Shane Willis re-signs with Lightning

[nccanes]

The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed restricted free agent right wings Sheldon Keefe and Shane Willis, it was announced by Executive Vice President & General Manager Jay Feaster. In accordance with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

....

Willis, 26, a 6-foot-1, 192-pound native of Edmonton, recorded 16 goals and 32 points in 55 games with the Falcons last season. Acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 5, 2002, Willis was originally drafted by the Lightning in the third round (56th overall) at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but returned to the draft in 1997 and was chosen by Carolina in the fourth round (88th overall).

“Shane Willis is a very talented hockey player with a great deal of offensive upside,” Feaster added. “He skates well, has good offensive hockey sense and possesses a booming shot that he is not afraid to unleash from anywhere on the ice. I don’t think he fully prepared himself last summer for the intense competition he faced in training camp, and it obviously cost him an opportunity in Tampa. I don’t think he’ll make that same mistake coming into this camp, and we expect Shane to challenge for a spot on one of our top two lines.” (Me: Wow.)

Known for his speed and heavy shot, Willis was a talented scorer in the Western Hockey League from 1994-95 through 1997-98, recording 179 goals and 331 points in 273 games with Prince Albert and Lethbridge. He recorded 31 goals and 81 points in his first professional season in 1998-99 with New Haven of the American Hockey League, and was named a First-Team AHL All- Star as well as AHL Rookie of the Year. He also appeared in the AHL All-Star Classic and won the hardest shot competition (95 mph.)

Moving to Cincinnati of the International Hockey League for 1999-00, Willis recorded 35 goals and 60 points in 80 games and was chosen for the IHL All-Star Game, once again claiming the hardest shot (95.9 mph.). In his NHL career, Willis has recorded 31 goals and 37 assists in 162 games with the Lightning and the Hurricanes.

Source: tampabaylightning.com

[Stormbringer]

I'm very happy for Shane right now, and hope he does get on one of the first two lines like they're predicting. After all he's been through, it will be great to see him back on NHL ice. :spin:

Thanks for posting this, Eileen. :)

[Shell]

Definitely good to hear! I hope he does great! (not too great though ;))

[Turbulence]

I hope he gets a chance in Tampa this year...

...and then I hope he signs back with us. Good luck, Shane.

[MoBigRed]

Excellent news! If he can return to pre-concussion form, he should be a key player for the Bolts. I wish him the best of luck. Except, of course, when the Bolts go up against the Canes...

[nccanes]

I hope Shane put some money away last season or has been training his *ss off.

Keefe, Willis take pay cut, re-sign with Lightning
By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 31, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA - Right wings Sheldon Keefe and Shane Willis tried to ensure their price was right for an NHL team, be that team the Lightning or another.

Keefe, 22, who appeared in 37 games with Tampa Bay last season, and Willis, 26, who spent 55 games at AHL Springfield, signed one-year, two-way contracts Wednesday. Both restricted free agents took sizable pay cuts, which could make them more marketable in trade or for teams wishing to claim them off waivers. Both would have to clear waivers to be assigned to the minor leagues.

"They have to look at our team and see who they're competing against," general manager Jay Feaster said. "If there is a dramatic difference in the salary they are making, sometimes the player has to be that much better.

"You don't want to be in a position where salary is an issue."

Keefe signed a $700,000 NHL deal - with $200,000 more available in performance bonuses - and a $100,000 minor-league contract. He is guaranteed $175,000. Keefe took a $275,000 pay cut from his entry-level NHL deal.

"I do have something to prove," Keefe said. "The way the team finished last year and me not being a part of it ... I feel I have to start to become the player I know I can be."

Willis signed a $525,000 NHL contract, $65,000 for the minors and is guaranteed $125,000. He played under a one-way, $616,000 contract last season that was no bargain considering his time spent in Springfield.

Keefe's ability to play on lower lines could enhance his chances over Willis, whose style dictates he play on the first or second group. The pay cut helps more, agent David Frost said. Agent Jim Nice said Willis "is prepared to make the team," but accepted the pay cut to "protect his downside."

Keefe, a second-round pick in the 1999 entry draft, had two goals, five assists and 24 penalty minutes last season, but struggled with his skating and did not establish himself as a full-time player. Acquired in a March 2002 trade that sent goalie Kevin Weekes to Carolina, Willis had a poor training camp last summer and was relegated to Springfield.

[crazy4canes]

Very good news. I always liked Shane. :spin:

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Top two lines? Wow!! Hope he does just that! :spin:

[nccanes]

A couple of comments about Shane's camp so far:

Shane looked good up in informal practices for a few weeks until there was enough players in Brandon to play 5 on 5. Around the same time the practices also got more physical, it was then that Shane basically disappeared.

He's spent most of his time during scrimmages playing on lines alongside players who aren't known for their offensive capabilities (and that's probably for a reason), and he's been pretty much invisible. No way he makes the team.


:sad:

[Jeff O Rocks]

DAMN Scott Stevens! :mad:

[Shell]

Ex-'Cane leads good outings
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
Published September 26, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RALEIGH, N.C. - A nice homecoming for Shane Willis helped the Lightning to a successful, though stressful, evening.

Tampa Bay's right wing, a rookie of the year candidate for Carolina in 2000-01, scored his first preseason goal in a 4-2 victory Thursday at the RBC Center.

Willis, who spent last season in the minors and is fighting for a roster spot, has a goal and two assists in two games.

"It's always nice to go back in the building you played in and get one," he said. "I'm going to take it one day at a time. My whole focus was on this game."

Defenseman Cory Sarich scored a power-play goal in the second period, and Nikita Alexeev scored in the third to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-0.

