Bowness returns to Lightning after losing out on Ducks' gig

The Tampa Bay Lightning will retain at least one valued asset this summer.

Associate coach Rick Bowness officially re-upped with Tampa Bay, signing a multi-year contract announced Tuesday.

The news comes in indirect response to Randy Carlyle apparently being on the verge of taking the Anaheim Ducks head coaching job, a role Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman indicated Bowness was in "deep" consideration for.

Bowness has been a staple behind NHL benches for the better part of three decades, but sparingly in a lead capacity. He owns 123 wins in 463 games on his head coaching record - predominantly in spot opportunities over parts of nine seasons.

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