Bolts Re-Sign Brett Connolly

The Lightning have re-signed forward Brett Connolly to a one-year, two-way contract.

Here is the release from the team:

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed forward Brett Connolly to a one-year, two-way contract, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.

Connolly, 22, skated in 11 games with the Lightning last season, posting a goal and four penalty minutes. His lone goal during the 2013-14 season came on November 2 against the St. Louis Blues. Connolly also skated in 66 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, recording 21 goals and 57 points to go along with 50 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 193-pound forward ranked first on the Crunch for both points and assists (36).

The Campbell River, B.C. native has skated in 84 career NHL games, all with the Lightning over three seasons, notching six goals and 17 points go along with 34 penalty minutes. Three of his six career goals have been game-winners. Connolly has also skated in 137 career AHL games, collecting 52 goals and 120 points.

Connolly was originally drafted by the Lightning in the first round, sixth overall, at the 2010 NHL Draft.

The two way deal is interesting as Connolly would be exposed to waivers if sent down. He certainly would be claimed if that happened.

Earlier in the day, the Bolts signed free agent forward Jerome Samson.  Here is the team’s press release:

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Jerome Samson to a one-year, two-way contract today, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced.

Samson, 26, skated in 68 games with the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League last season, recording 27 goals and 56 points to go along with 49 penalty minutes. He ranked first on the IceCaps and 12th in the AHL for power-play tallies with 11. The Greenfield Park, Quebec native ranked second on St. John’s for goals and was third for points. He also appeared in 17 AHL postseason games last season, posting three goals and six points, helping the IceCaps reach the Calder Cup Finals.

The 6-foot, 195-pound forward has skated in 46 career NHL games, all with the Carolina Hurricanes over parts of three seasons, notching two goals and nine points. Samson recorded an assist in his NHL debut on January 7, 2010 against the Nashville Predators. He registered his first career NHL goals during the 2011-12 season while playing for the Hurricanes.

The undrafted forward has skated in 424 career AHL games with the IceCaps, Charlotte Checkers and Albany River Rats, posting 160 goals and 336 points to go along with 306 penalty minutes. Samson was named to the AHL First All-Star Team following the 2009-10 season after he posted 37 goals and 78 points while playing for Albany.

According to Bolt Prospects:

Scouting report on Samson is he’s a high energy player good on the walls and in the corners. Good example for the rooks.

— Bolt Prospects (@BoltProspects) July 10, 2014

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Follow me on Twitter @LightningShout and please “like” LightningShout on Facebook. You can email us at [email protected].