Rautiainen has signed his ELC with Tampa Bay, a three-year, $1.01 million pact that will see him come to North America to earn a spot in the NHL through training camp. The most likely outcome is that the youngster will earn a chunk of NHL games- likely at the start of the season- and spend some time in Syracuse to gain experience. Rautiainen could be sheltered in the bottom-six role with a position on the second powerplay, or could squeeze Gage Goncalves for his top-six winger role, but his move across the Atlantic isn’t yet a guarantee of an NHL job.

Rautiainen’s 2025-26 season has pushed him firmly into the conversation as a legitimate top-six NHL upside prospect for fantasy managers. He exploded for 77 points in 59 Liiga games, and more importantly, did it in a way that looks projectable: his game is driven by vision, poise, puck distribution, and the ability to create offense consistently against men. The 52 assists underline where the fantasy value comes from, as he profiles as a playmaking winger who can produce if given skill usage and power-play time. He is not likely to be a major peripherals source, so his value will be tied heavily to deployment, but the offensive progression this season was too significant to ignore. What once looked like a longer-term depth bet now looks much more like a player with real top-six potential and the upside to become an assist-heavy scorer with strong value in deeper dynasty formats.

Rautiainen has gone undrafted twice already, and this time, he finally heard his name. The Finnish winger is coming off a breakout season in Liiga with Tappara. Rautiainen’s talent in the offensive zone has never been in question. He has consistently proved himself as one of the most dangerous creators in Tappara. His quick hands, ability to control pace, and vision all stand out. What Rautiainen has managed to improve on to get drafted is his effectiveness in transition. He puts himself in a position to receive the puck in motion, takes on the forechecker, and beats his man cleanly, or passes it off to a now open teammate coming in with speed. His skating continues to make progress to the point where it isn’t a liability anymore. He is still a way out from becoming a good play-driver at the NHL level, but the trend is in the right direction. In defense, his game still needs work, still a bit uncertain to what or where in his zone. Rautiainen is improving, but he’ll likely never be more than a sub-par defender in the NHL. Speaking of the NHL, it remains a steep climb for Rautiainen. His archetype requires being placed in offensive roles and situations to be effective. He’s shown extraordinary resilience and perseverance to develop his game as much as he has. The coming season will be Rautiainen’s D+3 season, so a move to the AHL should come sooner rather than later.

Selected 108th overall, Benjamin Rautiainen is now a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Finnish overager Benjamin Rautiainen hopes to hear his name called on draft day this year, and given the showing he had in the Liiga in 2024-2025, he has certainly increased his chances.

The young forward scored 10 goals and added 23 assists over 50 games on the year, good for sixth in scoring on Tappara and third in the league by a U-20 player. Going back to 2009, Rautiainen’s point-per-game this season was the 29th best by a U-20 player in the Liiga, just ahead of 18-year-old Anton Lundell and 19-year-old Markus Granlund. Not that that alone is enough to brand Rautiainen as an NHL lock, but certainly a player deserving of a call to the podium on draft day.