TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Nick Abruzzese (a-bruh-ZEE-zee) to a one-year, two-way contract, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
Abruzzese, 26, appeared in 71 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies last season and tallied 15 goals and 43 points. The 5-foot-11, 183-pound forward has played in a total of 211 career AHL games, all with the Marlies, logging 47 goals and 143 points. He has also played in 12 Calder Cup Playoff games and owns two goals and eight points.
A native of Slate Hill, New York, Abruzzese represented Team USA at the 2022 Olympic Games and notched a goal and four points in four games. He made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2, 2022 against the Philadelphia Flyers and scored his first NHL goal on April 29, 2022 against the Boston Bruins. Abruzzese has played a total of 11 NHL contests, posting a goal and two assists.
Abruzzese was originally selected by the Maple Leafs in the fourth round, 124th overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.