![\"Tampa](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/01m75a71v7keqfrm0c88.jpg\" "\\"Tampa")
<\/p>\nThe Tampa Bay Lightning are set to be without one of their stars for the foreseeable future after Brayden Point suffered a lower-leg injury that has landed him on injured reserve in their loss to the Winnipeg Jets.<\/p>\n
With Point dealing with his injury, the Bolts’ top young prospect will get his first chance at real game action, as Sam O’Reilly has been called up from Syracuse.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the Isaac Howard trade last year, but has torn it up in junior hockey.<\/p>\n
O’Reilly won three consecutive Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championships, back-to-back Memorial Cups, and became just the fourth player ever to sweep the OHL regular season MVP, playoff MVP, and Memorial Cup MVP in the same season (joining Brad Richards, Corey Perry, and Mitch Marner).<\/p>\n
The Lightning have been high on and super confident in what O’Reilly can become as an NHL player in Tampa Bay. He was one of the guys they took the longest to send back down to Syracuse after training camp.<\/p>\n
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Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Sam O’Reilly (23) Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n
Ahead of his first professional hockey debut, O’Reilly got in his first practice with the big boys and could be seen skating with the likes of Jake Guentzel and Yanni Gourde, the latter of whom is expected to make his return from injury relatively soon.<\/p>\n
O’Reilly was also seen taking the bumper spot on the Lightning’s top power play unit with Nikita Kucherov, Guentzel, John Carlson, and Charle-Edouard D’Astous.<\/p>\n
That lines him to play in a top six unit with Pointer out.<\/p>\n
Not Too Much, Too Soon<\/p>\n
With the shared confidence around the organization in what O’Reilly will be able to bring to the team, much will be expected of the young guy early. However, expectations must also be tempered, as there will be speed bumps along the way, as there are with any young player entering the league for the very first time.<\/p>\n
It’s looking extremely likely that O’Reilly will make his debut on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday evening, and while there is excitement there, O’Reilly himself is trying to stay even-keeled through it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a heck of an opportunity,\u201d O’Reilly said <\/a>ahead of his first NHL action. \u201cI\u2019m just going to give it my all and try to be where my feet are, stay in the moment. Don’t try to think ahead or overthink stuff and just try and play my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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