Cam Atkinson has himself a new contract. After seeing the Philadelphia Flyers buyout the final year of his deal, he is signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He will be under contract for one year with a salary cap hit of $900k. This is good depth for the Lightning as they enter a new era.
Atkinson Signs Contract With Lightning
It was tough to see Atkinson get bought out, but he enters a desirable situation. While the Flyers showed they can compete, the Lightning are in a different tier. This is a team that plans to contend and compete for the Stanley Cup and Atkinson gets to be part of that.
Atkinson originally joined the Flyers in a trade for Jakob Voracek in a one for one swap. The back injury he went through hindered his play, but he still was a valuable depth player. He is a player who has hit the 20 goal mark five times while also scoring a career high 41. His production took a hit during the 2023-24 season, as he went on to have 13 goals and 28 points. Although, he did have 50 points the season before so there is room for optimism. It’s a low risk high reward type of contract for the Lightning.
What This Means For Tampa Bay
The Atkinson contract makes sense for the Lightning. They are entering a new era of Lightning hockey, as Steven Stamkos is moving on. However, the team has the core group locked in and the road to compete goes onward. As for Atkinson, this was not about money but about opportunity. He gets to come in and be a complimentary depth piece in a Stanley Cup contender. With the top tier talent on the roster, they did need to add a depth piece. Atkinson can be that and give the team an extra layer of goal scoring. This is great for him, as he likely gets a taste of the postseason.
Main Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
