Lightning re-claim forward David Koci off waivers

Posted Nov 20, 2008 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Nov 20, 2008 at 05:17 PM

The transaction wire continues to burn up over at Channelside drive after Tampa Bay claimed forward David Koci off waivers from the St. Louis Blues. Koci was claimed off waivers from the Lightning by the Blues back in October.

Word is that there were multiple claims put in on Koci, but Tampa Bay had first crack at him because they lost him on waivers. And because there were multiple claims, if the Lightning wanted to re-assign him to the minors Tampa Bay would have to place him on waivers first, which means he wouldn’t clear.

Here’s the press release from the team:

The Tampa Bay Lightning have claimed left wing David Koci off waivers from the St. Louis Blues, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced. Koci signed with the Lightning as a free agent this past summer, but was claimed off waivers by the Blues on October 21.

A 6-foot-6, 238-pound native of Prague, Czech Republic, Koci appeared in one game with the Lightning this season before heading to St. Louis where he skated in four games for the Blues, recording nine penalty minutes. He split last season between the Norfolk Admirals, Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs. While in the NHL with the Blackhawks, Koci notched 68 penalty minutes in 18 games – an average of nearly four penalty minutes per game. The NHL heavyweight has amassed 156 penalty minutes in 27 NHL games during the previous two seasons.

The 26-year-old finished out last season as an alternate captain for the Admirals, registering two assists and 57 penalty minutes in 21 games with Norfolk. In 65 games with the Admirals during the previous two seasons, the fan favorite had three assists and 280 penalty minutes.

Koci also spent seven games with the Rockford IceHogs last season, registering 25 penalty minutes. In 266 career AHL games with Rockford, Norfolk and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Koci has three goals and 22 assists with 1,065 penalty minutes.

Koci made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2006-07, going scoreless with 88 penalty minutes in nine games. His first 42 penalty minutes all came in his first game on March 31, 2007, at Phoenix.

He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round, 146th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft