Top five worst free agent signings in Lightning history

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have been fortunate to have multiple cornerstone pieces to build a competitive team around over much of their history. Over the last 20 years, the franchise has had marquee forwards to construct a roster behind, some through the draft, while others were brought in through the free-agent market. The era of Martin St. Louis, Vinny Lecavalier, and Brad Richards laid the groundwork for a cup contender that would eventually turn into Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, and Brayden Point, among others upfront.

By having the fortune of building around these key forward pieces, the Lightning has not needed to always be the biggest spenders in free agency to build the front end of their roster. Like any team, they have had their share of misses in free agency, especially among defensemen. When breaking down the Lightning’s top five worst free-agent signings, we will look into the production and compare it to the deal they were brought in.

TAMPA, FL – JUNE 13: Valtteri Filppula #51 of the Tampa Bay Lightning looks on prior to Game Five of the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at Amalie Arena on June 13, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /

The truth is, Valtteri Filppula played an important role during his Lightning tenure. Filppula signed a five-year, $5 million deal to come to the Lightning to fill the hole at center left behind by Lecavalier’s departure. With such a huge role to replace, the Lightning went out and spent some big money on the veteran center, whose offensive output did not quite fit the bill the club was stuck with.

Filppula was expected to produce like a top-two center right off the bat, even becoming the top center at times. Filppula produced 171 points over 292 games with the club. As time went on, his minutes and offensive output dwindled as he became more of a defensive forward who still served as a valued veteran presence. The lack of high-end offensive output did not validate the high price tag of five million per year. It tied the team’s hands a bit toward the end of the deal, which saw the Lightning would eventually trade to the Philadelphia Flyers in his final year.

MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 22: The puck hits the back of the net behind Anders Lindback #39 of the Tampa Bay Lightning on a second-period goal by Brendan Gallagher of the Montreal Canadiens in Game Four of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 22, 2014 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /

Free-agent goalie Anders Lindback was brought to Tampa from Nashville on a team-friendly contract. Signing for two years and 3.6 million in total was not the issue. Just a season removed from being a single win away from the Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning were in a position to be a playoff contender again before the start of the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. With the magical run of Dwayne Roloson in 2011 in the past, the glaring hole left in the crease demanded a more dependable goaltender if the Lightning were to get back to the playoffs.

The Lightning skater group that Lindback backstopped was capable of being a playoff team. Without the chance to get the saves they needed, the Lightning would finish second to last in the Eastern Conference. You can often look at the best goaltenders and see the best head coaches and vice versa. With Lindback’s save percentage at just .902, the shortened season would see the Lightning eventually fire Guy Boucher.

The saving grace for Lindback came in the form of trading for Ben Bishop. Bishop’s quick emergence kept Lindback from being what was holding the team back. With Lindback not being counted on as much in his second season, the Lightning would become a playoff team again with steady goaltending and reaching their potential.

PHILADELPHIA – NOVEMBER 02: Andrej Meszaros #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 2, 2009 at Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers won the game 6-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

The Lightning handed Andrej Meszaros a hefty six-year, $24 million contract just a day after trading for his rights from the Ottawa Senators. In addition to handing over the bag to Meszaros, the Lightning also surrendered what would have been their second pick in the first round of the 2009 NHL draft. That draft pick would eventually be used on Kyle Palmieri after the pick changed hands multiple times.

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After trading away Dan Boyle, the Lightning had a severe need for another defenseman capable of holding their own and posting some points. Meszaros seemed to fit that mold after the big defenseman posted over 30 points in each of his first three NHL seasons with Ottawa. Meszaros struggled with injuries in his first season with the Lightning and only managed to play 52 games and collected just 33 points over his two seasons as the Lightning failed to make the playoffs in both seasons.

Meszaros could have found himself further up on this list if the Lightning could not get out from under his lengthy contract after just two years. If Meszaros continued to struggle with the Lightning and played out the remainder of the term, he could have been on the hook for possibly the worst free-agent signing in the franchise’s history.

SUNRISE, FL – MARCH 12: Ryan Malone #12 of the Tampa Bay Lightning warms up before NHL game against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on March 12, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Getty Images) /

Another player whose rights were acquired via trade, Ryan Malone, signed with the Lightning on the first day of Free Agency after the Lightning acquired his rights from the Pittsburgh Penguins days prior. A fan favorite in Tampa, Malone made his mark as a tough, rugged, and lovable winger who could play the heavy game and contribute to the scoresheet.

After playing a large role in helping the Penguins reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2008, the Lightning brought in the free-agent Malone on a six-year deal worth over $30 million. The first four seasons of Malone’s time for the Lightning were solid, consistently finishing just behind Stamkos, Lecavalier, and St. Louis in scoring.

As his contract wore on, the production dried up and did not meet the expectations of a top-six winger making $4.5 Million Annually. With the scoring slowing down, The back end of Malone’s contract began to look progressively worse, and the club was eventually forced to buy out the final year of the deal.

PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 4: Matt Carle #25 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the game at Consol Energy Center on March 4, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Matt Carle comes in second on our list of bad free-agent signings, a common punching bag on social media among Lightning fans. Brought in for his second stint with Tampa Bay in 2013, the Lightning had high expectations for Carle to take on a prominent role on the second defensive pairing.

The club coughed up $5.5 Million a year for the defenseman who struggled to fit into his role. Six years at that value was a recipe for disaster as Carle was unable to find his stride. Stuck between being a shut-down defenseman and a puck-moving, offensive defenseman, Carle could never validate the term or money laid out in front of him.

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Hindsight is always 20-20, and Carle will be looked back on with sore eyes. While the club enjoyed several deep playoff runs with him on the back-end, Carle was often pointed at when looking at the lack of depth on the Lightning’s defense. Like Malone, the Lightning were forced to eat the final two years of Carle’s contract via a buyout.

Make no mistake about it, Mattias Ohlund had a remarkable NHL career and played a significant role during his time in Tampa Bay. Ohlund can be looked back on as a valuable veteran presence who was a key factor in developing fellow Swede Victor Hedman’s career.

The Lightning signed the big 32-year-old defenseman to a lengthy seven-year contract in 2009, the same offseason Hedman was drafted. The issue was not the money committed to Ohlund- he was certainly worth the money. The term of the deal on the older defenseman would be quickly regrettable, reinforcing the belief that you can’t sign players well into their 30’s to significant term.

Ohlund finds himself at the top of the worst free-agent signing list through no fault of his own because he was only healthy enough to play two of the seven years he signed for. Multiple significant knee issues forced Ohlund’s career to come to a premature ending. For seemingly an eternity after his final game in 2011, Ohlund was continually listed on the roster until his contract expired in 2016.

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