Lawton promises to be aggressive in free agency

During a question-and-answer session with former and prospective season-ticket holders before Tuesday's game, Lightning general manager Brian Lawton told the group that the team intends to dip into the free-agent waters again this summer, particularly to upgrade the defense.

"The reality is our blue line has been really weak from the start. Now we've been ravaged with injuries to guys like Andrej Meszaros and Paul Ranger, but even with those guys we have to do a better job with our D," Lawton said.

"We will be active and aggressive on our blue line once again this summer. And with Ranger, Meszaros, Matt Lashoff and Matt Smaby, who has really started to come on, we feel that we have a foundation that we can build off of."

During the hour-long session, Lawton spoke to the group and then, along with co-owner Oren Koules, took questions from fans during an open mic period with the intention of mapping out a plan to get the team back into playoff contention after a second consecutive season finishing near the bottom of the standings.

"We have good pieces in place, with Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos; Mike Smith has proven that's he capable of handling the role of a No. 1 goaltender," Lawton said. "We are not in a rebuilding mode, that's not our thinking.

"We are not like Pittsburgh, which went through four, five, even six seasons of losing. We don't have that luxury. That's not the situation we are in."

Lawton did make one bold prediction, however, about next season.

"I can assure you I won't be standing in this spot next year holding this same conversation with you," he said.

MALONE DONE

Tampa Bay will be without LW Ryan Malone for the final two games after he broke his right hand during the second period on Tuesday while blocking a shot from Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin.

Malone, who signed a seven-year contract worth $31.5 million after his rights were acquired from Pittsburgh before free agency, finishes his first season with the Lightning third on the team with 26 goals - one short of his career high - and he is tied for third with 45 points.

He joins a list of injured stars including center Lecavalier (wrist), Smith (concussion), Ranger (shoulder) and Meszaros (shoulder).