Lightning sign center Marc-Antoine Pouliot

The Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL parent club of the Norfolk Admirals, have signed center Marc-Antoine Pouliot to a one-year, two-way contract, Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman announced today.

"We are pleased to make Marc-Antoine a member of the Lightning organization today," said Yzerman upon making the announcement. "He fits the mold for the type of person we want on our roster and we look forward to seeing what he can show us in training camp this fall. He will add depth at the forward position and has a great chance to become a contributor in Tampa Bay."

Pouliot, 25, is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound center from Quebec City, Quebec. He appeared in 35 games last season with the Edmonton Oilers, scoring seven goals and 14 points. Pouliot also skated in four games with Edmonton’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, scoring one goal and six points. A veteran of five professional seasons, Pouliot has appeared in 176 career NHL games – all with the Oilers – scoring 21 goals and 53 points.

In 157 career AHL games between the Falcons, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Hamilton Bulldogs, Pouliot has scored 51 goals and 129 points. In 2005-06, he was named Bulldogs MVP in a vote of his teammates and was also named Hamilton’s top rookie by the Bulldogs broadcast team. He ranked second with the Penguins in scoring during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs with ten points in 11 games. Pouliot also ranked second in goals and points with the Falcons during the 2007-08 season with 21 goals and 47 points in just 55 games.

Pouliot was drafted by the Oilers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He played junior hockey in the QMJHL with the Rimouski Oceanic, recording 111 goals and 268 points in 205 games. He finished third in the QMJHL in scoring in 2004-05, recording 45 goals and 114 points in 70 games en route to his selection as a QMJHL First Team All Star. He captained the Oceanic for two seasons.