Earlier this month, the Tampa Bay Lightning made an intriguing move, signing veteran forward Cam Atkinson to a one-year, $900,000 contract. With the Lightning needing more depth at right wing, this move makes sense.
Atkinson, 35, is coming off a down year with the Philadelphia Flyers, posting 13 goals, 28 points, and a minus-22 rating in 70 games. Due to his struggles, he was bought out by the Flyers earlier this summer, but now he has a golden opportunity in front of him with the Lightning.
There is clear reason to believe that Atkinson can bounce back next season with the Lightning. Keep in mind, the Riverside, Connecticut native has been an impactful forward for much of his career. Furthermore, just back in 2021-22 with the Flyers, he had 23 goals and 50 points in 73 games.
When looking at the Lightning’s roster, Atkinson has a real shot of playing on their second line, as their right-wing depth is currently not the strongest. In addition, due to his offensive skill, he should get reps on their power play.
Atkinson will also have far better more offensive weapons to work with on the Lightning, as they simply have a deeper team than the rebuilding Flyers. Thus, the possibility of Atkinson getting his production back up in Tampa Bay is certainly there. Let’s see how this low-risk move impacts the Lightning from here.
