Lightning sign three defensemen

The Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to new contracts for three defensemen Thursday -- Vladimir Mihalek, Mathieu Roy and Mike Vernace. All three signed one-year, two-way contracts.

Mihalek, the Lightning's 2005 first-round pick (No. 30), had 18 points and a plus-6 rating in 75 games with the AHL Norfolk Admirals last season. In four games with the Lightning, the 6-foot-7, 244-pounder was scoreless with a minus-4 rating.

Roy, 26, had 10 assists in 31 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, and had 4 points in 15 AHL games with the Syracuse Crunch.

In 61 NHL games with the Oilers and Blue Jackets, the 6-2, 210-pounder has 2 goals and 13 points.

Vernace had 13 points in 62 AHL games with the Chicago Wolves and Hamilton Bulldogs. A 2001 seventh-round pick of the San Jose Sharks, the 6-2, 200-pound blueliner is scoreless in 12 career NHL games, all with the Colorado Avalanche in 2008-09.

Back to top