Karlsson signs

Center Andreas Karlsson, 31, signed a one-year contract, the team announced today. The 6-4, 205-pound Swedish native played 53 games this year, totalling three goals and nine points while averaging 8:25 minutes.
“Andreas Karlsson is a very versatile hockey player who spent the past year learning our system and coming to understand what John Tortorella demands of his players,” general manager Jay Feaster said in a news release.

Comments

[Bolts Fan]

Good signing. I thought he played much better as the year went on. Im sure he got the minimum salary or close to it.

[Tim]

I'm not going to do cartwheels on this signing, but he knows the system and can contribute. The guy I would love to see in Tampa is Oleg Saprykin. We need another LW and this guy is gritty, can skate well, and can put the puck in the net. Saprykin is now with Ottawa and even though his ice time is limited, he's tough, determined, and has contributed to Ottawa's 3-0 lead over Buffalo. This guy can play and would be a great 3rd line and penalty kill player. I would love to see Oleg in Tampa. Great, underrated player!

[Joe]

Mr. Karlsson had led the Elite Swedish League in scoring but in 204 NHL games, he scored only 14 goals, As a 30 year old Lightning player, he was benched in a great many games and saw very little action in those in which he played. His new contract would be highly justified if he was being engaged to play in the Swedish League, not the NHL. All of this while an insultingly diminutive take-it-or-leave-it offer was made to Evgeny Artyukhin who clearly has the ability to be an "impact" player in this league. What is WRONG with the people who make decisions for this organization????

[Tim A]

Karlsson is definitely not one of our great second line scorers, but he was an easy sign and not a bad player. Karlsson is a third/forth liner like Jason Ward, a grinder and energy player who does a fair job.

Once free agency starts in July and Feaster really wants to sign a top notch free agent, then he should go after Paul Kariya from Nashville to play on either the first or second line. Since Kariya is reaching the end of his prime, he should be signable with Bolts for a couple of years at a reasonable price. Feaster should really look in to getting him for scoring depth.

Kariya will be a free agent in July and currently plays for $4.5 million, he will be 32 years old and since he did not score 30 goals last year here's our chance to grab someone special. Feaster should start burning the midnight oil on this one. Just think if Richards St.Louis or Lecavalier sustained an injury, who could the Bolts rely on? I can't think of a better suited player to go on our first or second lines than Kariya. Oleg Saprikin is an OK player but Kariya is a proven player with exceptional skills. Kariya does not play well in a closed defensive system which could be convincing for him to sign with Tampa. Paul will score at least 25 goals and will always be one of your scoring leaders. If signed, Kariya will make Brad Richards and the rest of the Amigos the front runners in the South-East division again, plus he would really give the potential season ticket holders something to truly consider.

[SarasotaBill]

Thank You Joe!! I thought I was all alone thinking Arty would be a great piece of the puzzle.