TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 13 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday agreed to contract terms with center Vaclav Prospal on a one-year deal, averting an arbitration hearing which had been scheduled for the same day.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Prospal, 27, matched his career high with 55 points last season and led the Lightning with 14 multi-point games.
"Vinny Prospal had an excellent season for us last year and demonstrated that he can be an effective player on the power play and add to our scoring punch," said Lightning General Manager Jay Feaster.
Prospal ranked second on the team with seven power-play goals. He had 18 goals overall along with 37 assists.
"We expect him to build on his performance of last year," Feaster said. "If we are to be a playoff team this year, we need Vinny to take his game to another level."
The Czech Republic native is a six-year veteran who was acquired by the Lightning from the Florida Panthers in July 2001. He recorded a career-high 22 goals and 33 assists with the Ottawa Senators in 1999-2000.
Prospal, a third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1993, made his NHL debut with the Flyers in 1996-97 and recorded 15 points in 18 regular games and four points in five playoff games before suffering a broken wrist. He was traded by Philadelphia to Ottawa in January 1998 while recovering from a broken left leg.
