Contract Status

(Tampa Bay Lightning press release) The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Matt Taormina to a one-year, two-way contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.

Taormina, 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, has played in 47 career NHL games with the New Jersey Devils during the previous two seasons, recording four goals and 12 points with a plus-4 rating. He made his NHL debut on October 8 vs. Dallas and recorded his first point October 13 at Buffalo.

A native of Warren, Michigan, Taormina has played in 199 career AHL games with the Binghamton Senators, Lowell Devils and Albany River Rats. He has registered 18 goals and 71 points, including a career-high 16 goals and 66 points in 2009-10. That season he led all Lowell defensemen, and was third on the team, with 10 goals and 50 points. Those totals were the most by a rookie in franchise history. Taormina also set a franchise record with 32 power-play points with eight goals and 24 assists.

Syracuse, NY – The Syracuse Crunch have signed right wing Eric Neilson and defenseman Jared Nightingale each to a one-year AHL contract today, Crunch General Manager Julien BriseBois announced.

Neilson, 27, played in 47 games with the Calder Cup Champion Norfolk Admirals, recording one goal and 74 penalty minutes. The Fredericton, NB, native has appeared in 186 AHL games with Peoria, Hamilton, San Antonio and Norfolk, totaling 12 points (6g, 6a) and 560 penalty minutes. Neilson was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round, 143rd overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Neilson is a three-time IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the year award winner, (Peoria 2008-09, Hamilton 2009-10 and San Antonio 2010-11).

Nightingale, 29, most recently played for the Connecticut Whale collecting 10 points (1g, 9a) and 110 penalty minutes in 67 regular season games during the 2011-12 season. The blueliner has appeared in 264 AHL contests with Connecticut, Hartford, Chicago, Iowa and Springfield and totaled 38 points (11g, 28a) and 619 penalty minutes. A native of Jackson, MI, Nightingale also played four years for Michigan State University where he totaled 23 points (2g, 21a) in 156 career NCAA games.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent defenseman Matt Carle to a six-year contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced. Carle was also acquired by the Lightning in a trade with San Jose exactly four years ago today.

Carle, 6-foot, 205 pounds, has played in 471 career NHL games with San Jose, Tampa Bay and the Philadelphia Flyers. He has amassed 32 goals, 202 points and 17 power-play goals with a plus-55 rating. Carle has played in 80 games or more in each of the previous three seasons, including all 82 the previous two. He has played in 84 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording five goals and 35 points. Carle has played in 45 playoff games during the previous three seasons, all with the Flyers. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team during the 2006-07 season while with San Jose after a season in which he registered 11 goals and 42 points.

TSN is reporting that veteran Vancouver Canucks defenseman Sami Salo has signed a two-year, $7.5M contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. While the Lightning have yet to issue an official press release, Tampa Tribune beat writer Erik Erlendsson tweeted that GM Steve Yzerman confirmed the signing via text message.

The 38-year-old blueliner has size and one of the hardest point shots in the NHL, but chronic injuries have diminished Salo's effectiveness in recent years. For the Bolts, who sported one of the leagues worst power plays last season, Salo could be an important acquisition for the team despite his injury history and limited contribution five-on-five.

Salo has scored 93 goals and added 212 assists spanning 761 career games in the NHL mostly with the Vancouver Canucks organization.

UPDATE: The Lightning made the signing official with an announcement Sunday night.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Artem Sergeev to a three-year entry level contract, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.

Sergeev, 19, played in 46 games with the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season, recording seven goals and 20 points to go along with 46 penalty minutes. He ranked first on the Foreurs defense in power play goals with four and was second in goals. Sergeev also appeared in three playoff games with Val-d’Or, posting nine penalty minutes.

The 6-foot-1, 205 pound defenseman represented Russia at the IIHF World Junior Championships in Calgary, Alberta last year, registering one goal, two points and 12 penalty minutes. He captured the Silver Medal with Russia, losing to Sweden in overtime in the Gold Medal game.

The Moska, Russia native has skated in 110 career games in the QMJHL with the Foreurs, collecting 12 goals and 47 points to go along with 86 penalty minutes. Sergeev has also appeared in seven career postseason games, recording one assist and nine penalty minutes.