Multiple sources north of the OSG border, including TSN and TSN.ca, are letting us all know that Andrej Meszaros ((Pictured, thanks Getty Images)) is now a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Meszaros signs a multi-year deal averaging US$4-million per year over the next six seasons. Filip Kuba and Alexandre Picard head to Ottawa along with a draft-pick.
"It got to a point where the money was too much for what we wanted to pay," Senators' GM Bryan Murray told the Canadian Press. "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 Senators now only have Chris Phillips and Anton Volchenkov as their normal, every day defensemen. Bryan Murray has lost Joe Corvo, Mike Commodore, Wade Redden, and Luke Richardson since the mid-point of last season.
The principals of the Kopitar-Khabibulin deal are still in place and in play with the Kings and Blackhawks. The Sens may now have to bow out as a dance partner.
Kuba is slated to make US$3-million in the last year of his current deal. He becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 08-09 season. Picard is still working under his entry-level contract. It will give him $750,000 this season and $850,000 next season.
The Sens are just under US$52-million and have a little less than US$5-million to play with for the upcoming season. The Lightning are at close to US$53-and-a-half million if the Meszaros number is averaged in. That leaves them with US$4-million or so to give Barry Melrose an entirely new sandbox at the Forum.
Here's a profile of Meszaros ((thanks to the youtube, the Sens, and Rogers 22 in Ottawa, Ontario...))
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