7/23 7:51 PM Lightning sign free-agent defenseman Pascal Trepanier
It looks like the Bolts UFA defenseman has been signed. Wednesday they signed defenseman Pacal Trepanier, the length and terms unknown at this time. Trepanier spent most of last season in the Nashville Predators minor league system, before being dealt to Florida for goalie Wade Flaherty near the trade deadline. Trepanier should fight for the 6th or 7th spot on defense in training camp.
7/22 4:03 PM Lightning re-sign RW Ben Clymer
The Lightning have re-signed RW Ben Clymer to a 1-year contract, the terms of which are undisclosed. General Manager Jay Feaster had this to say about the signing:
" Ben Clymer is a very versatile player who we believe is on the verge of a true breakout season," Feaster said. "The coaching staff has tremendous confidence in Bens abilities and we all want to see him start contributing more offensively and becoming more of an impact player. Ben has quickly grasped our team first concept and has become a valuable contributor. However, we believe he has not yet begun to scratch the surface in terms of his true potential as a player. We look forward to this season being the year it all comes together for him. "
7/18 4:12 PM Lightning re-sign G John Grahame
The Lightning today re-signed their backup goaltender John Grahame to a multi-year contract, the terms of which were left undisclosed. The signing comes one day after the Bolts re-signed LW Fredrik Modin to a 1-year deal. Grahame, 28, had filed for salary arbitration but was happy to get a deal done before the hearing.
" I am as excited as I've ever been," Grahame said. "I look forward to getting back to Tampa for the start of training camp. I will do everything I can in working with my teammates to make the Lightning one of the league's top teams this season and for a long time to come."
General Manager Jay Feaster also seemed happy about the signing.
" We are extremely pleased to have John Grahame back in the fold," Feaster said. "John is the ultimate competitor and his competitive spirit is contagious within our team. From the moment he joined the team he solidified our goaltending and gave us as solid a goaltending tandem as any team in the league. We know that he and Nik (Khabibulin) will continue to push each other to be the best they can be and that will only better our team."
The Lightning are also currently trying to sign LW Cory Stillman, who also filed for salary arbitration.
7/17 1:24 PM Lightning re-sign LW Fredrik Modin
The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed LW Fredrik Modin to a reported 1 year, $1.87 million contract on Thursday. Modin, 28, collected 17 goals and 23 assists in 76 games in 2002-2003 Thus far Modin has been unable to repeat his 32 goal season which he achieved in 2000-2001.
General Manager Jay Feaster said this about the Modin signing:
" Fredrik Modin was one of our best forwards over the last third of the season and into the playoffs," Feaster said. "He played very solid two-way hockey, really competed hard, and was strong on the puck and along the boards. That's the Fredrik Modin we have come to know and appreciate here in Tampa. When he's playing that way, we believe it's only a matter of time until the goals start coming again in bunches."
Free-Agents yet to be signed include Dmitry Afanasenkov Martin Cibak, Ben Clymer, Dan Boyle, Sheldon Keefe, Brad Richards and Shane Willis. Goalie John Grahame and LW Cory Stillman have filed for salary arbitration and their hearings are scheduled for early August.
7/17 10:48 AM Mighty Ducks sign Prospal
The Lightning have lost their leading scorer. Vaclav Prospal signed with Anaheim yesterday afternoon. The deal was a reported 5-year deal worth $17.5 million, not really close to the reported $4-5 million his agent said he wanted. Prospal is expected to fill the void left by the departed Adam Oates and Paul Kariya. The Bolts now turn to Cory Stillman, and at the same time try and acquire a defenseman or two via free-agency or via trade.
7/15 5:07 PM Lightning re-sign Roy, Lukowich, Rumble and prospect Artukhin
The Lightning avoided potential salary arbitration by re-signing LW Andre Roy to a two-year contract worth $825,000 next season and $925,000 in 2004-2005. Also signed was defenseman Brad Lukowich to a multi-year contract. Darren Rumble, who provided depth for the Lightning, and one of the Lightning's top prospects, power-forward Evgeni Artukhin, were also signed.
General Manager Jay Feaster had this to say about each of the signings:
" Brad Lukowich and Andre Roy played very important roles in our division championship last season and Darren Rumble provided us with invaluable veteran depth when we had injury problems along the blue line last season, Feaster said. We are excited to have all three back in the fold for next season. Evgeni Artukhin is one of our top prospects, so it was a high priority for us to make sure he continues his proper development and at this point we felt it was best served to see him play in the professional ranks."
"Evgeni Artukhin is the prototype player we want in our organization. He is big, skates well, loves to compete, and would rather run over a player than skate around him. I saw him play at a tournament in Salt Lake City (three seasons ago) and when I returned to Tampa I told (then Lightning General Manager) Rick (Dudley) that we just had to have this guy. He hurts you when he hits you, he has very good hands, and his shot is not only hard, but accurate."
Also yet-to-be signed are restricted free-agents Brad Richards, Dan Boyle, Ben Clymer, Martin Cibak, Sheldon Keefe, John Grahame, Cory Stillman, Shane Willis, Fredrik Modin, and Dmitry Afanasenkov.
7/14 4:57 PM Rangers sign de Vries
Take Greg de Vries off the Lightning's list of potential free-agent signings. He agreed to undisclosed terms on Monday with the New York Rangers. The Lightning will now look to free-agents Ken Klee and Oleg Tverdovsky, and GM Jay Feaster says he is also looking at options via trade.
