He played 32 games for the Lightning in 1998-99 and mustered just six goals and six assists.
It was a quick fall for the No. 1 pick of the 1993 draft, whose work ethic was so bad in stints with Ottawa, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, no one wanted him this season when the Wild made him available in the waiver draft.
Turned out to be a good non-move. Daigle, who signed for $500,000, has 20 goals and 50 points, the most since he had 26 and 51 for Ottawa in 1996-97.
He is Minnesota's nominee for the Masterton Award given for dedication to hockey.
"He's been working as hard as a player can work," Wild coach Jacques Lemaire told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "He plays very solid defensively and he's getting some points."
Daigle, who will get $800,000 next season if Minnesota picks up his option, said he has matured.
"My frame of mind was wrong," Daigle said of his first season with the Senators. "There was a lot of pressure I wasn't ready for. I was too young to understand that."
2,500 games well done
Linesman Ray Scapinello called his 2,500th and final regular-season game Friday night in Buffalo, where his hometown Sabres faced the Maple Leafs.
"I will treat it as I did from No. 1 to No. 2,499 to be perfectly honest," Scapinello said. "I will do my job. It's an important game for both teams. It is crucial for those guys and crucial for me."
Scapinello also worked 406 Stanley Cup playoff games in his 33-year career, 19 Cup finals, three All-Star Games and the 1998 Olympics in Japan. His most memorable moment?
"I will say Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in 1994 between the Rangers and Canucks," he said. "There aren't a lot of seventh games in the finals. It was a real honor to be chosen."
Five Questions
With Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, whose 2,443 saves are an NHL record:
Q: Do you have a bonus in your contract for saves?
A: No, I don't actually.
Q: Will you push for that in your next contract?
A: I don't know. I'm going to have to start thinking about it.
Q: What's causing all those shots?
A: I really don't know what it is to be honest, if it's a matter of confidence or something. As long as scoring chances are limited, it doesn't really matter about the number of shots.
Q: How frustrated are you by all those shots?
A: The only thing that's really disappointed me is the fact that we're not going to be part of the playoffs. I couldn't care less about how many shots I face. The main thing is winning.
Q: Is it good in any way to see so many shots?
A: Well, I enjoy it more than 20 shots. It keeps me in the game and keeps me sharp. Sometimes when you don't have that many shots, you don't stay in the game and stay ready, and there's a breakdown.
Around the league
The Sharks were 0-3-3-1 in their first seven home games, but are 23-4-4-1 at HP Pavilion since Nov. 13. ... As if the Red Wings do not have enough going for them, Kris Draper (shoulder) and Robert Lang (cracked rib) are back. ... Remember Brian Boucher's five consecutive shutouts? He is 0-9-3 since Feb. 14 for the Coyotes with 49 goals allowed. ... Detroit took just 12 shots in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Blues, the fewest shots by a winning team this season.
Quotable
"I had chills down my spine. For the fans who stuck with us for years, I'm so happy we could do it at home with a win." - Flames defenseman Denis Gauthier after Calgary clinched a playoff spot for the first time in eight years.
