Lightning Sign James Wright to Entry Level Contract

[Thrillhouse]

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward James Wright to a three-year entry-level contract today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Wright, 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, has played in three games with the Lightning this preseason, recording two assists with a plus-2 rating. He is currently tied for seventh on the team in preseason scoring and tied for third in plus/minus.

A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Wright has played the previous four seasons with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. He has amassed 39 goals and 95 points in 181 career games played. Wright has also appeared in 37 career playoff games, recording seven goals and 15 points.

Wright had a career year with the Giants in 2008-09, posting career bests with 21 goals, 26 assists and 47 points in 71 games. He ranked fifth on the team in goals and eighth in points.

Attending his first Lightning training camp this season, Wright was drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round, 117th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

[GIANTSFAN]

Good. Hopefully, they will send him down now. The Gmen could use him.

[HordiBrusk29]

Wright is no where near ready for the NHL. Sure he's obviously impressed Lightning's brass, but the thought of him sticking in the NHL is ridiculous, IMO.

[Brash_Fan]

What is the point of signing a draftee to an NHL contract that is not ready for the NHL and then sending him down back to juniors?!
You own his rights for 2 yrs anyway.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by Brash_Fan

What is the point of signing a draftee to an NHL contract that is not ready for the NHL and then sending him down back to juniors?!
You own his rights for 2 yrs anyway.

The contract won't count until he becomes a pro full time. Plus I believe it is 3 years not two.

[chilly666]

hordi its two years. they have to sign him by the second june 1st after he was drafted or else they lose his rights. the only reason i truly know that is because of the greenop situation. he was drafted in 2007 on june 1st of this year the hawks lost his rights because they didn't sign him.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by chilly666

hordi its two years. they have to sign him by the second june 1st after he was drafted or else they lose his rights. the only reason i truly know that is because of the greenop situation. he was drafted in 2007 on june 1st of this year the hawks lost his rights because they didn't sign him.

Typically an entry level contract is for three years. Maybe I'm overlooking something?

[chilly666]

depending on the age it could be one, two or three years. but my post was about owning his rights cause that was what iambelak was talking about. my bad.

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by chilly666

depending on the age it could be one, two or three years. but my post was about owning his rights cause that was what iambelak was talking about. my bad.

I'm pretty sure most are three year contracts. I believe Wright's says three years on capgeek as well.

[chilly666]

yeah wright's is three years.

here are the contract lengths for rookies from the cba:

18-21 yrs old - 3 yrs
22-23 yrs old - 2 yrs
24 yrs old - 1 yr
25 and older - no required number of years and not subject to compensation limits either (see matt gilroy contract)

[HordiBrusk29]

Originally Posted by chilly666

yeah wright's is three years.

here are the contract lengths for rookies from the cba:

18-21 yrs old - 3 yrs
22-23 yrs old - 2 yrs
24 yrs old - 1 yr
25 and older - no required number of years and not subject to compensation limits either (see matt gilroy contract)

Thanks for that. Originally I was specifically referring to entry level contracts signed by players in juniors. Which is why I was confused when you said they were two years. Anyway that's cleared up now.