The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed C/LW Vaclav Prospal to a multi-year contract today, owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie announced. Tampa Bay acquired the rights to Prospal on June 18, 2008 in exchange for Nashville?s seventh-round pick (previously acquired), 196th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and Tampa Bay?s fourth-round pick in 2009. ?We were very pleased to be able to announce last week that we had reached terms with Vinny Prospal to bring him back to Tampa,? Koules and Barrie said. ?With Vinny?s new contract signed and in hand we are now able to formalize the announcement today. We expect great things from Vinny in 2008-09 and beyond. He fits uniquely alongside Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier on our MVP line and the new ownership group is thrilled these three forwards will lead us into battle next season.? Prospal, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound native of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, played in 62 games with the Lightning last season and recorded 29 goals with 57 points. He was traded to Philadelphia on February 25, 2008 in exchange for Alexandre Picard. Through February 23, 2008 Prospal, Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis were the NHL?s second-highest scoring trio, as they accounted for 80 goals and 202 points. Prospal netted a career-high 33 goals and also had 38 assists in 80 games with Tampa Bay and the Flyers in 2007-08. After joining Philadelphia he recorded four goals and 14 points in 18 regular-season games. He also helped Philadelphia to the Eastern Conference Finals and recorded three goals with 13 points in 17 playoff games. The 33-year-old has played in 386 games in five seasons with the Lightning. He ranks sixth on the franchise goal list with 108, fourth in assists with 218 and tied for fifth in power-play goals with 37. He has also played in 22 career Stanley Cup Playoff games with Tampa Bay, recording five goals and eight points. Prospal will enter his 12th NHL season in 2008-09. This marks Prospal?s third time joining the Lightning. He was originally acquired from Florida in exchange for Ryan Johnson and a sixth-round choice in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft on July 10, 2001. He became a free agent on July 1, 2003 and was then re-acquired from Anaheim in exchange for a second-round pick in 2005 on August 16, 2004. Selected by Philadelphia in the third round (71st overall) at the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Prospal played two seasons with MC Budejovice in the Czech Junior League before joining the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League in 1993-94 (named Hershey Rookie of the Year). In four AHL seasons with Hershey and the Philadelphia Phantoms, he recorded 74 goals and 226 points in 310 games, including a 32-goal, 95-point season with Philadelphia in 1996-97. Prospal played in the 1997 AHL All-Star Classic and was named to the AHL?s First All-Star Team that season. Prospal made his NHL debut with the Flyers in 1996-97, recording 15 points in 18 regular-season games and four points in five Stanley Cup Playoff games before injury forced him to miss the remainder of the Playoffs. He was traded by Philadelphia to Ottawa on January 17, 1998, and was sent to Florida by the Senators on January 20, 2001.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed left wing Gary Roberts to a one-year contract, owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie announced. Roberts was acquired along with Ryan Malone from Pittsburgh Saturday in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2009. ?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-foot-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.

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has re-signed defenseman Adam Foote to a two-year contract through the 2009-10 season. ?Adam was a big part of our stretch run last season,? said Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere. ?He has been an important leader for this franchise for many years and we?re counting on him to play the same role over the next two seasons.? Foote began last season with Columbus before being acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline. He appeared in 12 regular-season games with Colorado (0g/1a), with the Avs posting a 9-2-1 record in those games. He also skated in all 10 playoff contests. Foote played in a combined 75 games between the Avalanche and Blue Jackets last season, notching 16 points (1g/15a) and 107 penalty minutes.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed goaltender Matt Zaba to a contract extension. Zaba, 24, appeared in 28 games with the Charlotte Checkers and Idaho Steelheads of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) this past season, registering a record of 15-8-2, along with a 2.64 goals against average, .915 save percentage, and three shutouts. In 19 games with Idaho, he recorded a 12-4-1 record, along with a 2.19 goals against average, a .927 save percentage, and three shutouts following his loan from Charlotte on January 11. He posted a season-high, six-game winning streak from January 18 vs. Alaska to February 9 at Alaska. On February 5, he was named RBK Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the period ending February 3, posting a 2-0-0 record with a 0.50 goals against average, a .981 save percentage and one shutout. He notched his first professional shutout, stopping 29 shots, on February 2 at Phoenix. In nine appearences with Charlotte the netminder registered a 3-4-1 record with a 3.63 goals against average and a .891 save percentage. He made his professional debut on October 20 vs. Texas and notched his first professional win on October 23 vs. Augusta. In addition, Zaba appeared in two post-season contests for Idaho, recording a 0-1-1 record with a 2.79 goals against average and a .880 save percentage.

