Lightning waive Andreychuk

The move could signal the end of a stellar career for the 42-year-old left wing.

By TOM JONES
Published January 10, 2006

	[Times photo: Dan McDuffie]
	Dave Andreychuk lifts the Stanley Cup after the Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames. Photo gallery Previous coverge

TAMPA - The Lightning waived captain Dave Andreychuk on Tuesday, possibly ending his 23-year NHL career.

Andreychuk, 42, joined the Lightning in 2001 and has spent the past 3-1/2 seasons in Tampa Bay, where he won his long-awaited first Stanley Cup in 2004.

He is expected to clear waivers and then be assigned to the Lightning's minor-league affiliate in Springfield. However, the Lightning is not expected to make Andreychuk report to the minors. He will continue getting paid by the Lightning and the team likely will give him permission to negotiate with other teams if he wants to continue his career.

Andreychuk has played for six teams and is a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. He has played 1,639 games and recently moved into fourth place on the all-time games-played list. His 640 goals put him 11th on the NHL list and second among left wings. His 222 power-play goals are the most in NHL history.

Andreychuk, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, was the 16th overall pick in the 1982 draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He also played for Toronto, New Jersey, Colorado, Boston and Buffalo again before the Lightning signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2001.

He scored 20 goals in each of his first three seasons, giving him 18 20-goal seasons, the third-most in NHL history. This season, however, he has struggled. After sitting out a season like the rest of the NHL because of the lockout, Andreychuk signed a two-year, $1.6-million deal. But has recorded six goals and 12 assists in 42 games this season. He was a healthy scratch for the only time in his Lightning career on Nov. 8 at Montreal.

[Last modified January 10, 2006, 12:32:01]