2008-2009 Player Transaction Log

The following is a log of all player movement in and out of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization in preparation for the 2008-2009 season. (A link to in-season deals can be found at the bottom) [b]In:[/b] April 11 - G [b][url=/riku-helenius]Riku Helenius[/url][/b] (Seattle, WHL), signed in spring 2007, finished major junior play and will turn pro. April 24 -- C [b][url=/paul-szczechura]Paul Szczechura[/url][/b] (Norfolk, AHL) [url=/node/3304]signed to a 2-year contract[/url]. June 2 -- D [b][url=/kevin-quick]Kevin Quick[/url][/b] (Michigan, NCAA/Norfolk, AHL) [url=/node/3325]signed to a multi-year entry-level contract[/url]. June 18 - Rights to LW [b]Vaclav Prospal[/b] acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2008 7th round pick and a conditional 2009 4th round pick. June 23 -- [b]Oren Koules[/b] and [b]Len Barrie[/b] formally introduced as new Lightning owners. June 24 -- [b]Barrie Melrose[/b] named head coach of the Lightning. June 25 -- [b]Brian Lawton[/b] named Lightning VP of Hockey Operations. June 28 -- Rights to LW [b]Ryan Malone[/b] and RW [b]Gary Roberts[/b] acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional 2009 3rd or 4th round pick. June 29 -- Rights to RW [b]Brian Rolston[/b] acquired from the Minnesota Wild for a conditional 2009 or 2010 draft pick. June 30 -- D [b]Janne Niskala[/b] acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2009 6th round pick. June 30 -- [b]Tom Kurvers[/b] named Lightning assistant general manager, replacing [b]Claude Loiselle[/b] in that role. June 30 -- [b]Greg Malone[/b] named Lightning pro scout. July 1 -- UFA RW [b]Radim Vrbata[/b] signed to a 3-year contract. July 1 -- UFA RW [b]Adam Hall[/b] signed to a 3-year contract. July 1 -- UFA G [b]Olaf Kolzig[/b] signed to a 1-year contract. July 1 -- UFA LW [b]David Koci[/b] signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract. July 3 -- UFA C [b]Wyatt Smith[/b] signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract. July 3 -- UFA D [b]Scott Jackson[/b] signed to a 3-year standard entry level contract. July 4 -- D [b]Matt Carle[/b] and D [b]Ty Wishart[/b] acquired with a 2009 first round pick and a 2010 fourth round pick from San Jose for D Dan Boyle and D Brad Lukowich. July 5 -- UFA C/W [b]Zenon Konopka[/b] signed to a 2-year, 2-way contract. July 7 -- UFA RW [b]Mark Recchi[/b] signed to a 1-year contract. July 7 -- UFA D [b]Andrew Hutchinson[/b] signed to a 2-year contract. July 8 -- UFA W [b]Brandon Bochenski[/b] signed to a 2-year, 2-way contract. July 9 -- [b]Rick Tocchet[/b], [b]Cap Raeder[/b], and [b]Wes Walz[/b] named to Barry Melrose's coaching staff. July 9 -- [b]Tom Kurvers[/b] (assistant GM), [b]Greg Malone[/b] (head professional scout), and [b]Jim Hammett[/b] (director of player personnel) added to front office staff. August 29 -- D [b]Andrej Meszaros[/b] acquired from the Ottawa Senators for Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and San Jose's first round pick in 2009. October 1 -- Rights to [b]Michal Sersen[/b] acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2009 5th round pick. October 6 -- D [b]Lucas Krajicek[/b] and LW [b]Juraj Simek[/b] acquired from Vancouver for D Shane O'Brien and RW Michel Ouellet. [b]Out:[/b] March 29 -- C [b]Tim Taylor[/b] [url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/30/sp-taylor-rules-out-return-ends-career/?sports-lightning]announced