Tampa Bay Lightning sign Vladislav Namestnikov to one-year contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Vladislav Namestnikov to a one-year deal, player agent Dan Milstein said Wednesday.

Namestnikov, 29, scored 16 goals and 30 points in 75 games with the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars in the 2021–22 regular season. The 6’0″, 180-pound forward added one goal and two points in seven games during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

According to Lightning beat reporter Joe Smith, Namestnikov’s new deal carries a $2.5 million cap hit. The Zhukovsky, Russia product is capable of playing all three forward positions.

This signing marks a bit of a homecoming for Namestnikov, who was drafted by the Lightning in the first round (No. 27 overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Namestnikov played the first five seasons of his National Hockey League career with Tampa Bay, helping the Bolts reach the 2015 Stanley Cup Final and scoring 20 goals with the team in 2017–18.

The Lightning traded Namestnikov to the New York Rangers in 2018 as part of the deal that brought Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa. After spending parts of three seasons in New York, Namestnikov subsequently played for the Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings before being dealt to Dallas earlier this year.

In 553 career games with Tampa Bay, New York, Ottawa, Colorado, Detroit, and Dallas, Namestnikov has scored 107 goals and 236 points. He’s also scored six goals and 11 points in 48 career playoff games.