According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Tampa Bay Lightning have placed forward Gabriel Fortier on waivers.

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Fortier had been on the Lightning's injured non-roster list after undergoing off-season surgery. However, with this waiver placement, it now appears that Fortier is inching closer to his return.

Fortier, 24, was selected by the Lightning with the 59th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-11 forward appeared in 62 games this past season with the Syracuse Crunch, recording 13 goals and 26 points.

Teams around the NHL now have the chance to claim Fortier if they wish to. If he clears waivers, he will be head back to the Crunch and look to make a big impact with the AHL squad.