Lightning signs Wyatt Smith

In an ongoing attempt to better stock it's minor league system, the Lightning signed unrestricted free agent center Wyatt Smith to a one-year, two-way contract today, the team announced.

Here is part of the announcement:

Smith, 5-foot-11, 205-pounds, spent the 2007-08 season in the Colorado Avalanche organization.  He played in 25 games with the Avalanche, recording three assists.  He also played in one Stanley Cup Playoff game with Colorado.  Smith also skated in 40 games with the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League.  He recorded 17 goals, 35 points, eight power-play goals and two shorthanded goals.  Smith ranked third on Lake Erie in goals, fourth in power-play goals and fifth in points.

The native of Thief River Falls, Minnesota has played in 221 career NHL games with Colorado, the Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes.  He has scored 10 career goals and recorded 32 points with one power-play goal and two shorthanded goals.

Smith, 31, has played in 403 games in the AHL with Lake Erie, Houston, Bridgeport, Milwaukee and Springfield.  He has recorded 128 career goals and 292 points.  Smith has also played in 38 career Calder Cup Playoff games, recording nine goals and 23 points.  He won the Calder Cup with Milwaukee in 2004.

He played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota and skated in 152 games.  He scored 67 career goals and recorded 129 points in four seasons with the Golden Gophers.  He was named to the All-WCHA Third Team during his senior season in 1998-99 after scoring 23 goals and registering 43 points in 43 games.

Smith was originally drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the ninth round, 233rd overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.