Brayden Point will be staying in the Sunshine State, as the Tampa Bay Lightning have signed the forward to an eight-year extension worth $9.5 million.
The 25-year-old was drafted 79th overall by the Lightning in 2014 and has scored 139 goals and 171 assists for 310 points in 351 games over the past five seasons. Point led the Lightning last season in points and goals — with 48 and 23, respectively — and was tied for the team lead with six game-winning goals.
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His game gets even better as the stage gets bigger — leading the NHL in goals and finishing second in points in back-to-back postseasons. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion is tied for third all-time on the Lightning’s playoff scoring list with 36 goals and 73 assists in 67 career postseason games.
Fit With the Lightning
Tampa Bay cleared cap space to keep the cornerstone of their team in a Lightning jersey for the foreseeable future. By extending Point a year before he was set to become a free agent, the Bolts offer their star centre peace of mind instead of uncertainty heading into a contract year. At $9.5 million per year, Point’s contract puts him on par with teammates Andrei Vasilevskiy and Nikita Kucherov.
“I’m very excited to stay in Tampa for another nine years,” Point said. “I want to thank the entire Lightning organization for this and say thanks to our fans. Since being drafted by Tampa, I’ve always felt like Tampa has been home and the fans have played a huge role in making my time in Tampa so wonderful.”
Point’s new contract will kick in at the start of the 2022-23 season.