Chris Kunitz, who has been part of four Stanley Cup-winning teams, will join the Tampa Bay Lightning on a one-year deal worth $2 million, general manager Steve Yzerman announced Saturday.
The 37-year-old Kuntiz certainly has a Stanley Cup pedigree. He won it all with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
The Penguins' alternate captain had a down regular season, scoring only nine goals to go with 20 assists. But he came up big when it counted in the playoffs. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Ottawa, he scored two goals, including the game winner in double overtime.
An All-Star in 2012-13, Kunitz typically skated on the Pens' top lines with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
"He's one of our leaders in this room for a reason," young Penguins forward Conor Sheary said after the conference finals. "He's been here before, and he's a great player. Just because he's a little bit older doesn't mean he can't play anymore, and I think some people think that. He's an awesome player and a great teammate. To see him play that way was awesome."
Kunitz has 250 goals and 580 points with a plus-183 rating in 884 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Anaheim Ducks. He has 27 career postseason goals.
His cap hit was $3.85 million last season.
The Lighting also signed winger Alex Gallant to a one-year, two-way contract. He has played in 56 career AHL games, all with San Jose the previous two seasons, registering a goal and three points.