Chilliwack/Tampa Bay – – The Tampa Bay Lightning have hired Jeff Tambellini as the club’s Assistant General Manager, Director of Hockey Operations, Vice President and General Manager Julien BriseBois announced today. Tambellini will help lead the hockey operations staff and assist BriseBois in all aspects of player personnel decisions, analytics, player development, contract preparation and negotiation, budgeting, scheduling and salary cap tracking. He will also serve as the Assistant General Manager of the Lightning’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, serving alongside Head Coach and General Manager Joel Bouchard.
“Jeff has strong leadership and communication skills,” said BriseBois. “He is organized and thoughtful in all he undertakes. Jeff has a rich playing experience from his time at Michigan, in the NHL, the AHL and the professional ranks in both Switzerland and Sweden. From his previous roles with the Michigan Wolverines, Trail Smoke Eaters, Seattle Kraken and during his previous tenure within the Lightning organization, Jeff has acquired valuable experience with general management of staff and budgets; recruiting and scouting of players, player development and coaching.
“In his new role, Jeff will be assisting me in all aspects of the Lightning’s hockey operations. I am excited to be bringing him back to the Lightning organization and having him join our management staff. On behalf of the Vinik Sports Group I would like to welcome Jeff, his wife Justine and their two children to Tampa Bay.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to return to the Lightning organization,” Tambellini said. “It’s where I played, got my first NHL job, and earned my first Stanley Cup ring. I’m thrilled to once again work with such a great group of hockey professionals in Tampa Bay. I want to thank Julien for the opportunity to take this next step in my career, and I can’t wait to get to Tampa and get started.
“I would also like to personally thank Ron Francis, Jason Botterill, and the entire Seattle Kraken organization for an incredible three years and for believing in me. I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity they gave me and for allowing me to pursue this exciting new role.”
The hire marks Tambellini’s third stint with the Lightning organization after he was first signed as a player for the 2015-16 season and skated in 65 games for Syracuse, accruing 29 goals and 49 points. That year, he played alongside current Tampa Bay players Anthony Cirelli, Yanni Gourde and Andrei Vasilevskiy with a staff that included current Bolts assistant coaches Rob Zettler (head coach) and Jeff Halpern (development coach) with BriseBois serving as general manager.
Tambellini returned to the Tampa Bay organization as a NCAA and pro scout for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons and worked closely with several current Lightning staff members, including Director of Amateur Scouting John Rosso and Assistant General Manager, Director of Player Personnel Jamie Pushor. Tambellini was also teammates with Bouchard, who he played alongside as teammates in the New York Islanders organization, during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Tambellini now rejoins the Lightning organization after spending the past three seasons as the Director of Player Development for the Seattle Kraken. During his time with Seattle, the club’s prospect pool grew from seven to 43, with Tambellini and his staff leading development efforts that resulted in eight draft picks and two undrafted skaters making their NHL debuts with the Kraken. Tambellini also played an integral role in the success of Seattle’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, with the club making back-to-back appearances in the Calder Cup Final in 2023 and 2024.
Following a 242-game NHL career as a player, Tambellini was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan in 2017 and completed his degree in Sports Management while helping guide the Wolverines to the 2018 Frozen Four, marking the school’s first appearance in the tournament since the 2010-11 season.
In April of 2018, the Calgary, Alberta, native was named head coach and general manager of the British Columbia Hockey League’s Trail Smoke Eaters. In his first season with the Smoke Eaters, Tambellini led the club to the BCHL Fred Page Cup Playoffs before being eliminated in the quarterfinals. The following year, Trail recorded a 36-17-4 record and swept the Prince George Spruce Kings in the opening round of the playoffs before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his third season with Trail, Tambellini was hired by Tampa Bay as a college free agent recruiter and worked two seasons with the organization before being tapped by Seattle to become the club’s director of player development.
As a player, Tambellini played junior hockey as a winger with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs for two seasons and was named MVP of the League in 2002 after recording 46 goals and 117 points to earn the Brett Hull Trophy as the BCHL’s top scorer. He was also named the Canadian Junior-A Player of the Year after leading the Chiefs to a Fred Page Cup as BCHL champions.
Following his success with Chilliwack, Tambellini earned a scholarship to University of Michigan and went on to skate in 124 career NCAA contests, logging 65 goals and 129 points over three seasons while serving as an alternate captain in each of his last two campaigns. He was named the Central College Hockey Association’s Rookie of the Year in 2003 and helped lead the Wolverines to first place finishes in the CCHA Tournament in 2003 and 2005, earning the honor of Tournament MVP in 2005 with three goals and five points in four games.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, 27th overall, of the 2003 NHL Draft, Tambellini saw action with the Kings, New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks, recording 27 goals and 63 points. A two-time AHL All-Star with the Manchester Monarchs (2006) and Bridgeport Sound Tigers (2008), Tambellini also played for the Manitoba Moose before concluding his North American playing career with Syracuse. In 241 career AHL games, he logged 130 goals and 250 points.
Tambellini also gained international experience as a player, representing Team Canada and winning the Silver Medal at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland. He went on to play 107 games in the Swiss National League with the Zürcher Schlittschuh Club Lions and Fribourg-Gotteron Hockey Club, accruing 33 goals and 70 points in 107 games and winning the League Championship with the Lions in 2012. He also skated in 116 career games in the Swedish Hockey League, collecting 23 goals and 38 points in 116 games with MODO Hockey, Växjö Lakers Hockey Club and Djurgårdens Sports Association, winning the SHL Championship in 2015 with Växjö.
The son of longtime NHL executive and former general manager of the Edmonton Oilers, Steve Tambellini, Jeff’s appearance at the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship marked three-straight generations of Tambellinis representing Team Canada with Steve donning the Maple Leaf at the 1978 IIHF World Junior Championship, 1981 IIHF Men’s World Championship and 1988 Olympic Winter Games. Jeff’s late grandfather, Addie, played for Team Canada at the 1961, 1963 and 1967 IIHF Men’s World Championships while Jeff’s brother, Adam, skated in five games at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and recorded three goals and seven points to rank first on the team for scoring.
Jeff’s father, Steve, also gained international experience at the management level, serving as Team Canada’s director of player personnel at the 2002 and 2006 Olympic Winter Games, as well as the 2002 IIHF Men’s World Championship. He also earned the title of general manager for Team Canada at the 2003 and 2005 IIHF Men’s World Championships.
