What happened: Dominic James returned to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and took the center spot in the team's stretch circle. Beat reporter Gabby Shirley noted the forward received stick taps from teammates ahead of a projected 2026-27 debut tonight.

Why it matters: James recently completed his recovery from a broken hand and spent the past week assigned to the Syracuse Crunch. His addition provides fresh forward depth as Tampa Bay looks to rebound from Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Rangers.

What to watch: Official pregame warmups will confirm James' line combination for Thursday night's contest.