Lightning Stick With Roloson Another Year

When Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman swung a deal last season to acquire Dwayne Roloson, he could have hardly expected the 41-year old netminder to put up the stellar performances that enabled his squad to make it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Based on his strong play in 17 playoff games and 34 regular season contests after being acquired from the New York Islanders, Yzerman elected to keep Roloson for another year at $3 million. Roloson can earn an extra $500,000 in performance bonuses based on how many playoff rounds the Lightning are able to win next year.

Yzerman will surely keep an eye out for a more long-term option going forward. Despite his strong play, Roloson clearly doesn't have too many years left in the tank. But for the time being, he is as good an immediate option as Yzerman is likely to find considering the relatively weak free agent class. Plus, $3 million is a low-end investment - an especially important component considering Steven Stamkos' current negotiations for a new deal that will reach the $7-8 million range.