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Lightning Sign Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts
Sunday, Jun. 29th, 2008
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed left wingers Ryan Malone to a seven-year contract and Gary Roberts to a one-year contract, owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie announced. Both players were acquired from Pittsburgh in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2009.
“Ryan’s signing is a great validation of the organization’s plans and desires as we move forward,” owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie said. “He fits our strategic plan of adding quality players with a warrior mentality. We look forward to a long and productive career for Ryan as a member of the Lightning organization and the Tampa Bay community.”
Malone, a 6-foot-4, 224-pound Pittsburgh native, played in 77 games with the Penguins last season and recorded 27 goals with 51 points. He also appeared in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games and tied for eighth in league scoring with six goals and 16 points as he helped Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup Finals. Malone set career highs for goals, assists, points, power-play goals (11) and game-winning goals (6) in 2007-08. He led the team in game-winning goals, ranked fourth in goals and third in power-play goals, while also ranking fourth among Penguin forwards in average ice time with 19:04.
The 27-year-old has played in 299 career NHL games, all with the Penguins, and amassed 87 goals, 169 points, 27 power-play goals, 11 shorthanded goals and 11 game-winning goals. Malone scored at least 20 goals in three of four NHL seasons.
Originally drafted in the fourth round, 115th overall, by the Penguins in 1999, Malone played four seasons at St. Cloud State before turning pro in 2003. He finished his collegiate career ranked in the top five among St. Cloud State’s all-time leading scorers with 140 points in 142 career games.
“When meeting the media and our fans last week in Tampa we talked about not leaving Steven Stamkos alone,” owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie said. “We talked about being aggressive at the start of the free agency signing period. We think Gary’s signing today represents a great first step for us. He brings the Lightning leadership, tenacity, grit and experience and he will be great for our young players, especially Steven. He will be tremendous for the locker room and his ability to play different roles at the forward position will be beneficial to the team next season.”
A 20-year NHL veteran and former Stanley Cup Champion, Roberts played in 38 games with Pittsburgh last season. The three-time NHL All-Star recorded three goals and 15 points with 40 penalty minutes, and also played in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games recording two goals and four points.
A 6-2, 215-pound native of North York, Ontario, Roberts is a veteran of 1,194 career games with Calgary, Carolina, Toronto, Florida and Pittsburgh. He has amassed 434 career goals, 903 points, 107 power play goals and 51 game-winning goals. He has broken the 20-goal barrier in 16 of his 20 seasons, including two 30-goal seasons, two 40-goal seasons and a 50-goal season. Roberts, 42, has played in 130 career playoff games, recording 32 goals and 93 points. He recorded 12 points in 22 playoff games as he helped the Calgary Flames capture the 1989 Stanley Cup title.
“Ryan’s signing is a great validation of the organization’s plans and desires as we move forward,” owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie said. “He fits our strategic plan of adding quality players with a warrior mentality. We look forward to a long and productive career for Ryan as a member of the Lightning organization and the Tampa Bay community.”
Malone, a 6-foot-4, 224-pound Pittsburgh native, played in 77 games with the Penguins last season and recorded 27 goals with 51 points. He also appeared in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games and tied for eighth in league scoring with six goals and 16 points as he helped Pittsburgh to the Stanley Cup Finals. Malone set career highs for goals, assists, points, power-play goals (11) and game-winning goals (6) in 2007-08. He led the team in game-winning goals, ranked fourth in goals and third in power-play goals, while also ranking fourth among Penguin forwards in average ice time with 19:04.
The 27-year-old has played in 299 career NHL games, all with the Penguins, and amassed 87 goals, 169 points, 27 power-play goals, 11 shorthanded goals and 11 game-winning goals. Malone scored at least 20 goals in three of four NHL seasons.
Originally drafted in the fourth round, 115th overall, by the Penguins in 1999, Malone played four seasons at St. Cloud State before turning pro in 2003. He finished his collegiate career ranked in the top five among St. Cloud State’s all-time leading scorers with 140 points in 142 career games.
“When meeting the media and our fans last week in Tampa we talked about not leaving Steven Stamkos alone,” owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie said. “We talked about being aggressive at the start of the free agency signing period. We think Gary’s signing today represents a great first step for us. He brings the Lightning leadership, tenacity, grit and experience and he will be great for our young players, especially Steven. He will be tremendous for the locker room and his ability to play different roles at the forward position will be beneficial to the team next season.”
A 20-year NHL veteran and former Stanley Cup Champion, Roberts played in 38 games with Pittsburgh last season. The three-time NHL All-Star recorded three goals and 15 points with 40 penalty minutes, and also played in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games recording two goals and four points.
A 6-2, 215-pound native of North York, Ontario, Roberts is a veteran of 1,194 career games with Calgary, Carolina, Toronto, Florida and Pittsburgh. He has amassed 434 career goals, 903 points, 107 power play goals and 51 game-winning goals. He has broken the 20-goal barrier in 16 of his 20 seasons, including two 30-goal seasons, two 40-goal seasons and a 50-goal season. Roberts, 42, has played in 130 career playoff games, recording 32 goals and 93 points. He recorded 12 points in 22 playoff games as he helped the Calgary Flames capture the 1989 Stanley Cup title.
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