That nice little story about Eric Perrin playing with his childhod buddy Marty St. Louis is over. Perrin signed a two-year deal with the Thrashers for $1.5-million. The Lightning saw Perrin as a fourth-line center next season despite his 13 goals playing mostly on the second line with Brad Richards. It is believed Tampa Bay offered the same three-year, $1.575-million deal it gave Nick Tarnasky. Anyway, what the Lightning will miss most from Perrin is his defense. He was uncanny the way he could find the opponent's passing lanes and mess up a play. All it means is the Lightning has more work to do, and Blair Jones gets an opening.