Lightning's Smaby among players filing for arbitration

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune
Published: July 05, 2009

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TAMPA - Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby was among 20 NHL players who have elected for salary arbitration. A hearing date, to be determined later, will fall between Jul. 20 and Aug. 4. All hearings are held in Toronto.

Smaby, a second-round pick in 2003, just finished his third year in the NHL and is out of his entry-level contract. Last year was hs first long-term stint in the league after appearing in 43 games. Smaby made a name for himself with the coaching staff last season when, despite suffering a broken bone in the top of his foot, he played quality minutes toward the tail end of the season as the Lightning defense was decimated by injury. Smaby made $825,000 last season.

Smaby is considered a favorite to earn a spot on the roster coming out of training camp in September despite the recent free agent signings of Mattias Ohlund and Matt Walker along with the re-signing of Lukas Krajicek.