Prior to the clash with the New York Rangers, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Tuesday that Ryan McDonagh and Dominic James were placed on the injured reserve following their win over the Washington Capitals last weekend. With that, they had a need to fill with two open roster spots. To fill the holes that McDonagh and James left open, the
The two forwards that the Lightning chose to recall are left winger,
Katchouck was originally drafted by the Lightning in the second round of the 2016 NHL draft. He appeared in 38 games for the Lightning in the 2021-22 season, in which he scored a total two goals, had four assists, and six points.
He was also a member of the 2021 Stanely Cup Champion Roster, making this a champion’s homecoming.
He was then traded to Chicago by Tampa Bay with Taylor Raddysh and two conditional first-round NHL draft picks in the trade that brough Brandon Hagel and a fourth ground-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft and a fourth-round pick in 2024 to Tampa Bay.
He spent the next three seasons with Chicago before being claimed off waivers by Ottawa from Chicago in 2024. He played in 21 games with Ottawa, scoring two goals, two assists, and had four points.
Last season, the right-winger skated in 67 games for the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. He scored 21 goals, had 28 assists, and 49 points.
After being signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay in July, the 27-year old from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada has appeared in 12 games for the organization’s American Hockey League Syracuse Crunch. He has four goals, five assists, and nine points.
When he hits the ice on Wednesday, he will make his first return to Tampa Bay since that 2021-2022 season. It’s homecoming night for Katchouk as he is now teammates with the player he traded for in 2022.
As for Sabourin, Wednesday night will be his Lightning debut. He was signed by the organization as a free agent
During his time with San Jose’s organization, he spent most of his tenure in the American Hockey League. Last season he skated in 68 games with the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 10 goals, recording 15 assists, and had 25 points.
He skated in just four games for the NHL San Jose Sharks between 2023-2025. He did not record any points across those games.
So far this season, the 33-year old from Orleans, Ontario, CAN has appeared in 11 games for the Syracuse Crunch, in which he has three goals and two assists, for five total points on the year.
When the Lightning take the ice on Wednesday night, Sabourin will say hello to Tampa Bay and hope to kick off a great tenure with the Lightning.
There might finally be light at the end of the tunnel for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when it comes to injured running back Bucky Irving.
The Buccaneers offense has been without Irving for the last 5 games, since a Week 4 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on September 28 due to a variety of injuries, although a shoulder injury has been of the most concern.
“Possibly big Bucs news,” Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account on Wednesday, November 12. “RB Bucky Irving is participating in the walk thru practice. G Ben Bredeson also working. Irving has not played since Sept. 28 due to foot and shoulder injuries.”
The Buccaneers are 6-3 headed into a brutal pair of road games coming up with a trip to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 11 before heading all the way across the country to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12.
Irving, who rushed for over 1,000 yards as a rookie, has been sorely missed.
While the Buccaneers have made up the slack at wide receiver with Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan out with injuries, it’s been harder to do that with Rachaad White stepping in for Irving.
“Todd Bowles said it was good to see Bucky Irving on the practice field but he was limited and it was just a walk-through,” Buccaneers.com’s Scott Smith wrote on his official X account. “Needs to see Irving in a full-speed practice before making any proclamations about a timetable for his return.”
While Irving’s follow up too a bravura rookie campaign has fallen flat to this point, he has the advantage of playing on a team that’s in first place in the NFC South Division — with a 2-game lead at that — and could very well be a dark horse contender if everyone comes back healthy over the next month who has been injured.
Right now, the perception of Irving is that rookie year was just a flash in the pan.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon called Irving the “Most Disappointing Player” on the roster in 2025.
“After averaging 5.4 yards per rush as a rookie, Irving has seen that number decline to 3.3 in 2025,” Gagnon wrote on October 24. “Only one qualified back is below that. He’s also yet to score a rushing touchdown.”
Irving had a season high 165 yards of total offense agains the Eagles — 15 carries for 63 yards and 5 receptions for 102 yards. That kind of production can flip games like the 28-23 home loss to the New England Patriots in Week 10.
Right now, it seems like the only legitimate weapon 2-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield has on offense he can rely on is 2025 first round pick (No. 19 overall) and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka, possibly the frontrunner to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, leads the Buccaneers and is ninth in the NFL in receiving with 40 receptions for 677 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Buccaneers have also gotten a boost lately from their final pick in the 2025 draft with rookie wide receiver Tez Johnson.
“There are just two rookies across the NFL this season with 250+ receiving yards and 4+ receiving touchdowns through Week 10 … Both are Buccaneers drafted by Jason Licht,” Buccaneers Communications wrote on its official X account on November 10. “Emeka Egbuka (pick No. 19) & Tez Johnson (No. 235).”