Niittymaki to back up Smith in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent goalie Antero Niittymaki to be the backup to starter Mike Smith.
The one-year contract is worth $600,000, a source told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.
Lightning general manager Brian Lawton said Friday's signing accomplished an offseason priority of adding an experienced backup goalie.
Niittymaki has played in 161 career NHL games, all with the Philadelphia Flyers, and has a 62-61-23 record. He appeared in 32 games with Philadelphia during the 2008-09 season, going 15-8-6.
Smith missed the final two months of last season due to post concussion syndrome. The Lightning have said Smith will be ready for the start of training camp in September.
Pierre LeBrun covers the NHL for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
