Tampa Bay Lightning signs Ottawa Senators forward Ryan Shannon to one-year, $625,000 –NHL Update
With the loss of forwards, Sean Bergenheim and Simon Gagne, Tampa Bay moved to fill at least one of the positions by signing Ottawa Senators' right wing player, Ryan Shannon, to a one-year, $625,000 contract on Thursday.
Undrafted by Anaheim Ducks during the 2006-2007 season, Shannon played for Ottawa Senators in the past three seasons.
Prior to joining the National Hockey League (NHL), Shannon played for Boston College Eagles for four seasons following a transition to Cincinnati Might Ducks, Anaheim Ducks' affiliate team in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Shannon played 71 games for Portland Pirates during the 2005-2006 season in which he registered 86 points, 27 goals and 59 assists.
Joining Anaheim Ducks, Shannon played 53 games in his first major league season and managed to register only 11 points with 2 goals and 9 assists.
The following season, Shannon was picked up by Vancouver Canucks for 27 games in which he scored 13 points with 5 goals and 8 assists.
Playing for Ottawa Senators during the 2008-2009 season, Shannon played 35 games and registered a total of 20 points, 8 goals and 12 assists.
He registered a career-high of 27 points, 11 goals and 16 assists, in 79 games last season, and finished off with a plus-minus rating of 3.
Tampa Bay Lightning's general manager, Steve Yzerman, was especially impressed by his dynamic style of play, an attribute which he could not resist.
“”He can really skate. He’s a smart player. He’s got good skills and he can play any of the three forward positions, and his contract fits in with what we’re trying to do right now”, Yzerman said.
Tampa Bay was inches away from the Stanley Cup Finals against Vancouver in the last playoffs, which proves it of being a team unlike no other, which can suddenly make a run for the cup whenever it wants.
“The impression I got from playing against them and then watching them in the playoffs is like a boxer always hitting the body and then just pouncing on teams as the game went along”, Shannon said. “It’s a winning culture and to be part of that, there really
is nothing better in the league. I think it’s a great fit the way they team plays”.
The 28-year-old from Darien, Connecticut, USA, has some big shoes to fill in and Tampa Bay is expecting him to outperform Sean Bergenheim, throughout the regular season and playoffs.
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