Nikolai Khabibulin made 32 saves for the Lightning (3-1), which has won three in a row, including two against the Hurricanes (1-4). Still, things got hairy when Carolina's Eric Staal scored with 7:20 and 4:32 left. Sheldon Keefe's unassisted empty-net goal with 30.2 seconds left sealed it.

Willis' goal came on a crisp wrist shot off a pass from Cory Stillman 11:53 into the game.

"He showed some of his spark and that desire he's shown in the past," said associate coach Craig Ramsay, who led the team while John Tortorella observed from the press box.

There were other players on the bubble looking to impress.

Center Eric Perrin got his third assist on Alexeev's goal. Center Martin Cibak was good defensively. Center Alexander Svitov did well short-handed as did unlikely penalty-killer Dmitry Afanasenkov, who also had an assist.

"Everybody was given an opportunity," Ramsey said. "It was a tough game, and they did the job."

NEW BATTLEGROUND: Much attention has been on the competition at right wing, but don't forget the blue line. Tortorella said the sixth and final starting spot is "wide open," as is the seventh spot.

It appears Jassen Cullimore, Cory Sarich, Pavel Kubina, Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich are set. The final spots are between Janne Laukkanen, Nolan Pratt, Darren Rumble and Pascal Trepanier.

It was believed Laukkanen had the inside track for the sixth spot coming into camp, but he did not play well in his first preseason game. He had an assist and was plus-2 against the Hurricanes.

CHEMISTRY CLASS: An arthroscopic procedure helped heal Laukkanen's arthritic left hip, but doses of Glucosamine got the process started. He said he began taking three pills daily in February (two in the morning) and saw results by the end of March.

"It's like a vitamin," he said.

Glucosamine occurs naturally in the body and helps build and strengthen cartilage, which makes it perfect to treat arthritis. Laukkanen said the supplement was recommended by trainers in the Rangers organization, for which he played last season.

"No pain, no stiffness," Laukkanen said.

RADIO DEAL: The Lightning announced 53 games will be aired on WDCF-AM 1350 in Dade City. Forty games will be aired on WHOO-AM 1080 in Orlando and WIXC-AM 1060 in Melbourne.

AUTOGRAPHS GALORE: Right wing Martin St. Louis will be at the Sunoco gas station at the corner of MacDill and Azeele in Tampa. Boyle will be at the Sunoco at the corner of Howard and Morris, and left wing Andre Roy will be at the Sunoco at 6211 N Dale Mabry Highway. Center Vinny Lecavalier will be at the Kane's furniture store at 1508 W Brandon Blvd. Each appearance is from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Lukowich, St. Louis and goalie John Grahame will be at Expo Hall at the State Fair Grounds alternately from 2-5 p.m.

ODDS AND ENDS: Three cuts will be made today. ... Rumble missed a second day of practice because of back spasms, and goalie Brian Eklund sat with a collarbone contusion. ... The Lightning will scrimmage Oct. 7 at the St. Petes Times Forum for holders of season tickets and half-season plans. ... The team is off today. Practices resume at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Times Forum but are not open to the public.

[nccanes]

Willis was assigned to Hershey yesterday.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Willis was assigned to Hershey yesterday.

The Hershey Bears? What did I miss? They are Colorado's farm team, unless something changed recently. Is TB loaning him?

[nccanes]

I think the Lightning are sharing the Bears and whatever team is in Hamilton. They've been assigning players to both places, so I suspect that have precious few slots at each. They used to split Springfield with someone but that deal is over.

This is all off the top of my head, so no guarantee it's correct, lol.

[puckin_A]

ugh...poor Shane....I was hoping he would make the team this year.

[Captain Slack]

One more time!!!

Lightning re-sign Shane Willis

TSN.ca Staff

8/20/2004

TAMPA BAY The Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed restricted free agent right wing Shane Willis to a one-year contract, GM Jay Feaster announced Friday.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Willis, 27, appeared in 12 games with the Lightning in 2003-04, recording six assists. He spent the majority of the season with Hershey of the American Hockey League, where he was third in team scoring with 27 goals and 48 points in 55 games.

Shane Willis is a player who continues to knock on the door in terms of making it back to the NHL as an every-day player," Feaster said. He had an outstanding season in the AHL last year, and he has been working diligently this summer to put himself in a position to make our team out of training camp. To the extent he is not able to crack our line-up at the start of the season, he will be one of our veteran leaders in Springfield and will provide the organization with outstanding depth on the wing."

Willis, a 6'1", 192-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta, was Acquired by the Lightning in a March 5, 2002 trade with Carolina. Willis was originally drafted by the Lightning in the third round at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but returned to the draft in 1997 and was chosen by Carolina in the fourth round.

[Captain Slack]

One more time!!!

Lightning re-sign Shane Willis

TSN.ca Staff

8/20/2004

TAMPA BAY The Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed restricted free agent right wing Shane Willis to a one-year contract, GM Jay Feaster announced Friday.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Willis, 27, appeared in 12 games with the Lightning in 2003-04, recording six assists. He spent the majority of the season with Hershey of the American Hockey League, where he was third in team scoring with 27 goals and 48 points in 55 games.

Shane Willis is a player who continues to knock on the door in terms of making it back to the NHL as an every-day player," Feaster said. He had an outstanding season in the AHL last year, and he has been working diligently this summer to put himself in a position to make our team out of training camp. To the extent he is not able to crack our line-up at the start of the season, he will be one of our veteran leaders in Springfield and will provide the organization with outstanding depth on the wing."

Willis, a 6'1", 192-pound native of Edmonton, Alberta, was Acquired by the Lightning in a March 5, 2002 trade with Carolina. Willis was originally drafted by the Lightning in the third round at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but returned to the draft in 1997 and was chosen by Carolina in the fourth round.