Lightning, Daigle Make A Deal

Four days after being traded twice, forward Alexander Daigle has signed a one-year contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Financial terms were not disclosed and Daigle's agent was unavailable for comment.

Daigle, 23, who is collecting $1.9 million this season, sacrificed restricted free agency to ink the pact. His contract demands apparently held up a trade until Friday.

"We're extremely pleased to finish the deal so we can have Alex in our lineup for another season," assistant general manager Jay Feaster said. "He's a talented young player who we feel will play a major part in what we plan to accomplish here in the future."

Daigle, the top overall pick in the 1993 NHL draft by Ottawa, was given up on by Philadelphia and dealt to Edmonton for left wing Andrei Kovalenko. Tampa Bay acquired him from the Oilers for right wing Alexander Selivanov.

The 6-foot, 202-pound Daigle, a center/right wing, has only three goals and two assists in 32 games and had been sent home by the Flyers last week after being told by general manager Bob Clarke that he was no longer part of the team.

But Lightning general manager-coach Jacques Demers appreciated Daigle's "speed and overall skill level," acquiring a player who had nine goals and 17 assists in 37 games for the Flyers last season.

Daisle has 86 goals and 117 assists in 370 NHL games, recording a career-high 51 points in 1993-94 and again in 1996-97 with Ottawa. For Victoriaville of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Daigle scored 94 goals and racked up 281 points in only 2½ seasons. He helped Canada win World Junior Championships in 1993 and 1995.

Friday's acquisition gave the Lightning two of the top three picks in the 1993 draft, including center Chris Gratton, who was drafted by Tampa Bay and re-acquired this season from Philadelphia.

Daigle was acquired from the Senators on Jan. 17, 1998, for forwards Pat Falloon and Vaclav Prospal and a 1998 second-round pick.

© 1999 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved