Bolts bring back Taormina

The Tampa Bay Lightning, parent club of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, have signed free agent defenseman Matt Taormina to a one-year, two-way contract.

Taormina played all 76 games with the Worcester Sharks of the American Hockey League last season, notching 11 goals and 27 assists for 38 points, and also participated in the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic. Taormina added one goal in four Calder Cup Playoff contests.

For his career, Taormina has recorded 42 goals and 117 assists for 159 points in 308 career games with Worcester, Springfield, Syracuse, Albany, Lowell and Binghamton.

This is the 28-year-old Taormina’s second stint with the Lightning organization after first signing with Tampa Bay on July 6, 2012. In all, Taormina has played 56 career NHL games with Tampa Bay and New Jersey, recording four goals and eight assists for 12 points.