Lightning signs wings Fedotenko and Dwyer

The Lightning tapped into place the last significant piece of its offseason puzzle Thursday when left wing Ruslan Fedotenko signed a two-year, $1.6-million contract.

Tampa Bay, which also signed wing Gordie Dwyer to a one-year deal, will not have any major holdouts for the start of what is expected to be a competitive training camp in September.

"We now have everybody signed, and everybody will be in camp," general manager Jay Feaster said. "That's the critical thing."

Last year center Vinny Lecavalier missed training camp because of a contract dispute. Though he signed on the eve of the season opener, Lecavalier missed the first two games and struggled most of the season.

This year Feaster got tough, saying he would not negotiate with unsigned players after training camp starts Sept. 12.

"The reality is, the guys never recover from missing camp," Feaster said.

It was especially important for Feaster to sign Fedotenko, for whom he traded the fourth overall pick to the Flyers on the eve of the 2002 draft.

The contract pays $715,000 this season, $950,000 next, with bonuses based on point production and team performance.

"I am really looking forward to playing," said Fedotenko, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound native of Kiev, Ukraine. "I think we have a great young team and great potential."

Fedotenko, 23, has speed and is an impressive two-way player. With the Flyers last season he was stuck on the third line behind Justin Williams and Mark Recci and averaged 13 minutes, 56 seconds of ice time. He had 17 goals and nine assists but was plus-15.

Fedotenko should get more ice time with the Lightning, for whom he is expected to play on a line with Lecavalier and right wing Shane Willis and contribute to the power-play and penalty-kill units.

"We expect Fedotenko to come in and earn a spot on one of our top two lines," Feaster said. "He is a gifted goal scorer and a solid defensive forward that has a gritty edge to his game."

With his attention to defense Fedotenko should fit well into coach John Tortorella's system.

"In my memory of Tampa last year, they played tight defense, and that's really important," Fedotenko said. "I like to play both ends of the ice, so I think I will fit in pretty easily."

Dwyer, 24, appeared in 26 games with the Lightning last season, recording two assists and 60 penalty minutes before a shoulder injury required season-ending surgery. Feaster likes the 6-3, 215-pounder for his physical presence.

Minor-league wing Matt Elich is the only unsigned free agent.

BLACKHAWKS: Free-agent winger Theo Fleury signed a two-year deal worth $8.5-million. He averaged 67 points while battling substance abuse and personal problems in three tumultuous seasons with the Rangers. The Rangers declined to pick up his $7-million option for this season. He had 24 goals, 39 assists and a team-high-tying 214 penalty minutes in 82 games last season. Fleury also had several on-ice meltdowns last season, and he said he was under stress because of personal issues unrelated to his substance-abuse struggles. Fleury missed the final 20 games of the previous season for rehab. "We've gone through this process with Theo with our eyes open and we know what his personal situation is. We believe Theo can help our team, and we can help Theo," general manager Mike Smith said.

BLUE JACKETS: Free-agent center Andrew Cassels signed a three-year contract. The 33-year-old spent the past three seasons with Vancouver. He had 11 goals and 39 assists in 53 games last season. He will earn a base salary of $2.6-million this season.

KINGS: Forward Jaroslav Bednar agreed to terms for a one-year contract.

PANTHERS: Defenseman Brad Ference and right wing Joey Tetarenko re-signed. Ference, who set career highs last season with two goals, 15 assists and 254 penalty minutes, signed a multiyear deal. Tetarenko signed a one-year deal after scoring one goal in a career-high 38 games last season.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.