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Bolts Forward Clears Waivers, Headed To Minors

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 5, 2009

Lightning forward Jussi Jokinen cleared waivers on Thursday and appears to be set for an assignment to the minors.

No official word has come from the team other than confirmation Jokinen passed through the waiver wire without being claimed, but Tampa Bay general manager Brian Lawton on Wednesday indicated Jokinen would be sent to the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Norfolk if no team placed a claim for Jokinen.

This is the second time this season Jokinen has cleared waivers, as he also went unclaimed on Dec. 20. At that time, the team chose not to reassign him to the minors instead hoping he would play his way out of the scoring drought that has seen him go without a goal since Nov. 13. But this time, Jokinen is expected to be assigned to the minors and then sometime in the near future, possibly today or Friday, be placed on re-entry waivers.

Lawton also indicated on Wednesday after Jokinen was sent back to Tampa that he had been contacted by a team showing interest in acquiring Jokinen. Since he cleared regular waivers, the said team would likely take Jokinen on the way back up, which would leave the claiming team responsible for only half of his remaining salary, leaving the Lightning still responsible for the other half. Jokinen is in the last year of a deal that pays him $1.875 million and is set to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

In addition, the team is awaiting information on defenseman Andrej Meszaros, who left Wednesday's game in Pittsburgh with an injury to his left arm after being hit by Penguins' center Evgeni Malkin in the second period. Meszaros immediately grabbed his arm and dropped his gloves as he made his way to the bench before leaving the ice.

The initial report on Meszaros was he would be out with an upper-body injury, although Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said after the game he didn't feel like the injury was serious. Meszaros has appeared in 298 consecutive games to start his career, but that streak appears to be coming to an end after his arm was in a sling after the game on Wednesday and his availability for Saturday's game against the New York Islanders is in serious doubt.

Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7998

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