The Tampa Bay Lightning, parent club of the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals, have signed Chris Durno to a one-year, two-way contract, Lightning vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced on Sunday.
Durno, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound left wing from Scarborough, Ont, played in 41 games with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche last season, recording four goals and eight points with a plus-3 rating. He set NHL career highs for games played, goals, assists, points and shots on goal. Durno also appeared in one Stanley Cup Playoff game with the Avalanche.
Durno has played in 293 career American Hockey League games with the Norfolk Admirals, Milwaukee Admirals, Portland Pirates, San Antonio Rampage and Lake Erie Monsters. He has amassed 89 goals and 175 points. He scored 20 goals or more on two occasions (2005-06, 2007-08). Durno played in 17 games with Lake Erie last season, notching 10 goals and 18 points. In 2008-09, Durno served as captain with the Monsters and led the team in goals (18) and penalty minutes (131) while ranking second in points (45) and assists (27).
Durno has totaled 43 games in the NHL, all with Colorado, amassing four goals and four assists.
An undrafted free agent, Durno was originally signed by the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 25, 2006. He began the 2006-07 season in Norfolk, recording four goals and five points in 22 games with the Admirals. He was then traded to Anaheim by the Blackhawks with Sebastien Caron and Matt Keith in exchange for Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau and Bruno St. Jacques on Dec. 28, 2006.
Durno was sent to Nashville by Anaheim in exchange for Shane Endicott on Jan. 26, 2007, and was signed by Colorado on July 3, 2008.
