The Tampa Bay Lightning continue to do some lower-level housecleaning, as they signed forward Mike Blunden to a one-year, two-way contract on Monday.
There’s no word on the exact money involved at either the AHL or NHL level.
That’s especially relevant with Blunden, 28, as he’s likely to face an uphill battle to log many games with the Bolts. He managed to play in two games for Tampa Bay in 2014-15, and he’s seen 104 NHL games scattered throughout his career since first appearing with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2006-07.
(The Blackhawks selected him in the second round - 43rd overall - in 2005.)
The one thing that stands out about Blunden is his size, as he’s listed at 6-foot-4, 216 lbs. With eight points in those 104 NHL regular season contests, his ceiling doesn’t seem too high, but it rarely hurts to add a big body as insurance in case injuries pile up.
The Lightning also locked down Jonathan Marchessault and Brian Hart on Sunday, so the Bolts are crossing off names from their to-do list lately.
They’ve also handed out qualifying offers:
#tblightning announce QOs issued to Carter Ashton, Vladislav Namestnikov, Philippe Paridis, Andjrej Sust and Luke Witkowski
— Lightning Insider (@Erik_Erlendsson) June 29, 2015
With #tblightning defensive depth, and left-shots Nesterov and Koekkoek emerging, Barberio odd man out. Was TB's sixth round pick in 2008.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) June 29, 2015