Kevin Poulin Claimed by Lightning; Scott Mayfield among 10 Assigned to Bridgeport

The New York Islanders completed the AHL assignments begun Saturday with several who cleared waivers being assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

One long-time Islander, however, did not survive the purge.

Kevin Poulin, part of the Islanders' mammoth 2008 draft class that still has several regulars (and one new addition in Kirill Petrov) on the roster, was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning on waivers.

The Lightning's backup situation is in flux due to vascular surgery for top prospect Andrei Vasilevskiy. With veteran Ray Emery also in camp on a PTO, Poulin gives the Lightning another likely short-term option. [Update: Later in the day, it was reported Emery had been released from his PTO.]

Poulin has signed a series of one-year contracts after the Islanders have qualified him over the last two seasons. He played 50 games across five seasons with the NHL club, the high coming in 28 games in 2013-14, when he essentially lost the inside line at being a long-term backup. He's the second-most played goalie in Bridgeport history, behind Wade Dubielewicz.

But the Isles had clearly become comfortable having Poulin in the first-callup role -- agreeing to a substantial AHL-level salary to do so -- over the past two summers. And that appears to be his long-term role, whether for the Lightning or elsewhere.

But at age 25 this represents a new opportunity for Poulin. If the Lightning decided they don't want him or if Vasilevskiy comes back healthy and they put Poulin on waivers, the Isles would be able to claim him back. But their assessment of their own goalie situation may have changed by then. For the Bridgeport crease the Islanders still have Stephon Williams, Parker Milner (AHL deal) and Chris Gibson.

Mayfield among 10 Assigned to Bridgeport

Everyone else whom the Isles placed on waivers Saturday survived the process, and the Islanders assigned 10 more to Bridgeport on Saturday.

Among them is defensemen Scott Mayfield, a prospect who vied with Ryan Pulock for one of the potential blueline openings on the NHL roster. Pulock, who scored a power play goal in Saturday night's loss to the Hurricanes in Halifax, survives. For now.

The 10 assigned to Bridgeport Sunday:

• Taylor Beck
• Justin Florek
• Mike Halmo
• Ben Holmstrom
• Bracken Kearns
• Scott Mayfield
• Adam Pelech
• Justin Vaive
• Joe Whitney
• James Wright