8th year center James Wright(18) signs a last minute one-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok returning for a second campaign to the KHL, where he skated 53 games for Medvescak Zagreb just a couple seasons ago scoring 15 goals and 4 assists.
The fairly big 6’4″ 210 lbs. power forward returned last year signing a two-way contract with New York Islanders but spent all his playing time with affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
He would put up a career high 2nd best in AHL scoring with 41 points (14-27) but was left unrestricted at the end of the run.
Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2008 draft (#117 overall), he was signed to a 3-year entry level deal at the beginning of the following campaign and actually made the squad out of training camp, but after 48 games with 2 goals and 3 assists he was loaned back to Vancouver Giants to finish out his fourth year of WHL juniors.
It would be in his rookie season reassigned to the farm club Norfolk Admirals that he put up still unbeaten numbers with 48 points (16-32).
In the final year of his first contract, he would get dealt to Florida Panthers but saw playing time only with San Antonio Rampage.
Somehow his short time in Texas was enough for the parent club to extend him for another pair of years.
That wouldn’t long though as he would be claimed off waivers by Winnipeg Jets just as the lockout thawed season started and stuck.
He finished out the 2012/2013 in the NHL getting another pair of tallies and 3 assists.
They must have liked what they saw though, as 2013/2014 would be his first full season in the big league.
The still fairly young 26-year old seems to be still awaiting a truly breakout offensive explosion and it’s possibly he could be a later bloomer especially with the size he brings to the table.