Out-of-favor Denis waived

Lightning makes goalie saddled with big expectations, big contract available.

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA, Times Staff Writer
Published December 29, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT If there are no takers for Marc Denis and his hefty contract, he will be assigned to the AHL in Norfolk.

TAMPA - When the Lightning traded for Marc Denis two offseasons ago, it hoped he would be the answer in goal. A 50-foot-tall banner of him once hung outside the St. Pete Times Forum. And when Tampa Bay acquired him from Columbus, it was so confident he would be a fixture that it signed him to a three-year, $8.6-million contract.

But Friday - not even halfway through that deal - the Lightning placed Denis on waivers hours after the holiday roster freeze ended.

If no team claims Denis after 24 hours - it's unlikely he will be claimed by today's noon deadline because the acquiring team would have to absorb the prorated remainder of his $2.8-million salary this season plus all of next year's salary - he will be reassigned to the Lightning's AHL team in Norfolk, where Denis said he will resurrect his NHL career.

If Denis, 30, clears waivers, the Lightning can place him on re-entry waivers, at which time an acquiring team would be responsible for just half of the remaining salary of his contract.

"Looking back right now doesn't do me any good," Denis said Friday via cell phone. "I have to look at this as a new beginning."

Denis, who lost his starting job last season to Johan Holmqvist, played just 10 games - starting only four - this season, going 1-5 with a 4.05 goals-against average and an .859 save percentage.

Despite the poor numbers, Denis believed he had turned a corner in his last start, a 3-2 shootout win in Montreal on Dec. 11. But he never received another start. And the Lightning has lost six of seven since.

Denis appeared to be the odd man out once Tampa Bay recalled 21-year-old Karri Ramo last week and anointed him the starter. Denis was a healthy scratch in the four games since.

Denis said he will play in the NHL again. "That game in Montreal proved to myself that I'm still an NHL goalie and that I can play against the best competition," he said. "Right now, that might be my last NHL start, but if the road to my next NHL start goes through Norfolk, then so be it."

General manager Jay Feaster was not available to the media, but coach John Tortorella applauded Denis' professionalism during a difficult tenure in which he was 18-23 with a .884 save percentage in 54 games (43 starts).

"He's not happy with me," Tortorella said. "He's not happy with a number of different things. But he's never brought that to the workplace and let that affect other people. "

Center Vinny Lecavalier said: "He's been a great team guy. Even though he's had a tough time not playing, his attitude was great. He was working hard in practice; that's what makes him who he is."

[Last modified December 28, 2007, 23:13:16]