TAMPA, Fla. — The Lightning have re-signed forward J.T. Miller to a five-year contract worth $26.25 million.
Miller will count $5.5 million against the salary cap through 2022-23. General manager Steve Yzerman announced the deal with the pending restricted free agent on Tuesday.
Acquired from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, Miller put up 18 points in 19 regular-season games with Tampa Bay and then another eight in 17 playoff games. Miller, 25, has 82 goals and 108 assist in 360 NHL games.
Miller’s contract puts cap-strapped Tampa Bay closer to the $79.5 million ceiling with a new contract still needed for restricted free-agent defenseman Slater Koekkoek and forward Cedric Paquette.
The Lightning are one of a handful of teams slated to meet with New York Islanders superstar John Tavares in Los Angeles to try to convince the pending free agent to join them.