There is something Lightning fans have seen a few times over the past season or two that may or may not register as newsworthy: The Bolts extending the contracts of various players while they remain under contract. It can be seen as a reward for hard work (like in the case of center Nate Thompson); it can be seen as a vote of confidence (as might be seen in the signings of Tom Pyatt and Dana Tyrell). But it can also be looked at as management making the decisions who, among those on the current squad, make up the team's nucleus.

And Teddy Purcell is a major part of the plan going forward.

Purcell, signed last off-season to a two-year contract (with parties avoiding arbitration by the skin of their teeth), has signed a three-year contract extension with the club. The announcement came this morning.

Teddy, 26, acquired from the Los Angeles Kings at the trade deadline in 2010 for forward Jeff Halpern, has found himself in the mix among the top-6 forwards. He's split time with both captain Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos the past two seasons and his numbers reflect the potency of the pairings: 51 points (17 goals, 34 assists) in 2010-11, 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists) in 2011-12.

Teddy does get lost out there from time to time. Fans note his slow starts to the season... But he does turn it on in the second half (at least the past two seasons have shown as much). Yet the skill set is there, and that makes him vital to the Lightning offensive attack.

The likes of Purcell, Lecavalier, Stamkos, RW Martin St. Louis and LW Ryan Malone are signed together through 2014-15. That gives the Bolts a three-season window with the current crop of top forwards.

Below the jump, the press release from the club about the signing.