Former Lightning Forward Reportedly Contemplating Retirement
After winning his second straight Gagarin Cup with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Byron Froese is reportedly considering retirement. According to the Russian news outlet Championat, shortly after winning the Gagarin Cup for the second time, Froese told a local reporter that he's leaning toward retirement and is going to discuss his future with his family, but hasn't fully made his decision just yet. The Winkler, Manitoba native's stint with the Lightning was certainly a short one, as the Bolts acquired a second round pick and Froese in exchange for Brian Boyle ahead of the 2017 NHL Trade Deadline.
He played just four games at the NHL level for the Bolts, failing to register a point and finishing the season as a -3. Froese did have a considerable impact on the Lightning's American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, though. In a total of 28 games as a member of the Crunch, including both regular season and playoffs, he scored nine goals and had 20 points.
Froese and the Crunch went all the way to the Calder Cup finals that season, but were defeated by the Grand Rapids Griffins in six games. Froese last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He departed North America for the first time in his career ahead of the 2024-25 season and joined Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, where he had immediate success.