Lightning will not offer extension to Cam Atkinson

The Lightning will not pitch an extension to veteran forward Cam Atkinson, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period says. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent next week.

It’s far from surprising news. The 36-year-old became a free agent last summer after the Flyers bought out the final season of his seven-year, $41.125MM contract. He didn’t land anywhere on July 1 but was a Day 2 signing by the Lightning, agreeing to a one-year, $900K pact to try and rebuild his value following a challenging 2023-24 season.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. Atkinson got a few reps in the top six but wasn’t a good fit, and he quickly fell down the team’s depth chart. He was a frequent healthy scratch in the latter half of the campaign and even went on waivers in March to help the Lightning create some salary cap flexibility. He went unclaimed and never suited up for the team’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse, but he was assigned there on more than one occasion to boost their cap space.

Atkinson’s season ended with just 39 appearances, scoring four goals and nine points while averaging nine points per game. It’s been a tough few years for the diminutive 5’8″ winger, who missed the 2022-23 campaign with Philadelphia following offseason neck surgery. His effectiveness was slashed upon returning for 2023-24, limited to 28 points and a -22 rating in 70 games. He was still a 50-point threat pre-injury, looking good in his first season with the Flyers after acquiring him from the Blue Jackets in a one-for-one swap for Jakub Voráček.

Whether Atkinson, one of the highest-scoring players in Columbus franchise history, returns for a 14th NHL season remains to be seen. His market will be limited to league-minimum offers after his tough showing this year, likely without guaranteeing a roster spot. There might still be a fit regarding a reunion with the Blue Jackets as they round out their roster with veteran depth pieces and look to their young core to lift them back to playoff contention in 2025-26.