Lightning sign Ethan Czata to entry-level contract
The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they’ve signed center Ethan Czata to a three-year, entry-level contract.
We have signed forward Ethan Czata to a three-year, entry-level contract.
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Czata was the Lightning’s second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, selected 56th overall out of the Ontario Hockey League. He was Tampa’s first selection in the 2025 Draft, as they had moved their first-round pick from that draft to acquire Tanner Jeannot from the Nashville Predators in 2023, and he was their only pick made in the first three rounds of the draft.
Czata had a strong draft year in the OHL with the Niagara IceDogs, where he had 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points in 68 games. That ranked him fourth on the team in goals and points, although he was second among under-18 players after Ryan Roobroeck, who’s considered to be one of the top players eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis had projected Czata to go 53rd overall in his pre-draft rankings, so the Lightning got the Brampton, Ontario product right around where he should have gone. Ellis had this to say about Czata entering the draft:
“Czata started the year with a disappointing showing at the Hlinka Gretzky, but he showed he could be equally dangerous as a shooter and a passer in the OHL. He’s a good two-way forward who can play many different situations, but I think he’ll be used more in a bottom-six role. He put up good numbers this year, but I’d like to see him add more finesse and deception into his game next season. I do think Czata will be an NHLer one day, though.“
As expected with a cap-strapped team on a downward trend from perennial Stanley Cup contention, the Lightning had a quiet offseason. Their biggest move saw them finally move on from Isaac Howard by shipping him to the Edmonton Oilers, while in free agency, the only additions of note that they made was signing Pontus Holmberg and Jakob Pelletier to round out their depth. Tampa Bay currently has around $1.1 million, with their two lone restricted free agents being Waltteri Merela and Hugo Alnefelt.