The Lightning appeared to have jumped back into the free agent pool and landed a former All-Star.
A report by French television website RDS.ca and sister station TSN out of Toronto stated that Tampa Bay has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with free agent left wing Alex Tanguay pending a physical. Tanguay missed 30 games last season with a shoulder injury suffered, ironically, against the Lightning in December.
The deal could be announced as soon as Saturday's during the team's Fan Fest event, although it's not expected to be official until early next week after Tanguay undergoes an examination by team doctors. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed and a message left for the Lightning late Friday was not returned. Tanguay earned $5.25 million with Montreal but was expected to receive a contract about half that amount.
The team did announce on Friday that restricted free agent defenseman Matt Lashoff signed a two-year contract.
Tanguay, 29, was a 2004 All-Star with Colorado and has 193 goals and 580 points in 659 career games during nine seasons with Colorado, Calgary and Montreal. While with the Avalanche, Tanguay played under current Lightning head coach Rick Tocchet, who was an assistant with the Avalanche from 2002-04.
Tanguay's best season came in 2006-07 with Calgary when he had 81 points in 81 games. Since breaking in with Colorado as a 20-year-old in 1999, Tanguay has scored 20 or more goals five times and scored at least 60 points five times. Last season with Montreal he had 16 goals and 41 points in 50 games.
