The Tampa Bay Lightning signed free agent defenseman Matt Carle to a six-year contract. Whispers of the agreement started floating around Twitter earlier in the evening on Wednesday, and the team confirmed the news at about 9:45 p.m. Eastern.
The Lightning have signed defenseman Matt Carle to a six-year contract tonight, Steve Yzerman has announced.
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 5, 2012
Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that the six-year deal was worth $33 million.
After missing out on free agent Ryan Suter, who was signed by the Wild, the Flyers were believed to be interested in re-signing Carle, who spent the last three and a half years of his career in Philadelphia.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Flyers were said to be nearing a deal with yeoman blueliner Bruno Gervais, who played for the Lightning last season. Reports of that deal had said not to rule out an attempt at Carle too, but that proved to be wrong.
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