Lightning sign Emil Lilleberg to two-year, $1.6 million contract
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Tuesday they signed defenseman Emil Lilleberg to a two-year, one-way contract worth an AAV of $800,000.
7⃣8⃣ is back!
We have signed defenseman Emil Lilleberg to a two-year, one-way contract extension worth an average annual value of $800,000.
📝: https://t.co/kGcrnU8uVs pic.twitter.com/zQyzOgK0Lm
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 2, 2024
The extension will begin 2025-26 and run through 2026-27.
The 23-year-old played 37 games with the Lightning in 2023-24, recording five assists, averaging 16:12 of ice time. He finished the season averaging 10.5 hits per 60 minutes, the highest among Lightning defenders.
He made his NHL debut in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording a hit and blocked shot in 18:28 of ice time against the Florida Panthers in the second round.
The 6-foot-2 blueliner also played in 38 games with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, last season, scoring two goals and 13 assists for 15 points.
Drafted in the fourth round by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, he was unable to agree to terms with the club and wound up signing with the Lightning on a two-year deal in June 2023.
Internationally, Lilleberg has represented Norway on a number of occasions, including three World Championship tournaments between 2021 and 2023, and two World Junior Championships in 2019 and 2020.
It was a busy opening day of NHL free agency for Tampa, most notably the acquisition and signing of forward Jake Guentzel. Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli reported the two sides signed a seven-year deal worth $63 million, with an AAV of $9 million.
The 29-year-old spent last season with the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 30 goals and 47 assists for 77 points. He was acquired by Carolina in a trade just before the NHL Trade Deadline, with the Penguins receiving Michael Bunting and a slew of draft picks and prospects.