The Flyers on Sunday signed defenseman Steve Eminger to a one-year deal, as reported by Yahoo.com. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move comes one week after the the club acquired Eminger, 24, in a draft day trade with the Capitals.

Islanders backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz will play in Russia next season, New York Newsday reported Sunday. Kurt Overhardt, Dubielewicz?s agent, told Newsday that his client has signed with AK Kazan of the new Russian Continental League, which is debuting this season.

The Flames on Friday re-signed four players, including centers Craig Conroy and Daymond Langkow, as reported by Yahoo.com. Conroy is in his second tour of duty with the Flames, rejoining the team in the second half of the 2006-07 campaign after spending four years in Calgary from 2000-04. Langkow is heading into his 12th season and his fourth in Calgary. He recorded 77 points in 2006-07 and 65 points last season.

The Stars signed forward Loui Eriksson on Friday to a two-year contract extension worth $3.2M, the Associated Press reports. The Stars said Eriksson will earn $1.5M next season and $1.7M the season after.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed forward P.A. Parenteau to a contract extension. Parenteau, 25, skated in 75 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season, registering 34 goals and 47 assists for 81 points, along with 81 penalty minutes. In his fifth AHL season he established career-highs in goals (34) and points (81). He ranked among the league leaders in several statistical categories, finishing fourth in points, sixth in goals and ninth in assists. He also tied for fifth in the league with 15 power play goals. In addition, Parenteau appeared in five post-season contests for Hartford, recording three goals and two assists for five points, along with 13 penalty minutes. He led the Wolf Pack in playoff goals (three) and points (five), and tied for second on the team in assists (two).

Brian Lawton has been named vice president of hockey operations for the Tampa Bay Lightning, was announced today by owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie. Lawton, 42, spent the past 14 years as a player agent representing prominent NHLers such as Mike Modano, Mark Parrish, and the Lightning?s Jeff Halpern, to name a few. A native of New Jersey who grew up in Rhode Island, Lawton was drafted first overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1983, and he skated in 483 NHL games for Minnesota, the New York Rangers, Hartford, Quebec, Boston, and San Jose. ?As a former NHL player who is very accomplished on the agency side, we believe Brian is a perfect fit with the team we are assembling here in Tampa,? owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie said. ?As stated, our No. 1 intention is to win hockey games in both the short term and the long term, and the management team we are putting together is focused on working as a single unit to procure and develop players within a system that will be successful for a long time. Brian is focused, driven, and goal-oriented, and he will help us as we strive to reach those goals for our team and our fans.? Having served four seasons as his team?s player representative for the NHL Players Association, Lawton put that knowledge to use when he retired by becoming a player agent. He started his own firm Lawton Sport and Financial in 1994, and became a prominent agent, negotiating more than $300 million in player contracts. Named three times to The Hockey News? list of the ?100 Most Powerful People in Hockey,? Lawton eventually sold his business in 1998 to Octagon Athlete Representation, one of the United States' largest sports agencies. Based out of Minneapolis, Lawton became managing director of Octagon?s Hockey Division. With Octagon, Lawton built the second largest hockey agency in the NHL, including clients Bret Hedican, Keith Carney, Ryan Miller, Ryan Malone, and Kari Lehtonen. ?I would like to thank Oren and Len for what I think is a wonderful opportunity here in Tampa,? Lawton said. ?The team has some terrific players in place and a very bright future. I enjoyed my career as a player and then as a player agent, but I have longed to get back on the team side of things. Having the opportunity to be back in an environment where winning games and championships are the focus really gets the competitive juices and energies flowing again. I look forward to working with our management, coaches, and players as we strive to bring the Stanley Cup back to Tampa Bay.? A graduate of Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Lawton is noted for being the first U.S.-born hockey player chosen first overall in the NHL draft. He represented the U.S. on several occasions, including the 1982 World Junior Championships, the 1983 Men?s World Championships, the 1984 Canada Cup, the 1987 World Championships, and the 1988 Canada Cup.