It appears the Tampa Bay Lightning have dipped back into the European leagues to augment the depth in their system. There are reports coming out of Finland that the Lightning have agreed to a contract with forward Waltteri Merelä. The 24-year-old has spent most of his professional career with the Pelicans and Tappara in the Finnish Liga (where he played with former Bolt/Crunch defenseman Ben Thomas last season).
In 212 games in the league has 53 goals and 70 assists. He’s been part of a Tappara team that has won the league title two years in a row (so he’ll have something in common with his new teammates). He’s added another 6 goals and 8 assists in 23 career Champions League games.
Merelä was part of Finland’s most recent international team that played in the IIHF Men’s World Championships last month. He appeared in one game and recorded a goal in the team’s 7-1 win over Hungary.
Waltteri Merela has his first of the #IIHFworlds to make it 6-1 Finland. pic.twitter.com/XBfV91ZdSR
— Steven Ellis (@SEllisHockey) May 19, 2023
He had a breakout season in 2021-22, scoring 21 goals and adding 23 assists as a 23-year-old, and looked to be on a similar pace last season, but he missed two months after getting his wrist cut by a skate blade in November. The injury required surgery and limited him to 41 regular season games.
At 6’2″ and 196 pounds he has some size to him. Reports are that he is most comfortable as a right-wing, but can play on the left side as well as in the middle of the ice. With the Lightning possibly losing both Corey Perry and Alex Killorn as wingers, Merelä will likely have a shot at making the team in training camp. Details of the contract haven’t been published yet, but it’s likely that he will be on a two-way deal similar to what Simon Ryfors signed last year.
The Lightning made it official in the afternoon, as they announced the one-year, two-way contract on Twitter:
We’ve signed Finnish free agent forward Waltteri Merelä to a one-year, two-way contract.https://t.co/GFcmvCKr4t
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) June 5, 2023
Lightning / NHL News
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