Lightning's Ethan Czata: Puts up three points Thursday
Rotowire
Czata scored a goal and added two assists in OHL Niagara's 5-4 win over Erie on Thursday.
Czata has five points over his last two games. The Lightning prospect is up to 23 goals, 46 points and 66 PIM through 53 appearances, but he's also carrying a minus-17 rating. Czata is shaping up to be a bottom-six grinder, as he is doing only marginally better on offense than he did last year.
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Lightning's Ethan Czata: Hat trick, assist in OHL win
Rotowire
Czata scored three goals and added an assist in OHL Niagara's 6-3 win over Owen Sound on Thursday.
This was Czata's best game of the season and his second hat trick. He's recorded five goals and seven assists during an eight-game point streak, his best stretch of the campaign. He has a career-high 22 goals, but his playmaking has dropped with just 17 assists so far this season, giving him 39 points in 48 appearances. That matches his 0.81 points-per-game pace from the 2024-25 regular season, when he had 21 goals and 34 helpers in 68 contests.
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Lightning's Ethan Czata: Earns pair of points
Rotowire
Czata scored a goal and added an assist in OHL Niagara's 5-4 overtime win over Barrie on Saturday.
Czata hadn't posted a multi-point effort since Dec. 11, and he had gone scoreless in the previous three contests before Saturday. The forward is up to 16 goals and 10 assists through 33 appearances for the IceDogs this season. A 2025 second-round pick of the Lightning, Czata's offense hasn't reached another level this year, which is mildly discouraging for his long-term potential.
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Lightning's Ethan Czata: Racks up three points in loss
Rotowire
Czata scored twice on three shots and added an assist in OHL Niagara's 7-4 loss to Brantford on Thursday.
Playing against his hometown team, Czata had an impressive showing despite the loss. The 18-year-old center has eight goals and three assists over six games this season, which is an improved scoring touch, though he's done it on just 16 shots. Czata is a second-round pick (2025) of the Lightning and signed his entry-level deal in July after a 55-point effort over 68 regular-season games in 2024-25. Despite his recent scoring success, he's viewed as more of a checking-line option if he makes the NHL.
Czata signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Lightning on Wednesday.
Czata was selected by the Lightning in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft, and he was able to come to terms with the organization just under a month later. He made 68 regular-season appearances with OHL Niagara last year and racked up 21 goals and 34 assists. The 18-year-old will likely require more time to develop before he's in the mix to make his NHL debut.
