Trade/Transfer

A report on the Erie Times-News' web site states the AHL's Norfolk Admirals will return goaltender Jaroslav Janus to the OHL's Erie Otters this week.

The newspaper received confirmation of the expected transaction from Janus' agent, Craig Oster of Newport Sports Management Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario.

The report also states the Lightning are interested in signing Janus after this season.

Janus, a 2009 sixth round pick of the Lightning, began the season with Norfolk on a 25-game professional tryout contract. He has played in two of Norfolk's 10 games, accumulating a 0-2-0 record, a 1.52 goals-against average (GAA) and a .939 save percentage. Last year he posted a 25-20-4 record with Erie, along with a 3.24 GAA and a .908 save percentage. The Otters have struggled defensively this year so far, and Janus will be a welcomed re-addition.

Janus' expected departure from Norfolk would leave the club with Dustin Tokarski and Riku Helenius in net.(Norfolk Admirals photo)

According to the Belleville Bulls Hockey Club (OHL), the Bulls have acquired Lightning prospect Kyle DeCoste from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for a 2011 conditional seventh round draft choice.

This is the second time in two seasons DeCoste has been traded. Last year the center/winger split the season between Brampton and the Soo, scoring 15 times while contributing 13 assists and 76 penalty minutes.

He has recorded two goals and three points along with 20 penalty minutes in 13 games played so far with the Greyhounds in this, his fourth OHL season.

DeCoste, who has a goal and an assist in his last two games, was taken by the Lightning in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have claimed prospect forward Radek Smolenak on waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks and have reassigned him to the Norfolk Admirals, it was announced today by Lightning Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton.

Smolenak, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound left wing from Prague, Czech Republic, skated in one regular season game with the Blackhawks and recorded five penalty minutes on Thursday in Detroit. Last season, Smolenak made his NHL debut by playing six games with the Lightning, recording an assist and 10 penalty minutes while averaging 8:20 in ice time. He made his NHL debut on December 2 at Philadelphia and recorded his first NHL point with an assist in that game.

Smolenak, 22, ranked third in goals, fifth in points and tied for fifth in assists with the Admirals last season. In 71 games with the Admirals he recorded 24 goals and 25 assists with 165 penalty minutes. In 147 career AHL games between the Admirals and Springfield Falcons, Smolenak has 39 goals and 37 assists with 281 penalty minutes. He also has appeared in 43 career ECHL games between Johnstown and Mississippi, scoring 15 goals and 20 assists with 35 penalty minutes.

Smolenak was originally drafted in the third round (73rd overall) by the Lightning in 2005. He appeared in 132 games with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League from 2004-06, scoring 74 goals and 70 assists with 167 penalty minutes.

The Admirals and Manchester Monarchs will square off again tonight at Scope.

The official web site of the Chicago Blackhawks are reporting that the team has claimed Lightning prospect forward Radek Smolenak off waivers today. It was expected that the Lightning would be trimming their 40+ camp roster after Thursday night's preseason game in Winnipeg ahead of Friday night's exhibition scrimmage between the Bolts and Admirals at the Scope in Norfolk, VA. It is presumed that the Lightning placed Smolenak on waivers Thursday with the purposes of reassigning him to the Norfolk Admirals.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have dealt long-time project forward Evgeny Artyukhin to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect forward Drew Miller and a 2010 3rd round pick.

"In acquiring Drew Miller today, we were able to add a character individual, a versatile player with good size and the ability to kill penalties," said Lawton upon making the announcement. "Drew finished the season nicely in Anaheim a year ago and he has played well for the Ducks in the postseason over his career. We'd like to thank Evgeny for his hard work in Tampa Bay and his diligence to improve as a player. We wish him all the best moving forward."

Miller, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, has played in 53 NHL games in his career, all with the Ducks. He has recorded six goals and 15 points in those games. Miller made his NHL regular season debut on October 6, 2007 and netted his first NHL goal on October 17, 2007. He has played in 16 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Anaheim, recording two goals and three points. He made his playoff debut in the 2007 NHL Playoffs, including Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Ottawa as Anaheim went on to win the Stanley Cup.