The Tampa Bay Lightning made a move to shore up its goaltending situation on Monday, signing journeyman netminder Sebastien Caron to a prorated one-year contract.
Caron, 31, went on re-entry waivers on Monday at noon, and must clear them before he can play for Tampa. He has not played in the NHL since the 2006-07 season, when he played one game each for the Blackhawks and Ducks and spent time with both teams' AHL affiliates.
The Lightning (32-32-7, fifth in Southeast Division) is searching for a backup to Dwayne Roloson, who has taken over as the team's top goalie with Mathieu Garon sidelined indefinitely by a groin injury. Dustin Tokarski has gone 1-2-1 with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage since being called up from the AHL's Norfolk Admirals.
Caron has played in 49 games this season for the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL, Germany's top hockey league, posting a 25-3-0 record with a 2.57 GAA and a .932 save percentage. He spent the 2010-11 season in the KHL with Cehlyabinsk Traktor, and spent the previous three seasons in Switzerland. Originally a third-round pick of the Penguins (86th overall) in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, he went 9-24-5 for Pittsburgh a 3.74 goals-against average and a .883 save percentage in 2003-04.
Tokarski is scheduled to start Monday night's game for the Lightning against Buffalo. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.
