Lightning signs tough-guy David Koci
Tampa Bay signed unrestricted free agent David Koci to a one-year, two-way contract that will pay $525,000 if he is in the NHL. The 6-foot-6, 238-pounder from Prague split time last season between AHL Norfolk and Rockford and the Blackhawks. While with Chicago, Koci had 68 penalty minutes in 18 games. The heavyweight has 156 penalty minutes in 27 career NHL games.
Here's more from the team announcement:
The 26-year-old finished out the season as an alternate captain for the Admirals, registering two assists and 57 penalty minutes in 21 games with Norfolk. In 65 games with the Admirals during the previous two seasons, the fan favorite has three assists and 280 penalty minutes.
Koci also spent seven games with the Rockford IceHogs last season, registering 25 penalty minutes. In 266 career AHL games with Rockford, Norfolk and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Koci has three goals and 22 assists with 1,065 penalty minutes. Koci made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2006-07, going scoreless with 88 penalty minutes in nine games. His first 42 penalty minutes all came in his first game on March 31, 2007, at Phoenix.
He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round, 146th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
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Hmmm, lady byng?
Posted by: Jim-nj | July 03, 2008 at 11:24 AM
We don't want Roy! We don't want Roy!
Posted by: Bryan | July 03, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Holy crap. How many penalty minutes? Staggering statistics. A real tough nut.
Posted by: Tommy Toughnuts | July 03, 2008 at 01:03 PM
yea he's certainly tough but it also helps to win a fight here or there! haha
Posted by: Pete | July 03, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Never the same after Chara rearanged his face..
Posted by: Tony | July 03, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Very true the Chara fight: enough of Koci's blood to fill the blood banks. He doesn't move all that well being he is played at wigd and is minor league defenseman who would be turned inside out if he was on the NHL backline.
He sees very little ice and interviews openly admitting he has a job "to go."
Posted by: WIZ | July 03, 2008 at 05:27 PM
The way it looks he is going to be sent down to the AHL as part of the restructuring of our minor league system. Also basing by the changes to the roster on the official site, Roy and Grats are both history.
We have enough strength and toughness already in the players we have acquired so far....the last thing we need is someone who loves to spend more time in the penalty box watching than out on the ice playing
Posted by: mudrobin | July 03, 2008 at 05:50 PM