Andrej Meszaros is the latest addition to a revamped Tampa Bay Lightning roster. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) Restricted free agent Andrej Meszaros wanted a new contract from the Ottawa Senators and as a result, he's found a new home.
With the Lightning reportedly prepared to sign an offer sheet for Meszaros, Senators general manager Bryan Murray decided to deal him to Tampa Bay on Friday in exchange for defencemen Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard along with a 2009 first-round pick.
Murray said in a conference call that the Senators were far apart on a deal with the six-foot-two, 220-pound rearguard, who made $984,200 US last season.
After Tampa Bay was reportedly set to sign the native of Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia, with an offer sheet for a multi-year deal worth around $5 million per season, Murray felt a trade was the best way to go.
"It got to a point where the money was too much for what we wanted to pay," Murray said of Meszaros. "We thought we had made a considerable offer, but when there was the threat of an offer sheet at such an exaggerated [dollar amount], it really led us to believe that making a deal was an easier way, and would give us the return that we needed for this player."
The deal was also beneficial for the Lightning, as the club would have needed to send first-, second- and third-round picks to the Senators had they signed an offer sheet for Meszaros.
That presented a snag for Tampa Bay, which had traded its third-rounder to Pittsburgh for Ryan Malone on June 28.
Since picks acquired from other teams can't be used as offer sheet compensation, the Lightning would have needed to make a separate deal with the Penguins to re-acquire the draft selection in order to sign Meszaros.
Tampa Bay continues makeover
The moves are the latest for a Tampa Bay team that has gone to considerable lengths to refurbish its roster after finishing with the NHL's worst record in 2007-08.
In addition to drafting Sarnia Sting sniper Steven Stamkos with the first overall pick in last month's draft, the Lightning have inked free-agent deals with forwards Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Radim Vrbata, Marc Recchi and Adam Hall, and goalie Olaf Kolzig.
Tampa also dealt for the rights to — and subsequently re-signed — forward Vaclav Prospal, and shipped Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich to San Jose for fellow defencemen Matt Carle and Ty Wishart and two draft picks.
The 2004 Stanley Cup champions also re-signed star centre Vincent Lecavalier to a nine-year, $77-million extension, and jettisoned head coach John Tortorella in favour of Barry Melrose.
"Andrej is a perfect fit within our plan to rebuild the Lightning into a contender," Lightning president of hockey operations Brian Lawton said in a statement. "He has a strong all-around game, he competes, he moves the puck and he can handle big, strong forwards defensively.
"Perhaps most importantly, we're pleased to add a 22-year old player with almost 250 NHL games already under his belt; we know Andrej will continue to grow and improve as he matures with the rest of our defence."
While the changes to the Senators' roster may not have been nearly as exhaustive, their defence corps will have a markedly different look in 2008-09.
The departure of Meszaros follows the exit of Wade Redden, who signed a $39-million, six-year contract with the New York Rangers on July 1.
Taking their places are Jason Smith, who's served as captain with both the Philadelphia Flyers and the Edmonton Oilers, and Kuba, a consistent defenceman who also served as captain with the Minnesota Wild when it rotated the responsibility among players in 2005.
Those additions, along with the signings of players like agitator Jarko Ruutu, have Murray thinking that there won't be nearly as much talk about his team off the ice this season.
"I think [the locker-room issues] were overstated maybe in the past, but very definitely our room, the type of team we have now, the character of the team now, could not be questioned at all," Murray said.
"I think [Meszaros] is one of those guys that we were hoping would grow up, but by moving him out and bringing in two other guys that are target people really upgrades what we needed in the room."
Meszaros's play sagged after rookie year
Meszaros, who was drafted 23rd overall by the Senators in 2004, excelled in his rookie year, playing all 82 games and racking up 39 points with a plus-minus differential of plus-34.
The following season, however, his production dipped to 35 points and his plus-minus plummeted to minus-15. He had 36 points and was a modest plus-5 last year.
"I thought his first year in Ottawa was real good; I thought his last two years left something to be desired," Murray said. "I was hoping I could convince him to take a contract that's fair and reasonable so he could really develop into the player we hoped he could be, but that wasn't in the books."
Kuba, 31, has been with the Lightning since signing with the team as a free agent in 2006. The native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, scored six goals and added 25 assists with 40 penalty minutes in 75 games for the Lightning last season.
In 531 career games played with the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild and the Lightning, the six-foot-five, 225-pound rearguard has 207 points and 239 penalty minutes.
"He's a really solid person," Murray said. "Really quiet but a real good player. He can play the point on the power play and shoots the puck really well."
Picard, 22, a native of Gatineau, Que., had three goals, three assists and 10 penalty minutes over 24 games with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Lightning last season. In his three-year NHL career, the six-foot-two, 225-pound Picard has six goals, 22 assists and 31 penalty minutes over 92 regular-season games.
With files from the Canadian Press
