Lightning, Ross Colton avoid arbitration with 2-year deal

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ross Colton agreed to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million, the team announced Monday.

Colton was a restricted free agent with a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for next Monday.

The New Jersey-born center, who turns 25 in September, scored the lone and eventual Stanley Cup-clinching goal during the second period of the Lightning's Game 5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens last month.

Colton recorded nine goals and three assists in 30 regular-season games as a rookie in 2021 before contributing four markers and two helpers over 23 postseason contests. He's been in Tampa Bay's system since 2018-19. The club drafted him 118th overall in 2016.

The Lightning are now nearly $7 million over the salary cap, but they're allowed to surpass it to that degree because Brent Seabrook is stashed on the long-term injured reserve.

Seabrook ended his career due to injury in March. The Chicago Blackhawks traded his contract to the Lightning for forward Tyler Johnson and a 2023 second-round pick in late July.