Chris Gratton is returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the third time in his career.
The Lightning acquired Gratton on Wednesday from the Florida Panthers in exchange for an optional second round pick in 2007 or 2008 (Florida’s choice).
TSN.ca reported Lightning GM Jay Feaster said he saw Gratton as “the ideal third-line center for our hockey club”, adding he’d pursued the big center for some time, even trying to land him at the trade deadline in February.
Gratton began his career with the Bolts, having been drafted third overall by them in 1993, and has bounced amongst the Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, back to the Lightning, to the Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers.
Gratton’s salary is an affordable $1.5 million, and as Feaster suggests he’ll be a good fit on the Lightning’s third line, but his salary nudges the Bolts payroll to almost $36 million, and the team still has 9 more players to sign to fill their roster for next season.
Ownership has suggested the Lightning’s payroll might be higher than last season’s $42.5 million, but even if it were to go up to $46 million, that might still be a bit of a cap crimp for the Bolts, and might fuel speculation that the Lightning aren’t done dealing this off-season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs finally got team captain Mats Sundin re-signed to a new contract, albeit one shorter than anticipated.
Sundin’s new deal is for one year at $5.5 million, with an “no-move” clause, meaning he cannot be traded, waived or demoted without his concurrence.
The one year deal was at Sundin’s insistence, giving him flexibility should he decide his skills are no longer up to par thus not saddling the Leafs with a longer deal.
It’s also raised a darker suggestion, that if Sundin’s skills are fine but the Leafs aren’t a playoff contender by next season’s deadline, it gives him the out he needs to seek a trade, or failing that, to walk away at the end of next season as an unrestricted free agent.
It remains to be seen how this season pans out for Sundin and the Leafs, but you can bet the rumormongers will be watching closely for any sign of potential discontent.
Good news for Detroit Red Wings fans today, as GM Ken Holland announced goalie Dominik Hasek has confirmed he will return with the Wings for another season.
That’s effectively take the Wings out of the market for a goaltender this summer, although it seems it was never in doubt that Hasek would return. He’s a good fit with the Wings, and everyone from management to the coaching staff to the players expressed the hope he’d return next season.
Of course the price won’t be as cheap as last season’s bargain-basement $750,000, but it’s probably not going to be outrageously expensive. The betting here is a $2 million base salary with bonus clauses of an extra $2 million, the main one likely to be games-played.
So to recap Gratton's history with the Lighting:
1993: drafted 3rd over all
1998: traded Mikael Renberg and Daymond Langkow to the Flyers for Chris Gratton and Mike Sillinger
2007: traded a second round pick to Florida
Dont think I've ever seen a team invest so much into one guy
The Gratton deal is probably a PR move mixed with getting someonne will real value. Gratton is still very popular here, but the Lightning are overloaded on 3rd and 4th line forwards. Unless theyre expecting one of these guys to jump up and produce on Brad Richards' line, there is more to be had here.
why? why have a choice. This close to the draft and they don't know what they want. I would take it next year. Is there a possiblity of another trade between the two?
This was another stupid move by what has become a very stupid organization. Tampa will not win a cup for another 25 years or more. The team has no depth. A good example why was this stupid trade.
They give up a second round pick for a clown who is a bad hockey player. That's why he's been traded so many times. Calling Gratton the perfect 3rd line center for his team was one of the dumbest GM comments I've heard in a long time. The Lightning are a lost team because their GM is clueless.
Last edited by dupontrules on June 14th at 10:05 AM.
I heard Tampa might be shoping for Manny Fernandez-Lemaire. Maybe the bolts and Wild could trade some salary. Fernandez for a Prospal or Boyle sound like a good deal for both teams.
Anybody who watched them play last season knows they need somebody to stand in front of the net on the PP to be successful. Also, if Tampa decides to unload Brad Richards at some point, Gratton can step in and not look totally lost on the 2nd-line until they can find somebody else.
He's also a much more versatile option than Tim Taylor, who's become quite the one-way player. I'd suspect Gratton will play with Craig and Ward to form a nice checkling line, with Taylor being relegated to the role of face-off specialist.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
