Perrin goes, Perrin Stays

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.