Lightning Bolster Goaltending Depth with Stephan Shurygin at 186th Overall

The Tampa Bay Lightning added another promising piece to their prospect pipeline during the sixth round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, selecting goaltender Stephan Shurygin with the 186th overall pick.

Shurygin spent the 2025-26 season with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he emerged as one of the league’s intriguing young goaltenders. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 187 pounds, the left-catching netminder impressed scouts with his athleticism, quick reflexes, and calm presence in the crease.

Throughout the season, Shurygin displayed strong lateral movement and the ability to make difficult saves under pressure. His composure and technical development allowed him to handle a heavy workload while continuing to improve against some of the top junior talent in North America.

The selection reflects Tampa Bay’s commitment to strengthening its goaltending depth. The Lightning have consistently invested in developing young goaltenders, and the organization believes Shurygin has the tools to develop into a reliable professional netminder with continued coaching and experience.

“Stephan has excellent size, competes hard, and never seems rattled,” one NHL scout said before the draft. “He’s still developing, but there’s a lot of upside in his game.”

Shurygin becomes the first goaltender selected by Tampa Bay in the 2026 NHL Draft, joining forwards Oleg Kulebyakin, Morgan Anderberg, Cooper Soller, and defenseman Tomas Kralovic as part of a balanced draft class focused on long-term organizational depth.

While the road for young goaltenders often requires patience, the Lightning are confident Shurygin has the work ethic and talent to continue his progression through the organization’s development system. With another promising prospect now in the fold, Tampa Bay continues building toward the future while maintaining one of the NHL’s deepest prospect pools.