Forward Michael Eyssimont has agreed to a two-year, one-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, just four months after being claimed off Waivers from Winnipeg.
Forward Michael Eyssimont has agreed to a two-year, one-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, just four months after being claimed off Waivers from Winnipeg.
Eyssimont, 26, spent the 2022-23 season between four different clubs and three cities. Now, after some uncertainty, he will remain in south Florida with the Lightning.
According to Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois, Eyssimont's deal features an $800K annual average value and will see the 6-foot, 180-pound forward look to earn a consistent place in the lineup following two up-and-down years in Winnipeg.
The Jets lost the Colorado product to the San Jose Sharks by way of a Waiver claim on January 6. Winnipeg was attempting to send the gritty forward down to the AHL's Manitoba Moose as a number of the team's regulars returned to health for the second half of the season.
What happened for Eyssimont following that was 20 games for the Sharks, to which he produced three goals, eight points and 34 penalty minutes, before being dealt to Tampa in advance of the NHL's trade deadline in early March.
The former fifth round pick (Los Angeles, 2016) scored a goal and an assist, while piling on another 23 minutes in penalties as the Bolts' season came to a close. Eyssimont added another two points in three playoff games before the Lightning were bounced from the first round by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Eyssimont had 20 goals, 51 points and 117 penalty minutes in 67 games for the Moose over part of the past two seasons. He had five goals, 15 points and 63 penalty minutes in 54 NHL games split between Winnipeg, San Jose and Tampa Bay.