The Lightning kicked off its draft Saturday morning, selecting center Mitchell Stephens from Saginaw (OHL).
Stephens, a 6-foot- 187-pound right shot, is known for his two-way style and compete level, as well as a strong hockey sense. He believes he'll fit right in with the "high energy" players in the Tampa Bay system.
"It's amazing feeling, I'm a little tight for words," Stephens said.
Stephens had 22 goals and 26 assists (minus-17) in 62 games for the Spirit this season. He felt his game took a big step in the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
"I'm a two-way player, a bring a lot of high energy compete to the game," Stephens said.