The TSN.ca free agent signing tracker is reporting Eric Perrin has departed the Lightning for the Atlanta Thrashers — signing a 2 year, $1.5 million dollar deal. I suggest Perrin “Stays” in the title because we will still face him eight times a season in the Southeast division.

Perrin has been a story unto himself with the Bolts — being signed on a hunch by Jay Feaster and at the urging of Martin St. Louis (his longtime friend and former linemate). Perrin broke into the NHL in 2004 with the Lightning and has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. He went back to Europe for the 2005-06 season and returned to the Bolts last year. He showed flashes of brilliance and flashes of grit while remaining largely in the rough.

I hate seeing Perrin go but he’s overdue for a payday after earning the league minimum the last 2 seasons he played for the Lightning (the first of which was spent largely at Hershey in the AHL).

The Lined Up Update has been updated to reflect today’s Lightning player moves so far.

…By way of Michel Oulette, formerly of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

From the Times:

The Lightning signed right wing Michel Oulette to a two-year deal worth $2.5-million. The contract will pay $1.2-million next season and $1.3-million in 2008-09. Ouellet, 25, is expected to get a chance to play on the second line with Brad Richards. He had 19 goals and 47 points last season for the Penguins.

That’s quite a hefty pay raise from the $500K he was earning last season with the Penguins. The Penguins franchise declined a qualifying offer to him — making him an UFA as of today.

View from the Igloo had little love for Michel Oulett:

I see people giving grades to players for the year and giving Ouellet one in the B range. ??? Huh? Are you kidding me?! Let’s look at the thing Ouellet can do:

Sit on the side of the net and wait for the puck
Throw one or two weak hits a game
Score while stopped

Now compare to the things he can’t do:

Get past defenders either by going around or through them
Show anything akin to agility
Skate faster than Georges Laraque
Keep up with his line mates
Take a shot that comes within a few feet of the net while moving
Do anything while moving
Take ill-timed penalties because he is standing still and watching the other players go by
Play physical (physical play is Gary Roberts, not one or two weak hits a game)
Control the puck with his stick
Be consistent
Take advantage of odd man rushes

Of course that’s one fans reaction and not an official scouting report. That’s more along the lines of “good NHL scoring potential, sense and awareness at both ends. Softy.”

Good pickup, by how well he factors in remains to be seen. Will he fit in on the 2nd line as he’s projected?

Corey Sarich has taken his lumps for the Lightning — both on ice and from criticism by way of the fans. Now Sarich will be taking a $3.72-Million-Dollars-a-year-for-the-next-five-years lump and depositing it in his bank account as he leaves the Lightning for the Calgary Flames.

I don’t feel as if Sarich has played his A-game for the Lightning the past two seasons. I don’t know if I should put blame on the system, on the NHL rule changes or the man himself but it’s moot now. He’s gone to join former Bolts Roman Hamrlik and Adrian Aucoin on defense (among other former Lightning players on the Flames current roster — hello Daymond Lankgow).

It also opens up the questions on defense and presses the need to re-sign RFA Paul Ranger to preserve the teams top-four (unless Jay Feaster is planning to make a run at a top tier FA defensiveman).

Keep up to date on the Lightning off season roster situation with Boltsmag’s Lined Up Update page.