The Tampa Bay Lightning made nine selections on the second day of the NHL’s 2015 entry draft. Steve Yzerman entered the day with 10 picks, but dealt the 208th selection to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2016 seventh-rounder. That left him with nine. I covered the first three names yesterday. Here’s a breakdown of the Lightning’s next three selections: No. 72 – Anthony Cirelli – Center Another two-way forward, Cirelli has been praised for his work ethic and determination. He not short, standing at 6’0…, but he’ll likely have to gain some muscle if he wants to succeed at the NHL level; he weighs between 160 and 165 pounds right now. Based on Bob McKenzie’s rankings, Tampa snagged Cirelli in the right spot. He’s another player who fits that ‘tougher to play against’ mantra:
Mem Cup hero Anthony Cirelli to Tampa. Big development over the course of the season. Works, tenacious down low, growing puck skills.
— Sean Lafortune (@SeanLafortune) June 27, 2015From OvertimeSportsNation.com:
Cirelli is an excellent two-way player, who see’s the ice very well. His hockey IQ is off the charts as he continuously shows his effectiveness at both ends of the ice. While Cirelli could stand to add strength to his core, he is just 17 years of age and that will come with time and development. Cirelli boasts a number of skills you just can’t teach. His work ethic and compete level is off the charts, he competes on every puck, goes to the dirty areas of the ice, and is willing to take a hit to make a play. While Cirelli is defensively responsible he also has some noticeable offensive upside. He has deceptively good hands and playmaking ability, strong vision, and has an ability to find the soft spots in defensive zone coverage’s. Cirelli is very cerebral in his approach, takes direct routes to the puck, is effective on the forecheck, and shows an ability to find the back of the net.
No. 118 – Jonne Tammela – Right Wing Feisty. Determined. Fast. Those are the words that many have used to describe Jonne Tammela. And, again, it’s a pick that will make Tampa a little bit tougher to play against in future years. There isn’t a ton of information out there about this Finnish prospect, but Pete from BoltProspects.com had a quick, one-line description of him:
RW Jonne Tammela in the 4th round for TB is 119 in RLR. Described as an energetic, feisty little pest with speed and jam.
— Pete (@JollyMeanGiant) June 27, 2015From FoxSports.com:
A smallish forward who always finds ways onto the top line of Finland's junior teams. The winger split time between Kalpa's senior and junior team in 2014-15. With the junior club, he posted 11 goals and 16 assists in 26 games. At the men’s level, he scored four goals in 32 games. Lightning scout Al Murray said the team isn't sure how much offensive upside there might be, but "he's one of the best skaters out there. He can fly." Yzerman described him as a smart, competitive and a good skater.
No. 120 – Mathieu Joseph – Right Wing I don’t even need to repeat myself. You know what’s coming. Another guy who won’t be easy to play against:
YES. TB takes Mathieu Joseph, an agitating forward who pisses everyone off.
— Bolt Prospects (@BoltProspects) June 27, 2015From ISS Hockey:
Mathieu Joseph (Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL) – Two way winger that works hard and competes. Has a good skating stride with speed. His puck skills were fine. Like his energy and effort. Can be a bit of an agitator at times. Has a chance to develop into a fourth line energy guy at the NHL level.
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I’ll be back tomorrow with a recap of the final three picks!
As always, thanks for reading.
Michael Stuart has been the Tampa Bay Lightning writer for HockeyBuzz since 2012. Visit his archive to read more or follow him on Twitter.