The Lightning should consider taking a chance on this former Oilers forward with a PTO.
The Tampa Bay Lightning would benefit by adding to their forward depth.
Because of this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Lightning ended up inviting at least one forward to their training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
When looking at the remaining free agents who could be worth taking a gamble on for the Lightning, Curtis Lazar is an interesting potential option.
Lazar played last season with the Edmonton Oilers, where he recorded four goals, six points, 95 hits, and a 61.2 faceoff winning percentage. While he would not provide the Lightning with a ton of offense if signed for the season, he would give them a hard-nosed center who plays a solid defensive game.
If Lazar impressed on a PTO and earned a contract for the season, he would provide the Lightning with another experienced forward to work with for their fourth line and penalty kill. Yet, he could also be a nice addition to Tampa Bay's roster even if he ended up being their 13th forward.
In 617 career NHL games over 12 seasons split between the Ottawa Senators, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils, and Oilers, Lazar has posted 51 goals, 80 assists, 131 points, and 1,355 hits.
