Bolts by the Bay
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Top five free-agent signings in Lightning history

By Henry Yoho

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 5: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning is congratulated on his goal Pittsburgh Penguins by teammates, including Tyler Johnson #9 and Alex Killorn #17 during the first period at the Amalie Arena on February 5, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 5: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning is congratulated on his goal Pittsburgh Penguins by teammates, including Tyler Johnson #9 and Alex Killorn #17 during the first period at the Amalie Arena on February 5, 2016 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – JUNE 06: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates with the puck as Patrick Sharp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks defends during Game Two of the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 6, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – JUNE 06: Anton Stralman #6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates with the puck as Patrick Sharp #10 of the Chicago Blackhawks defends during Game Two of the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 6, 2015 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The biggest Free Agent deal signed on this list; the Lightning had a glaring need for a player like Anton Stralman. The Lightning struggled with finding stability on the right side of their defensive group and especially were looking for a player who could pair up with Victor Hedman.

The Swedish defenseman filled the void and then some. The stay-at-home defenseman proved to be the ideal partner with Hedman on the Lightning’s top defense pair. Stralman signed for five years at $4.5 million annually and was worth every penny because he could be counted on after a period when the Lightning faced regular turnover of their defensive core.

While expected to be a more defensive defenseman, Stralman’s first season in Tampa Bay saw him reach a career-high 39 points. Stralman’s experience and dependability on the back end helped play a key role in several deep playoff runs with the Lightning. Though his time with Tampa did not result in a Stanley Cup, Stralman’s contributions cannot go unnoticed in helping solidify the Lightning’s previously unstable defense.

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