The Tampa Bay Lightning has signed unrestricted free agent goaltender Antero Niittymaki. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We fully recognized the need to add an experienced backup goaltender this summer and today we feel we've accomplished that goal," said Lightning GM Brian Lawton. "Not only is Antero already an established number two in the NHL who can steal games, but we feel he is very capable of working with Mike Smith to give us a formidable 1-2 punch in goal."
Niittymaki has played in 161 career NHL games, all with the Philadelphia Flyers. He has posted a 62-61-23 record with a .901 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average.
He appeared in 32 games with Philadelphia in 2008-09, posting a 15-8-6 record, a .912 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average with one shutout.
The native of Turku, Finland, was originally drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round, 168th overall, of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
