What happened: Lombardi has agreed to a two-year contract, locking the forward in for the upcoming seasons. The deal is set up with a two-way structure for the 2026-27 campaign.

Why it matters: The signing adds cost-controlled forward depth as the club shapes its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. A two-way structure lets a team shuttle a player between the NHL and its AHL affiliate without added roster friction, a common move for building out organizational depth in the offseason.

What to watch: The next marker is where Lombardi opens the 2026-27 season once training camp sorts the depth chart, either on the NHL roster or with the club's AHL affiliate.