Lightning sign 2016 first-round draft pick

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
December 28, 2016

TAMPA, Fla. The Lightning pipeline has been among the deepest in hockey for the past several years.

Since general manager Steve Yzerman took over the team and brought in Al Murray to serve as director of scouting, the influx of young talent has elevated Tampa Bay from one of the bottom teams in the league to one of the elite. The homegrown talent, including the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Brayden Point, is a big reason for that sustained success.

On Wednesday, the Lightning locked in another of those top rated prospects expected to help the team in the future.

Tampa Bay signed 2016 first-round draft pick Brett Howden to a standard three-year entry level contract, making the announcement in the afternoon.

{mprestriction ids=”1,2″}

Howden currently serves as the captain for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League, where he was a teammate with Point last season. Howden has 16 goals and 32 points in 21 games with the Warriors this season.

Howden was recently one of six Tampa Bay prospects at the Team Canada camp for the World Junior championships but was among the final cuts for the 23-man roster. He did serve as captain for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka (Under-18) championships, leading the team to a gold medal, and was a member of Canada’s Under-18 World Championship team.

The entry level contract is a sliding contract, which means if he does not make the Lightning out of training camp next season, the start of the deal will be pushed back one year, though he receives a signing bonus.

Howden’s stats from HockeyDB


{/mprestriction}