3 players who stood out in Lightning development camp 3-on-3 tourney

BRANDON — Each summer, the Lightning development camp offers a glimpse into the organization’s future.

It begins with two days of drills and ends with a 3-on-3 tournament that intensifies as it progresses into a 50-minute, full-ice championship game. The winner receives a trophy featuring the names of players who went on to become NHL stars, Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brayden Point among them.

The tournament ended Friday with Team Andreychuk (each team was named after a Lightning legend) winning 9-8 on a game-winning goal by 2021 seventh-round pick Cooper Flinton, a forward who also was on last year’s winning team.

“Every year, the same thing happens,” said Stacy Roest, the Lightning’s assistant general manager/director of player development. “The 3-on-3 tournament starts, it starts a little bit friendly, and then gets competitive, and they start chirping at the refs a little bit and each other. You like to open up and go full ice, and (you see) the skill level, the compete, ultimately, at the end. It was a close game, and things get a little bit heated.”

Here are three players who stood out from the rest.

Forward T.J. Hughes

One of the best players at this week’s camp was an invitee, one of six not under team control that the Lightning brought in to get a closer look at.

Hughes, a 22-year-old rising junior at Michigan (no relation to NHL brothers Jack, Luke and Quinn), may have arrived as an unknown to fans, but by the end he had everyone looking him up on their rosters with his knack for creating scoring chances. He was one of the top scorers throughout the tournament, with three goals in the final in a losing effort.

As an undrafted college player coming off a 19-goal, 48-point season at a prominent program like Michigan, Hughes received invitations from multiple teams. But a college linemate, Lightning prospect Dylan Duke, sold him on attending Tampa Bay’s development camp.

“Obviously, it’s a tough decision,” Hughes said. There’s so many good teams and great organizations you can pick, but obviously this comes down to one and this year I picked Tampa. And I was super glad I did it, because it’s an awesome camp.”

Now, the Lightning will keep tabs on Hughes as a potential free-agent signing after next season.

“T.J. had a great camp, and he’s a really, really nice kid and we’re looking forward to watching him next year,” Roest said. “He’s one of those players, the skill level, the compete, the speed and the way he thinks the game is very impressive.”

Forward Dylan Duke

Duke, the Lightning’s fourth-round pick in 2021, turned pro earlier this year after finishing three successful seasons at Michigan. He played in three regular-season and five playoff games for AHL Syracuse.

“It was perfect for him, because after a good year at Michigan he gets to come up for the end of the season in the playoffs, which is the highest level of AHL hockey that’s available,” Roest said. “I think he understands it’s a little bit of a different level with the older players and just the pace. ... So, he knows exactly what he has to do; he’ll put the work in. We’ll give him the resources, and looking forward to seeing him in September.”

Even that small sample size has seemed to help Duke, whose game is reminiscent of former Lightning forward Tyler Johnson. At 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, Duke is not the biggest player, but he hustles and finds the front of the net.

Watching Duke and 2022 first-round pick Isaac Howard fly up the ice during the 3-on-3 final was a treat, not just because of their speed and shots, but because of how relentlessly they pursued the puck and charged the net.

“I kind of got my feet wet, and now when I get in there next year I’m ready to ready to hit the ground running,” Duke said. “No kind of grace period or adjustment period for me anymore. Now I think I’m ready to step in and play whatever role they need me to play in.”

Forward Maxim Groshev

Based on his showing at development camp, Groshev might be one of the most intriguing players to watch at Syracuse this coming season.

The 2020 third-round pick first drew notice last season, standing out in development and prospect camp, then scoring eight goals and 13 points in his first 13 games at Syracuse in his first season outside his native Russia. But he failed to keep pace, finishing the season with 10 goals and 30 points.

Groshev, 22, showed this week that his game has grown. He’s an even better skater, he jumped to the front of the net, and he’s super creative with the puck on his stick. With all of the open ice for the 3-on-3 final, Groshev was the top playmaker, especially on the rush. He found the back of the net on multiple occasions and had the primary assist on Flinton’s game-winning goal in the championship game.

Groshev is still getting used to life away from Russia, particularly with the English language. As he more becomes more comfortable, the Lightning believe an even better player will open up.

“I think it’s just more just settling into the game, finding your role, and he’s settling into the North American game,” Roest said. “The language is still a little bit of a barrier, but he’s learning that when you can speak the language and you’re comfortable around your teammates, it just makes it easier on the ice. We’re happy with his projection.”

Groshev has received a lot of help from Kucherov, whose stall was next to his in the main dressing room in Brandon. NHL players came and went during the week for their own informal skates.

“It’s been magic from last year to this year,” Groshev said. “(Kucherov) is a good guy, and he’s got a lot of help for me and for my wife that we have comfort in Tampa.”

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