The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed center Gabriel Szturc (pronounced Shturk) to a three-year NHL contract covering the 2024-25 through 2026-27 seasons, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
Szturc, 20, is currently the captain for the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League and has produced 27 goals and 67 points in 53 games during the 2023-24 season. Szturc ranks second on the Rockets for assists (40), tied for second for plus/minus (+13) and third for goals and scoring. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Szturc is in his third season with the Rockets and has accumulated 67 goals and 187 points in 176 career games with the squad plus an additional two goals and three points in nine playoff contests.
Szturc has competed for Czechia at the IIHF World Junior Championship the past two seasons. In 2023, he helped lead Czechia to the silver medal after notching five goals and eight points in seven contests, ranking second on his team for goals and tied for second for scoring.
Szturc, who went undrafted, was an invitee to Tampa Bay’s training camp prior to the 2023-24 season.