TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning signed forward Jerome Samson to a one-year, two-way contract and re-signed forward Brett Connolly to a one-year, two-way contract Thursday.
Samson, 26, played in 68 games for the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League last season. He earned 27 goals with 56 points. A native of Greenfield Park, Quebec, he was second on St. John’s in goals and third in points. He has played in 424 career AHL games with 160 goals and 336 points.
Samson has played in 46 career NHL games, all with the Carolina Hurricanes over parts of three seasons since making his debut Jan. 7, 2010, against the Nashville Predators. He has two goals and nine points in NHL play.
Connolly, meanwhile, played in 11 games for the Lightning last season and earned one goal. Selected by Tampa Bay in the first round, sixth overall, in the 2010 draft, the 22-year-old has played in 84 career NHL games – all with the Lightning over three seasons – and earned six goals and 17 points.
A native of Campbell River, British Columbia, he has played in 137 AHL games, earning 52 goals and 120 points. He skated in 66 games with the Syracuse Crunch last season, totaling 21 goals and 57 points.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
