Photo: Gregg Forwerck

The Tampa Bay Lightning made one of the biggest AHL free-agent signings of the off-season on July 1 when it inked veteran Michael Leighton to be the No. 1 goalie on the Syracuse Crunch. Leighton, 36, is one of the best NHL/AHL depth goalies of his generation. He has appeared in 318 career AHL games over 10 seasons, compiling a record of 157-120-32 to go along with a 2.41 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

Leighton is the latest in a long line of impact players the Crunch's parent clubs have signed for it during the team's 23-year history. Here's a look at some of those best free agents (Note: this list only includes newcomers to the organization, not free agents re-signed within the system).

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Photo: Dick Blume

17. F Bill Bowler

Crunch tenure: 2000-01

Yeah, Bowler was a liability defensively, but he sure knew how to create offense. In his one season with the Crunch, he posted 21 goals and 58 helpers.

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Photo: Peter Chen

16. F Donald MacLean

Crunch tenure: 2002-04

Just a pure finisher. Injuries limited him to 17 games in his first season with the Crunch, but he broke out for 27-41 in his second year with the team.

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Photo: Stephen D. Cannerelli | SCannerelli@Syracuse.com

15. F Jeff Tambellini

Crunch tenure: 2015-16

Much like MacLean, another player who simply tore up the scoresheet. Produced 29-20 in his single season with the Crunch, and one of the great mysteries of the season was why he never got a single promotion to the Lightning.

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Photo: Li-Hua Lan

14. F David Ling

Crunch tenure: 2001-04

One of the AHL's all-time great agitators, Ling brought personality, production and a middleweight's punch to the Syracuse lineup. He put up 60 points and 240 PIM in 2001-02, and added 41-129 the following season.

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Photo: Mike Roy

13. F Brandon Sugden

Crunch tenure: 2003-07

An all-time popular enforcer who put up back-to-back PIM seasons of 283 and 252. Liked to proclaim himself as both the best fighter and most handsome player in the AHL.

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Photo: Lauren Long | LLong@Syracuse.com

12. F Jon Mirasty

Crunch tenure: 2007-11

Put the backbone into the "Nasty Boys'' era of the Crunch. No player in team history enjoyed fighting more, and he was willing to absorb an ungodly amount of abuse to get in his shots. His modest 5-foot-10 stature only added to his lore.

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Photo: Syracuse Crunch

11. D Dan Smith

Crunch tenure: 2007-09

One of the toughest players in franchise history, a true defensive defenseman. Excelled at blocking shots.

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Photo: Li-Hua Lan

10. F Geoff Platt

Crunch tenure: 2005-08

An overlooked, 5-9 forward coming out of junior hockey, Platt landed a deal with the Crunch and wound up contributing 121 points in 134 career games.

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Photo: Jim Commentucci

9. F Joe Motzko

Crunch tenure: 2003-07

Motzko was an undrafted player out of St. Cloud State. But given a chance in the pros he tore it up with the Crunch, producing 204 points in 245 career contests.

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Photo: Courtesy of the Syracuse Crunch

8. F Mark Hartigan

Crunch tenure: 2003-07

Hartigan wound up as the franchise's all-time leading goal-scorer, with 107, and was third in points with 212.

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Photo: Lauren Long | LLong@Syracuse.com

7. Derek MacKenzie

Crunch tenure: 2007-10

MacKenzie was one of the best all-around players in Crunch history, a versatility that he used to build a long NHL career with Columbus and Florida.

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Photo: Jim Commentucci

6. F Lonny Bohonos

Crunch tenure: 1994-98

Bohonos was an undrafted, late-bloomer who became the franchise's first star. Few players in franchise history had a quicker or harder shot. He finished his Syracuse career with 104 goals and 230 points, both of which rank second in the team's record books.

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Photo: Scott Schild | SSchild@Syracuse.com

5. D Matt Taormina

Crunch tenure: 2012-14, 2015-17

Tampa Bay actually signed Taormina as a free-agent twice, but his second go-around with the Crunch was far more impactful. He posted 15 goals and 45 assists last season and won the AHL's outstanding defenseman award for a Syracuse team that reached the Calder Cup Finals.

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Photo: Jim Commentucci

4. F Reggie Savage

Crunch tenure: 1995-96, 1999-2001

Savage's second go-round with Syracuse came via free agency. He was an engaging, productive player who was brought in to help revitalize a team that had won just 18 games the season before he arrived. He responded with 36 goals, 34 assists and 135 PIM in 1999-2000. An all-time great irritant to opposing goalies, he earns extra points for frequently going third-person in interviews.

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Photo: Stephen D. Cannerelli | SCannerelli@Syracuse.com

3. F Cory Conacher

Crunch tenure: 2012-13, 2016-17

Conacher's second run through Syracuse came after he signed a free-agent deal in the summer of 2016. Tampa Bay inked him to a one-way deal with the intention of keeping him on the Lightning, but it didn't work out that way. The Crunch greatly benefited from those change of plans, as Conacher turned it on for 17 goals and 43 helpers in the regular season and then 12 goals and 16 assists in the playoffs.

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Photo: Jim Commentucci

2. G Karl Goehring

Crunch tenure: 2001-05, 07-08

The 5-foot-8 goalie was a classic case of an overachiever who battled for every minute he got. His competitiveness and every man persona made him immensely popular with fans, and his 78 wins in a Crunch jersey is a franchise record.

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Photo: Stephen D. Cannerelli | | SCannerelli@Syracuse.com

1. F Yanni Gourde

Crunch tenure: 2013-17

As hard as it is to imagine now, the dynamic scorer could have been had by anyone for the price of an AHL deal in 2013. That's what Tampa Bay pitched when Worcester was offering just a tryout deal extension to keep him around. The undrafted Gourde jumped at his chance with Syracuse, producing 57, 44 and 48 points, respectively, the past three seasons. He dominated in the Crunch's 2017 postseason, with nine goals and 18 assists in 22 games. That earned him an NHL deal from the Lightning, and, quite possibly, an end to his AHL days.