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By KEVIN KELLY
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 29, 2000
Less than two weeks before the opening of training camp, the Lightning signed Wayne Primeau to a one-year contract Monday.
Primeau's signing leaves just one restricted free agent, defenseman Pavel Kubina, left unsigned.
"We're happy that it's done," Primeau said. "I just got married this summer and we bought a house in Tampa. I'm really happy to get the deal done."
Primeau, the younger brother of Philadelphia forward Keith, was acquired from Buffalo as part of a trade for Chris Gratton last March.
Primeau, who made $522,500 last season, provides Tampa Bay with size (6 feet 3, 225 pounds) but hasn't been known as a scorer.
The 24-year-old had two goals and three assists in 17 games for the Lightning last season. Before being traded, Primeau had five goals in 41 games with Buffalo last season. He has 49 points (21 goals) in 242 career games. He was the Sabres' first-round pick (17th overall) in the 1994 draft.
"Wayne is a big, strong kid who is versatile and is good along the boards," Lightning general manager Rick Dudley said. "He's always been a very good defensive player, and we feel he has a lot more to offer offensively. We will give him the opportunity to do that."
Kubina can sign with the Lightning, work out a deal with another team with the Lightning receiving compensation or hold out when camp opens Sept. 7.
He scored eight goals (a team-high six on the power play) and finished with 26 points in 69 games last season. In 147 career games, Kubina has 18 goals and 32 assists. PENGUINS: Defensemen Trent Cull and Mark Moore signed. Cull had 74 penalty minutes in 28 games with Springfield of the AHL last season. Moore was a seventh-round pick in 1997 out of Harvard.
-- Information from Times wires was used in this report.