retirement[/url]. April 3 -- UFA W [b]Norm Milley[/b] [url=/node/3262]signed with[/url] Wolfsburg of the German DEL. April 3 -- W [b][url=/stanislav-lascek]Stanislav Lascek[/url][/b] [url=/node/3262]signed with[/url] HKm Zvolen in Slovakia (he remains under contract with Tampa Bay). April 17 -- RFA D [b][url=/mario-scalzo]Mario Scalzo[/url][/b] [url=/node/3297]signed with[/url] Salzburg in Austria. April 25 -- Admirals Head Coach [b]Steve Stirling[/b] [url=/node/3306]reassigned by the Lightning[/url] to NCAA scout. April 25 -- Admirals Assistant Coach [b]Darren Rumble[/b] [url=/node/3306]not retained[/url] by club. May 23 -- RFA W [b][url=/marek-kvapil]Marek Kvapil[/url][/b] [url=/node/3320]signed with[/url] Vitkovice of the Czech Extraliga. June 3 -- Lightning Head Coach [b]John Tortorella[/b] [url=/node/3326]fired by the club[/url]. June 16 -- NCAA Scout and former Norfolk Coach [b]Steve Stirling[/b] agreed to coach DEL club Iserlohn Roosters. June 24 -- Director of Player Personnel [b]Bill Barber[/b] resigned. June 25 -- G [b]Marc Denis[/b] bought out. June 25 -- RFAs W/D [b][url=/mike-egener]Mike Egener[/url][/b], W [b][url=/zbynek-hrdel]Zbynek Hrdel[/url][/b], G [b][url=/jonathan-boutin]Jonathan Boutin[/url][/b], and G [b][url=/ryan-munce]Ryan Munce[/url][/b] did not receive qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents. July 1 -- UFA RW [b]Brian Rolston[/b] signed a 4-year contract with New Jersey. July 3 -- UFA G [b]Marc Denis[/b] signed a 1-year, 2-way contract with Montreal. July 4 -- D [b]Dan Boyle[/b] and D [b]Brad Lukowich[/b] traded to San Jose for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, 2009 first round pick, and 2010 fourth round pick. July 7 -- Chief Scout [b]Jake Goertzen[/b] let go by the club. July 8 -- UFA W [b]Kyle Wanvig[/b] signed with Amur Tigers Khabarovsk of the new KHL in Russia. July 9 -- UFA W [b][url=/junior-lessard]Junior Lessard[/url][/b] signed with Atlanta. July 11 -- GM [b]Jay Feaster[/b] resigned. August 29 -- D [b]Filip Kuba[/b], [b]Alexandre Picard[/b], and San Jose's first round pick in 2009 traded to Ottawa for [b]Andrej Meszaros[/b]. September 30 -- W [b]Nick Tarnasky[/b] traded to Nashville for conditional pick in 2009. October 6 -- D [b]Shane O'Brien[/b] and W [b]Michel Ouellet[/b] traded to Vancouver for D Lucas Krajicek and LW Juraj Simek. [b]Re-Signed:[/b] June 2 -- RFA D [b]Alexandre Picard[/b] [url=/node/3304]re-signed to a 2-year contract[/url]. June 18 -- Norfolk Admirals GM [b]Claude Loiselle[/b] extended through 2008-2009. June 30 -- UFA LW [b]Vaclav Prospal[/b] re-signed to 4-year contract. June 30 -- UFA LW [b]Gary Roberts[/b] re-signed to 1-year contract. June 30 -- UFA LW [b]Ryan Malone[/b] re-signed to 7-year contract. July 2 -- RFA W/C [b]Ryan Craig[/b] re-signed to 2-year contract. July 2 -- RFA D [b]Janne Niskala[/b] re-signed to a 1-year contract. July 8 -- RFA W [url=evgeny-artyukhin]Evgeni Artyukhin[/url] re-signed to a 2-year contract. July 11 -- UFA C [b]Chris Gratton[/b] re-signed to a 1-year contract. July 12 -- C [b]Vincent Lecavalier[/b] re-signed to an 11-year extension. July 13 -- G [b]Mike Smith[/b] re-signed to a 2-year extension. [url=http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/transactions/?hubname=nhl-lightning]Lightning In-Season Transactions for 2008 (TSN.ca)[/url] Key: UFA—Unrestricted Free Agent, RFA—Restricted Free Agent (must be given qualifying offer to be retained)