TAMPA BAY -- The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed Cory Stillman to a one-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing for the left winger that was scheduled for Wednesday.
Stillman, 29, will be paid $2.7 million this season, according to the Tampa Bay Tribune. With bonuses, which kick in at 30 goals or 70 points, Stillman's contract could be worth as much as $3.2 million, the Tribune reports. He made $2.1 million last season with the St. Louis Blues, who traded him to the Lightning for a draft pick in June.
"We are extremely pleased to have Cory under contract and we look forward to having him join our hockey club this season," Lightning GM Jay Feaster said. "Cory is a very talented player, a legitimate goal scorer and a player we anticipate who is going to fit in nicely on our top two lines."
Feaster was surprised to settle the case.
``I truly believed [Tuesday night] that this would go to a hearing because at that point their settlement demand was still high,'' Feaster told the Tribune. ``But we had a meeting late [Tuesday] night after we exchanged our briefings and we were able to come to an agreement.''
Stillman was third on the Blues in scoring last season with 67 points, including 24 goals, in 79 games. He has 159 goals and 195 assists and in 564 games with Calgary and St. Louis.
His veteran experience and offensive skills will be needed on the Lightning; his 159 career goals scored rank higher than anyone on the Lightning except for Dave Andreychuk.
The Lightning have two restricted free agents who have yet to sign, forward Brad Richards and defenseman Dan Boyle.
The starting point for Richards' side is a two-year deal for about $6 million, according to the St. Petersburg Times. The Lightning started at four years, $10.2 million.
Boyle's financial parameters were made cleared Tuesday when New York Rangers defenseman Tom Poti received a two-year, $5.9 million arbitration award. The Times reports Boyle wants a multiyear deal.
Boyle comes off a career year, in which he had 13 goals and 40 assists and was plus-9 while being paid $850,000. Poti, a year older than Boyle, had 11 goals and 37 assists but was minus-6 while getting $1.8 million.
Feaster told the Times that Poti's arbitration decision would have no bearing on Boyle's negotiations.
Both Richards and Boyle could be signed before the Lightning go to training camp on Sept. 11.
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