Tampa Bay Lightning Sign recently acquired Bruno Gervais to 1-year Contract –NHL offseason Update
Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman Bruno Gervais to a one-year contract on Monday, as announced by the team in a press release.
The move came only two days after trading for him with New York Islanders on Saturday, June 25.
Drafted in the 2003 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft as the 182nd overall pick in round-six, Gervais played 53 games with Islanders during the previous season, a team he has spent six seasons with, and registered six points for six assists
in that time frame with a plus-minus rating of -14.
Gervais was set to become a restricted free agent by July 1, and was traded to Tampa Bay Lightning that signed him to a one-year, one-way contract on Monday before he could enter the free agency.
Former roommate, Nate Thompson, Tampa Bay Lightning’s centre was anticipating Gervais to play with him.
"He's going to be a great addition for us',' Thompson said.”If you talk to anybody on the Islanders, I'm sure they are sad to see him go. He's been a big part of that organization for a long time, but I'm excited for him to come down''.
Gervais was emotional on shifting from his long-time team, the New York Islanders, but felt that it would be for the best.
"I didn't have the year I wanted to last year and sometimes a fresh start is the best thing you can have'', Gervais said.”And there is nothing better than starting fresh with a solid organization like Tampa Bay. From the top to the bottom, everyone there
seems to be on the right track and heading in the right direction''.
Gervais continued to play with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, which is Islanders' associate franchise in the American Hockey League (AHL), for three seasons after being drafted.
Since 2007, he has regularly been playing with New York and it does not seem that Tampa Bay Lightning will send him to its farm league once the season starts.
As the defenseman said, the previous season was not his best, but maybe his induction in Tampa Bay will change all that.
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