Minor trade

The Lightning picked up forwards Kyle Wanvig and Stephen Baby (pronounced BAH-bee) from the Thrashers in exchange for defenseman Andy Delmore and right wing Andre Deveaux.

Wanving, 26, is a former second-round draft pick of the Wild. He was signed by the Thrashers as a free agent and played for AHL Chicago where he had 10 goals an 21 points in 26 games. He and Baby, a 6-foot-5, 230-pounder, will be assigned to AHL Springfield.

The move was done more to get rid of Delmore and save the $100,000 off the salary cap remaining on his $450,000 deal. The defenseman was a huge disappointment. Signed as a free agent, he was supposed to give some support to the power play. But he never caught with the Lightning and spent the entire season with Springfield.

It was a better deal for the Lightning than letting another team claim Delmore on re-entry waivers and still having to pay half the remainder of his salary. This way, the entire $100,000 is cleared and the Lightning gets some minor-league depth.

Baby, 27, who played at Cornell, has played in eight games for AHL Chicago with a goal and three points.

Okay, so no big deal here other than the Lightning saves a little money (its salary cap room is about $2-million), gets rid of a disappointing player and adds Wanvig, who is a big of a disturber. He had 64 penalty minutes in his best season for the Wild; 2005-06, when he also had four goals and 12 points in 51 games.

Comments

[Johnny Castle]

Nobody puts Baby in a corner.

[keith]

Too bad Delmore didn't "fit". He will no doubt, play for the Thrashers and bring it when they play the Lightning.
Hell of a PP player.

[Satch]

I didn't understanding the signing of Delmore anyway. He may be strong on the pp but that is all he brings. The Bolts took a chance thinking that the new rules would be to his advantage and he just might find a way to play some defense. It didn't happen. Never will. He's been a big time minus player all of his career and it even carried over into the minors where he has been an awful +/- player for the last 2 years. Personally, I'd like to see Atlanta bring him up. He's good for one or two goals against per game. Maybe then we would have a chance to catch them in the division.

All that was accomplished was the unloading a few cap bucks and acquiring a couple of big bodies. Whoa......take my breath away!

[bill]

the only reaseon delmore was sighned was the unsure factor of janik. the only minors the lightning need to think about is the ones that can bring some kind of physical play (mihalik). or maybe some overseas help(artyukhin). and some 2nd and 3rd line scoring might help too.

[Trevor]

Wanvig is gonna help us out alot this year