TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning, who scored the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference last season, Thursday re-signed restricted free agent right wing Ruslan Fedotenko to a two-year contract.
Financial terms of the deal were not made public.
Fedotenko was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 21, the day before the NHL draft, along with the 34th and 52nd overall picks in the draft for the fourth overall pick. The
Flyers then selected Finnish defenseman Joni Pitkanen.
In Game One of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, Fedotenko scored 7:47 into overtime to give the Flyers a 1-0 win over the
Ottawa Senators. Philadelphia was shut out the next three games before being eliminated with a 2-1 overtime loss in Game Five.
"Given the increased role he will have with our club we project him to be a 25-goal scorer this season, and we are confident he will help us continue the commitment we made last season to
defense," said Tampa Bay General Manager Jay Feaster. "Equally important, as our new director of player personnel, Bill Barber, has confirmed, Ruslan is a great team guy and will fit in well
with the excellent team chemistry we developed during the past season."
Barber, who was named as Director of Player Personnel on Wednesday, coached Fedotenko at Philadelphia the last two seasons. Fedotenko, 23, had 16 goals and 20 assists in 74 games with the Flyers in 2000-01, his rookie season.
The Lightning also signed restricted free agent left wing Gordie Dwyer to a one-year contract. Dwyer split last season between Tampa Bay and Springfield of the American Hockey League.
The 6-3, 215-pounder had two assists in 26 games with the Lightning, and has no goals, four assists and 291 penalty minutes in 78 career NHL games.
The Lightning went 27-40-11 last season. Only the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (175) and Columbus Blue Jackets (164) had fewer goals than Tampa Bay (178).
