NikitaKucherov #NHL #HockeyPodcast #NHLPreseason