TAMPA — The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Jeff Viel to a five-year, $12.5 million contract on July 1, adding a proven enforcer coming off a career year split between the Boston Bruins and Anaheim Ducks.

The 29-year-old undrafted forward posted seven fights over a career-high 45 NHL games in 2025-26, then scored a pair of goals and added 17 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games to help Anaheim upset the Edmonton Oilers in six games in the Western Conference First Round.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” Viel said. “Getting some stability is huge for me and my family, and I think my game’s in a really good spot. I think I had a pretty good season last year, good playoffs, and just overall I think my game’s been good and I feel more confident at the NHL level.”

Lightning general manager and vice president of hockey operations Julien BriseBois said the organization had long sought a physical regular who could also contribute beyond fighting. “For a number of years we’ve been trying to get a player who’s a regular player who can bring some of that truculence or physicality, keep the flies off our star players…It was something that was important to our team to bring that element in…We thought Jeff Viel was a really good value proposition because he doesn’t have a long track record in the NHL,” BriseBois said, “but he’s been really impressive once he got to Anaheim.”

Viel made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks in 2021 and fought on his first shift. He appeared in 49 NHL games for San Jose through 2023, scoring five points and collecting 139 penalty minutes. During the 2024-25 season he saw five NHL games with the Bruins while posting 13 goals and 37 points alongside 148 penalty minutes for Boston’s AHL affiliate. After a trade to Anaheim in January, Viel scored three goals and 10 points in 35 games as a Duck with 49 penalty minutes and a career-high average of 12:37 of ice time per game.

Viel’s playoff performance caught Tampa Bay’s attention. He scored the game-tying goal late in the third period of Game 4 against Edmonton, a 4-3 overtime win that gave Anaheim a 3-1 series lead. He finished with four points in the postseason. “I think I’ve kind of raised my game in the playoffs, so I was definitely looking for a team that is known for having some success and making it to the postseason so I can contribute that way,” Viel said. “That was another thing that I really liked about Tampa Bay and just their culture of team and the city of just being able to make it there and obviously winning a couple of Stanley Cups recently, so that definitely took into account.”

Viel embraced his role as an enforcer. “Not everyone likes it, but I like it a lot. It’s just a part of my game that I enjoy, and I take pride in it. With the rivalry in the Atlantic Division, I think that’s going to be a focal point for me and is definitely going to be part of my game. It’s going to be fun,” he said.

Fellow offseason addition John Carlson, who played alongside Viel in Anaheim, said the forward “jumped off the page” with the Ducks. “His skillset is far better than advertised,” Carlson said. “I think he really came up with some big time plays out there down the stretch, in the playoffs. Big goals, big assists, big momentum guy too. Whether that’s a fight, a hit or just being nasty around people, he really did it all out there…I’m happy to play alongside him again.”

Viel’s next game will be his 100th in the NHL when Tampa Bay opens the 2026-27 season.