Kubina returns to Tampa Bay

Fantasy Impact – The Lightning have signed big defenseman Pavel Kubina to a two-year contract worth $3.85 mllion per year.

The Lightning get: A familiar face back in the fold. Kubina was one half of Tampa Bay's shutdown pairing when they won the Stanley Cup back in 2004 (Darryl Sydor was the other defenseman). Kubina has had 38 or more points in four of the past five seasons, and he is returning to a team looking with elite talent up front and a need for a power play presence on the back end.

Fantasy Players impacted:

Tampa Bay had a hole to fill in its top four after shipping out Andrej Meszaros to Philadelphia yesterday. Mattias Ohlund is a defensive defenseman, and the same goes for Mike Lundin. Victor Hedman is eventually being groomed for the role as number one defenseman, but he isn't ready yet. Rookie Ty Wishart should find his way into the top six, and Paul Ranger should too, provided he is ready to return to hockey. Ranger is a solid two-way defenseman but as of right now, Kubina is the best bet to be Tampa Bay's first power play unit defenseman.

Kubina could see career numbers playing with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Ryan Malone, and Steven Stamkos on Tampa Bay's top unit.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. Kubina

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Matt Lashoff

2. Hedman

3. Ranger