Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman crossed out a massive task on his offseason to-do list Monday, signing centerman Tyler Johnson to a seven-year contract extension worth $35 million.

Despite a disappointing 2016-17 season that saw the club miss the playoffs, one of the main factors behind why Johnson, 26, wanted long-term security in Tampa Bay was because he believes the Lightning can contend again soon.

"We've been close," Johnson told Roger Mooney of The Tampa Bay Times on Monday. "I think we have a group that's able to do that, and that's one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to stay here, because I really feel this is the best opportunity to win a Cup."

The Lightning lost in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, then took the Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games in the Eastern Conference Final a year later. The team's failure to build upon that success last season was largely due to injuries up and down the roster, including Johnson, who was limited to 66 games.

Despite his injury plagued campaign, Johnson managed to put up 45 points in 2016-17.

Since becoming a regular in the Lightning lineup in 2013-14, Johnson has averaged 0.69 points per game, a clip that increases to 0.89 in 47 career playoff contests.

By reaching a new deal the former restricted free agent avoided arbitration, which was scheduled for July 20.

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It's rare that an assistant coach boasts more experience and wins than the actual bench boss.

That's now the case in New York, where Lindy Ruff has joined Alain Vigneault's staff to help with the Rangers defense.

Despite trailing his new assistant in games coached (1,493-1,134) and regular-season wins (736-614), Vigneault isn't worried about Ruff standing in as his potential replacement.

"Now that we have Lindy on board, I know what some fans and people in the media will say if we get off to a rough start or hit some bumps in the road," Vigneault told Larry Brooks of the New York Post on Monday. "They’ll be saying that Lindy should replace A.V. and that’s the reason he was hired.

"You know what? That kind of talk doesn’t bother me at all. I’ve never taken things like that personally. I’m in this to win," he said. "I want us to have the best coaching staff we can. For me to be able to bring in a coach like Lindy to take care of the defense makes us a stronger staff and gives our team a better chance to win. It’s great for us."

Ruff is coming off a four-year run as head coach of the Dallas Stars, preceded by a 15-season stint with Buffalo during which he led the Sabres to the Stanley Cup Final in 1999 and won the Jack Adams Award in 2006.

"Lindy brings so much to the staff in terms of experience and knowledge and the way he sees the game," Vigneault added. "And he has experience running the defense on the bench from his days as an assistant in Florida and with the (2014) Canadian Olympic Team."

Ruff's Stars had the fourth-highest goals against total among all teams over the past four seasons, but having Henrik Lundqvist as the last line of defense should help his cause in New York.

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Viktor Stalberg is heading to Europe.

The forward signed a two-year contract Monday to play for EV Zug of Switzerland's National League.

The 31-year-old winger split last season between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators, and was acquired by the latter in order to shore up forward depth for a playoff run that lasted until Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Stalberg signed a four-year, $12-million deal with the Nashville Predators in 2013, but was bought out two years later. He spent a season with the New York Rangers before joining the Hurricanes.

Drafted 161st overall in 2006 by Toronto, Stalberg registered 82 goals and 86 assists in 488 NHL appearances, and won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.

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The man who wrote one of hockey's most recognizable and most beloved team anthems has died at the age of 94.

Jacques Ysaye, who composed "Brass Bonanza," a song that became synonymous with the Hartford Whalers, died last week in Belgium, according to his Facebook page.

Ysaye, who was also known under the pseudonym Jack Say, wrote the tune in the mid-1970s, and it was Whalers' theme song from 1977 until Brian Burke discontinued its use upon taking over as the club's general manager in 1992.

When Burke left to take a job with the NHL several years later, the team re-adopted the song and kept it until moving to North Carolina to become the Hurricanes in 1997.

"His motto was no more Mr. Nice Guy," former Whalers assistant GM Pierre McGuire told NHL.com's Evan Weiner in 2008 when asked about Burke's decision. "He thought the Brass Bonanza was too nice, so he got rid of it. For a lot of players, coaches, and fans, it was (the Whalers' signature song). Brian wanted to do it his own way. Eventually, after Brian left and went to the league, the song came back."

It was playing as the Whalers skated off the ice for the final time on April 13, 1997, and is still frequently played at other sports venues to this day.

Several NHL organists, including Kyle Hankins of the Nashville Predators and Dieter Ruehle of the Los Angeles Kings, play it during games, and it's previously been used by the AHL's Connecticut Whale and the University of Connecticut.

Ysaye titled the song, "Evening Beat" when he originally composed it.

For the full story of how it became the Whalers' anthem, read this 2010 piece by the Hartford Courant's Jeff Jacobs.

- With h/t to Yahoo Sports

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Tyler Johnson to a seven-year extension worth $35 million, the team announced Monday.

Johnson appeared in 66 games with the Lightning last season, tallying 19 goals and 26 assists. He was a restricted free agent who was scheduled for arbitration later this offseason.

During the 2014-15 postseason, Johnson led the Lightning with 23 points as Tampa Bay advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Johnson joined the Lightning in 2011 as an undrafted free agent. He has since appeared in 308 games and has recorded 89 goals and 122 assists.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Tyler Johnson to a seven-year extension worth $35 million, the team announced Monday.

Johnson appeared in 66 games with the Lightning last season, tallying 19 goals and 26 assists. He was a restricted free agent who was scheduled for arbitration later this offseason.

During the 2014-15 postseason, Johnson led the Lightning with 23 points as Tampa Bay advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Johnson joined the Lightning in 2011 as an undrafted free agent. He has since appeared in 308 games and has recorded 89 goals and 122 assists.

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As a great man once said, "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."

The ECHL's Florida Everblades took a shot Monday and made a pitch to Jaromir Jagr in hopes he'll join their roster next season.

The club is offering a 2017-18 roster spot to Jagr, who claimed he wasn't getting any calls from NHL teams during the free-agent wooing period late last month.

Here are some of the selling points the team included in its press release:

(Courtesy: Florida Everblades)

Jagr spent parts of the last three seasons with the Florida Panthers, but the living legend is still without a contract for the upcoming campaign.

Everblades spokesman Alex Reed says the club would be willing to keep things simple for the 45-year-old forward.

"We are definitely open to a 'Weekend Warrior' contract for Jaromir," Reed said. "He could make the easy 90-minute drive across Alligator Alley and just play in our Friday and Saturday home games. Heck, we will even send an intern to personally pick him up and drive him over if necessary."

The league's third all-time goal-scorer and second all-time point producer will surely get at least one NHL offer before the fall, but if you're an ECHL team with local ties to the former superstar, it never hurts to shoot your shot.

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Drew Stafford wouldn't mind continuing his career with the Minnesota Wild.

An unrestricted free agent, the veteran forward's camp has been in contact with the Wild, Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports.

Stafford, 31, split last season between the Winnipeg Jets and Boston Bruins, where he was dealt at the NHL trade deadline. He finished the season with 21 points in 58 games.

Stafford made his NHL debut in 2006-07 with the Buffalo Sabres. A move to Minnesota would reunite him with some of his former Sabres teammates, including Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, who were traded to the Wild last month.

In 725 career games, Stafford has recorded 183 goals and 217 assists.

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