Lightning Trade Mitch Fritz to Rangers for Bryce Lampman

[Humpzilla]

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired defenseman Bryce Lampman from the New York Rangers in exchange for left wing Mitch Fritz, Executive Vice President & General Manager Jay Feaster announced.

Lampman, 24, has been a member of the New York Rangers organization the past five seasons and appeared in 60 games with the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League last season, recording six goals, 19 assists and 62 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 193-pound native of Rochester, Minnesota, has appeared in 258 career games with Hartford, recording 19 goals, 76 points and 234 penalty minutes. He has also skated in 10 NHL games with the Rangers, recording no points and two penalty minutes.

"When we tendered the qualifying offer to Mitch Fritz last month he phoned me to express his concern that we hadn't given him a shot at the NHL since we had signed him as a Free Agent and last year in Springfield his playing time dropped noticeably under Steve Stirling. He was frustrated and simply wanted a chance to play. As I told him when we spoke, we tendered the QO because he is an organizational asset and we were not prepared to release him without some form of compensation. We simply don't have enough depth to allow ourselves that luxury. At the same time, we feel we have improved our 'team toughness' in the minors and we expect Brandon Elliott to get significant playing time in Norfolk this season as well. We felt the time was right to capitalize on our asset.

"In Bryce Lampman we are obtaining a mobile, very good skating, puck-moving defenseman with good vision who sees the ice well, makes a very good first pass and who possesses excellent hockey sense,” Feaster said. “He is also a player who can be used in all special teams situations. For the past three or four seasons now our pro scouts have felt that he was on the verge of playing regularly in the NHL. Based on our discussions with the Rangers it was pretty much an identical situation for them with Lampman as to what we had with Mitch. Bryce had been considering playing in Europe this upcoming season and he, too, wanted a chance to play. He was tendered a two-way QO, just like Fritz, and he has signed that contract. He will come to training camp in September and have a chance to battle it out with probably five or six other players for the sixth and seventh spots on our blueline. Based on everything we have seen from him in the past, he is knocking on the door of being an NHL regular. We are thrilled to have him in our organization and we wish Mitch Fritz nothing but success."

Drafted in the fourth round, 113th overall by the Rangers in 2001, Lampman played one season for the University of Nebraska-Omaha (2001-02) and half a season for the Kamploops Blazers of the Western Hockey League before turning pro in 2002. He played three season of junior hockey for the Rochester Mustangs and Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League, appearing in 129 games. He represented the US at the 2002 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic, recording eight penalty minutes in seven games.

Fritz, 26, signed with the Lightning as a free agent in 2004 and appeared in 177 games for the AHL’s Springfield Falcons the past three seasons, recording nine goals, 16 points and 535 penalty minutes.

[intricateproces]

Fritz and Lessard together???????????????? my god

[IslesFan92]

oh my, the Rangers/Wolf Pack are going to be one tough organization.

[todd fedoruk 29]

Fukking awsome

[Podollan]

**** it..
Bolts lost the best AHL Fighter to an already very tough Organization.

Hartford will be sooo tough in Fritz and Lessard.. these 2 guys will run people..
poor Lowell Devils--
Soundtigers better have a tough Team next year.. if they have some brain they sign Crosty or let Brennan play there and sign ( and play ) Morency, or they Prospects will get killed.

Lessard is known for hammering people who are already down or does not fight back.

Will Purinton play for Hartford too?

[blackngold]

Providence needs a heavy now to at least protect their younger players from these 2 monsters in their division

[Jensen]

Damn it, there went our enforcer. Now we have to rely on Rosehill, Leach, and Wanvig as of right now.

[Podollan]

Originally Posted by Jensen

Damn it, there went our enforcer. Now we have to rely on Rosehill, Leach, and Wanvig as of right now.

And Mike Egener.. He is a young kid, IMO Nr. 2 fighter on a team.. good size..
but you are right.. Norfolk now needs a heavy..

[Shockadelica]

Wow the East coast is insanely stacked with Heavys.

[cashman rules]

Originally Posted by Podollan

**** it..
Bolts lost the best AHL Fighter to an already very tough Organization.

Hartford will be sooo tough in Fritz and Lessard.. these 2 guys will run people..
poor Lowell Devils--
Soundtigers better have a tough Team next year.. if they have some brain they sign Crosty or let Brennan play there and sign ( and play ) Morency, or they Prospects will get killed.

Lessard is known for hammering people who are already down or does not fight back.

Will Purinton play for Hartford too?

Only if he survives training camp after orr and lessard beat the living crap out of him.

[yoyomo81]

all i know about this guy is that he is a giant. is he nhl ready? hows his skating?

[CairnsisGod]

Sound like the Wolfpack-Soundtigers games will be more entertaining than Isles-Rangers this year.

[LORDAL]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kAU7ekdVvg0

[Captain Crunch28]

Is there any chance of Fritz getting called up?
What if he beats Orr in training camp?

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by LORDAL

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kAU7ekdVvg0

he's a fukin beast