Friday, May 5th, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they signed forward Michael Eyssimont to a two-year, one-way contract extension. Eyssimont will earn $800,000 annually and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, 2025.
Eyssimont has been a journeyman this season, spending nine games with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL. He would post a stat line of two goals and seven assists for nine total points, Eyssimont would also have 27 PIMS. This would earn Eyssimont a call-up to the Winnipeg Jets, where he would spend 19 total games, posting a measly one goal and four assists.
The Winnipeg Jets would place Michael Eyssimont on waivers on January 5th, 2023, to send him back to the Manitoba Moose. That would not be the case for the forward, as the San Jose Sharks would place a waiver claim and pick up Eyssimont. In Eyssimonts 20 game sting with the Sharks, he would post a stat line of three goals and five assists for eight points and pick up 34 PIMS.
Eyssimont’s 39-game sample size would be enough for Julien BriseBois, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager, to acquire the rough-and-tumble forward. On March 1st, 2023, the Tampa Bay Lightning would trade Vladislav Namestnikov to the San Jose Sharks for Michael Eyssimont. Eyssimont would play just 15 games for the Lightning, though he would find a perfectly suited role as a grinder.
Eyssimont seemed destined to be a career minor-league player after being drafted in the fifth round in the 2016 NHL entry draft. Eyssimont would play three full seasons for St. Cloud State University in the NCAA before beginning his professional career. During the 2017-18 season, Eyssimont would transition to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, where he would play three full seasons. Eyssimont would later be signed as a group-6 UFA by the Winnipeg Jets, taking his next step at possibly becoming a full-time depth player.
