Every summer, on Canada Day, the National Hockey League enters the period of time affectionately known as Free Agent Frenzy. This past summer was no different with a lot of fervor and fury surrounding a couple of elite players: Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, who both who ended up with the Minnesota Wild – sorry, HockeyyInsiderr. Despite “missing out” on the two big guns, the Tampa Bay Lightning were incredibly active during the free agent period.

After reportedly failing to lure Ryan Suter to Tampa, Steve Yzerman moved on to Plan B. While teams like the Red Wings and Flyers focused all their energy on Ryan Suter, the Bolts directed their attention towards Matt Carle. Deemed the second best defenseman available on the market by many, Carle brings some immediate, much needed help to the Lightning blue line.

Realistically, Matt Carle is going to come in and be a solid yet unspectacular presence in the mold of Eric Brewer. He won’t post massive offensive numbers, but he won’t be caught making mistakes on a regular basis. Simply put, he is a safe player to have on the roster.

Many Lightning fans remember Carle’s short-lived (and almost forgotten stint) with the Lightning earlier in his career. So, what’s different now? Well, at that point in time, Carle was still a very fresh face in the league. Now, with a plethora of solid, appreciated seasons in Philadelphia, Carle has established himself as a reliable option to send out in all situations of the game; he has become a student of the game and the knowledge he’s gained thus far in his career will prove to be invaluable. If there’s one thing that Lightning fans know about Guy Boucher, it’s that he likes to utilize this sort of player.

Ultimately, what Carle does is solidify a top-six defense core that can go toe-to-toe with many in the league. It’s not going to be a flashy group of guys, but it’s also not going to be a group full of liabilities like it was last season with MA Bergeron and Brett Clark manning points. This group, with Salo, Brewer, Hedman and Carle in the top-four, will have a workman-like approach to the game night in and night out.

When you combine the puck-moving abilities of Carle and Hedman with the defensive strength of Sami Salo and Eric Brewer, the Lightning are looking really good on the back-end. Add to that factor the great forward core the Lightning have and, all of a sudden, goaltending is the only real question mark. Even decent goaltending should land the Bolts in the top-eight of the Eastern Conference.

With six years on his deal, Carle has made a commitment to the young Lightning core, the franchise and the community as a whole. Upon signing, Carle announced his excitement about joining the team and the direction he believes this group is heading. That, from a Lightning fan’s perspective, is great to hear. Players want to play on the Lightning and be a part of what Steve Yzerman, Guy Boucher and Jeff Vinik are building.

While Carle is only one piece of a larger puzzle, he is a key piece that could make a big difference on a relatively young team. With many good years ahead of him, he should be a key contributor for the Lightning right now and in the future. We’re in good hands, Bolts Nation; now we just need the puck to drop.

To all my readers: Happy Thanksgiving and, as always, thanks for reading!

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