Tampa Bay Lightning re-signs a $900k essential player.

General manager Julien Brisebois of the Tampa Bay Lightning is concentrating on re-signing as many free agents as he can prior to the start of free agency now that the season is finished.

On May 16, the Lightning revealed that forward Mitchell Chaffee had signed a new two-year contract worth $800,000 AAV. Since the agreement is one-way, he will probably need to clear waivers before being transferred to the American Hockey League (AHL).

On July 1, 2023, Brisebois, a former prospect with the Minnesota Wild, signed Chaffee to a one-year contract. After suffering a serious injury, the idea was that he could train with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL to improve his conditioning. He performed so well there that the Lightning called him up.

Chaffee proved to be a useful complement to the bottom six once he arrived. He totaled seven points in 30 games with four goals and three assists. Furthermore, he was accountable on his own end, ranking fourth on the team with a plus-2 rating.

Participating in every one of the Lightning’s five postseason games against the Florida Panthers, Chaffee showcased his physical abilities. His 23 hits tied for the most of any forward, indicating continued improvement as a player.

Chaffee can go forward with the assurance that he will be sticking with the Lightning organization for a few more years. He can keep working to become one of the best NHL players throughout that period.