After pledging to add to the defensive depth, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren has done that by signing Lukas Krajicek, formerly of the Tampa Bay Lightning, to an unknown deal.
The 26-year-old Czech defenseman was put on waivers by the Lightning in early December. He reported to AHL Norfolk where he played 15 games before leaving the team, thus allowing the Lightning to dispose of his contract. He was a free agent at the time of his signing by the Flyers, so there is no word on what his cap hit will be. He previously had a cap hit of 1.475 million, but it may be safe to say he signed for less than that with the Flyers.
Krajicek was a victim of a crowded blueline in Tampa Bay, and coach Rick Tocchet said that he wasn’t scoring as expected, forcing his demotion.
“We have a lot of defense, and we were expecting more out of Luk and he only has one assist,” Tocchet told The Tampa Tribune back in December. “I’m sure he’s disappointed in himself, too, but he’s actually played some good games for us. But when he’s in the lineup, we need that guy who can make the right pass for a goal or take the right shot for a goal, and with only one assist with the way he skates and with his shot, it’s a little disappointing.”
Tampa general manager Brian Lawton cited different reasoning in demoting Krajicek, stating to the St. Pete Times that “it just wasn’t happening with the overall play” and that “the compete level … needs to be at a certain level and we didn’t feel that it was there.”
The signing of Krajicek is what forced the demotion of Mika Pyorala to Adirondack.
