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)

In:
April 11 - G Riku Helenius (Seattle, WHL), signed in spring 2007, finished major junior play and will turn pro.
April 24 -- C Paul Szczechura (Norfolk, AHL) signed to a 2-year contract.
June 2 -- D Kevin Quick (Michigan, NCAA/Norfolk, AHL) signed to a multi-year entry-level contract.
June 18 - Rights to LW Vaclav Prospal acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2008 7th round pick and a conditional 2009 4th round pick.
June 23 -- Oren Koules and Len Barrie formally introduced as new Lightning owners.
June 24 -- Barrie Melrose named head coach of the Lightning.
June 25 -- Brian Lawton named Lightning VP of Hockey Operations.
June 28 -- Rights to LW Ryan Malone and RW Gary Roberts acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a conditional 2009 3rd or 4th round pick.
June 29 -- Rights to RW Brian Rolston acquired from the Minnesota Wild for a conditional 2009 or 2010 draft pick.
June 30 -- D Janne Niskala acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2009 6th round pick.
June 30 -- Tom Kurvers named Lightning assistant general manager, replacing Claude Loiselle in that role.
June 30 -- Greg Malone named Lightning pro scout.
July 1 -- UFA RW Radim Vrbata signed to a 3-year contract.
July 1 -- UFA RW Adam Hall signed to a 3-year contract.
July 1 -- UFA G Olaf Kolzig signed to a 1-year contract.
July 1 -- UFA LW David Koci signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract.
July 3 -- UFA C Wyatt Smith signed to a 1-year, 2-way contract.
July 3 -- UFA D Scott Jackson signed to a 3-year standard entry level contract.
July 4 -- D Matt Carle and D Ty Wishart 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 Zenon Konopka signed to a 2-year, 2-way contract.
July 7 -- UFA RW Mark Recchi signed to a 1-year contract.
July 7 -- UFA D Andrew Hutchinson signed to a 2-year contract.
July 8 -- UFA W Brandon Bochenski signed to a 2-year, 2-way contract.
July 9 -- Rick Tocchet, Cap Raeder, and Wes Walz named to Barry Melrose's coaching staff.
July 9 -- Tom Kurvers (assistant GM), Greg Malone (head professional scout), and Jim Hammett (director of player personnel) added to front office staff.
August 29 -- D Andrej Meszaros acquired from the Ottawa Senators for Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and San Jose's first round pick in 2009.
October 1 -- Rights to Michal Sersen acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2009 5th round pick.

Out:
March 29 -- C Tim Taylor announced retirement.
April 3 -- UFA W Norm Milley signed with Wolfsburg of the German DEL.
April 3 -- W Stanislav Lascek signed with HKm Zvolen in Slovakia (he remains under contract with Tampa Bay).
April 17 -- RFA D Mario Scalzo signed with Salzburg in Austria.
April 25 -- Admirals Head Coach Steve Stirling reassigned by the Lightning to NCAA scout.
April 25 -- Admirals Assistant Coach Darren Rumble not retained by club.
May 23 -- RFA W Marek Kvapil signed with Vitkovice of the Czech Extraliga.
June 3 -- Lightning Head Coach John Tortorella fired by the club.
June 16 -- NCAA Scout and former Norfolk Coach Steve Stirling agreed to coach DEL club Iserlohn Roosters.
June 24 -- Director of Player Personnel Bill Barber resigned.
June 25 -- G Marc Denis bought out.
June 25 -- RFAs W/D Mike Egener, W Zbynek Hrdel, G Jonathan Boutin, and G Ryan Munce did not receive qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents.
July 1 -- UFA RW Brian Rolston signed a 4-year contract with New Jersey.
July 3 -- UFA G Marc Denis signed a 1-year, 2-way contract with Montreal.
July 4 -- D Dan Boyle and D Brad Lukowich traded to San Jose for Matt Carle, Ty Wishart, 2009 first round pick, and 2010 fourth round pick.
July 7 -- Chief Scout Jake Goertzen let go by the club.
July 8 -- UFA W Kyle Wanvig signed with Amur Tigers Khabarovsk of the new KHL in Russia.
July 9 -- UFA W Junior Lessard signed with Atlanta.
July 11 -- GM Jay Feaster resigned.
August 29 -- D Filip Kuba, Alexandre Picard, and San Jose's first round pick in 2009 traded to Ottawa for Andrej Meszaros.
September 30 -- W Nick Tarnasky traded to Nashville for conditional pick in 2009.

Re-Signed:
June 2 -- RFA D Alexandre Picard re-signed to a 2-year contract.
June 18 -- Norfolk Admirals GM Claude Loiselle extended through 2008-2009.
June 30 -- UFA LW Vaclav Prospal re-signed to 4-year contract.
June 30 -- UFA LW Gary Roberts re-signed to 1-year contract.
June 30 -- UFA LW Ryan Malone re-signed to 7-year contract.
July 2 -- RFA W/C Ryan Craig re-signed to 2-year contract.
July 2 -- RFA D Janne Niskala re-signed to a 1-year contract.
July 8 -- RFA W Evgeni Artyukhin re-signed to a 2-year contract.
July 11 -- UFA C Chris Gratton re-signed to a 1-year contract.
July 12 -- C Vincent Lecavalier re-signed to an 11-year extension.
July 13 -- G Mike Smith re-signed to a 2-year extension.

Unsigned:
RFA D Andreas Holmqvist (2005 RFA)

UFA W Mathieu Darche
UFA C Andreas Karlsson
UFA D David Schneider
UFA W Karl Stewart
UFA W Zbynek Hrdel
UFA G Ryan Munce
UFA G Jonathan Boutin

Lightning In-Season Transactions for 2008 (TSN.ca)

Key: UFA—Unrestricted Free Agent, RFA—Restricted Free Agent (must be given qualifying offer to be retained)