TAMPA - The Lightning likes forward Ben Clymer. But not enough to pay him nearly $900,000.
So, in its first difficult decision of the summer, the Lightning decided to let Clymer, a veteran of 295 games with Tampa Bay, become an unrestricted free agent by not making him a qualifying offer.
Offers had to be submitted before Wednesday for the Lightning to retain negotiating rights to its restricted free agents, but general manager Jay Feaster sent out his qualifying offers Monday.
Clymer was the biggest name on the list of players not qualified, but not the only name. Defenseman Stan Neckar, who spent parts of the past three seasons with the Lightning, also was not qualified along with enigmatic forward Sheldon Keefe and minor-leaguers Evgeny Konstantinov, Dwayne Hay, Pascal Trepanier and Jeremy Van Hoof.
To qualify Clymer, the Lightning would have had to offer him a 10 percent raise, bringing his salary to $869,000.
"At that number, it just doesn't make sense," Feaster said. "But we told Benny that this doesn't mean we don't like him as a player or a teammate or a member of this organization."
Feaster said he would consider re-signing Clymer, just like the team did with defenseman Nolan Pratt last summer after Pratt wasn't qualified. Likely, though, Clymer leaves the Lightning for good after parts of four seasons when he scored 29 goals. He played five games in the postseason.
League MVP Martin St. Louis leads the list of those given qualifying offers. Also qualified were key players Pratt, Dmitry Afanasenkov, Martin Cibak, Chris Dingman, Ruslan Fedotenko, Pavel Kubina, Fredrik Modin, Cory Sarich, and Cory Stillman. Also given qualifying offers were Nikita Alexeev, Brian Eklund, Timo Helbling, Jimmie Olvestad, Eero Somervuori and Shane Willis.
Feaster said he hopes to begin negotiations later in the summer with core players St. Louis, Fedotenko, Kubina, Sarich, Modin and Stillman on long-term deals.
Meantime, Feaster did make an offer to defenseman Jassen Cullimore, who can become unrestricted Thursday.
"I feel good about the offer," Feaster said, "and hopefully we can get something done."
Cullimore's agent, Rolly Thompson, said, "We're talking. We have a couple of more days and I think both sides would somehow like to make something happen. We'll have to wait and see."
Defenseman Darren Rumble can be an unrestricted free agent, but likely won't be offered a new deal by the Lightning. As expected, the Lightning picked up the option on forward Eric Perrin.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Anaheim signed center Andy McDonald to a two-year contract. ... Dallas re-signed center Niko Kapanen to a one-year contract.
