Participation in Worlds still up in the air

TAMPA -- The Lightning will have at least two representatives at the World Championships this month in Sweden.

Defenseman Pavel Kubina will play for the Czech Republic, goalie Dieter Kochan for the United States.

"It always means a lot to play for your nation," Kubina said before Friday night's game against the Islanders at the Ice Palace. "Any time I have a chance to play for the national team, I go."

"It's a great honor to do it," Kochan said.

Kubina, 24, played for the Czech Republic in the Salt Lake City Olympics and won gold medals at the 1999 and 2001 World Championships. He said there is no reason to panic because the Czechs did not medal in Salt Lake City.

"We played very good there, and the people back home were happy with the hockey we played, so there was not too much complaining," he said. "We have a very good team again."

Kochan, 27, of Madison, Wis., might see significant playing time because Nashville's Mike Dunham, the U.S. Olympic goalie, decided not to play.

"You're playing for your country and fighting for a gold medal," Kochan said. "It should be a playoff-type experience."

LECAVALIER SURGERY?: Vinny Lecavalier was asked to play for Canada, but declined because of a sore right wrist that might need surgery.

The center said ligaments were hurt on a hit from Toronto's Mats Sundin and have bothered him for about a year. He said he sometimes has trouble gripping his stick.

General manager Jay Feaster and Lecavalier agreed the World Championships would put undue strain on the injury.

"Vincent has been experiencing occasional pain in his right hand for some time now, and we believe it would be best for him to be fully evaluated at season's end; an evaluation which could suggest a surgical procedure," Feaster said. "That prognosis is still undetermined at this point."

STAYING HOME: Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin (Russia) was asked to play by declined. Khabibulin, who played in the Olympics, wants to heal various bumps and bruises.

Left wing Fredrik Modin (Sweden), center Brad Richards (Canada) and right wing Ben Clymer (United States) said they are undecided about participating. Modin said he still has pain from torn cartilage in his right wrist. Richards said he is nursing a sore groin.

"I can feel it. It's not great," Modin said of his injury.

"I'm still pretty beat up," Richards said. "I'm not saying yet, but it doesn't look good right now. I don't want to go there and then have three weeks of rehab. And I don't want to go over there 70 percent."

POSTSEASON BLUES: With the Islanders ending a seven-year playoff drought, the Lightning and Flames, at six seasons, have the longest nonplayoff streaks.

"Right now, this time of year, it's not fun because you're done," coach John Tortorella said. "We can talk about improvements, but the bottom line is it's got to get done. We've got to get in the playoffs."

The Lightning improved its record for the fourth consecutive season, but Tortorella said that should be of little consolation.

"I'm tired of talking about building on this and building on that," he said. "It does get tiresome talking about building.

"Hopefully, we'll get that word out of our vocabulary. Hopefully, we'll make some strides this summer to get to the middle of the pack."

ALL-TIME TEAM: More than 3,000 votes were cast on the Lightning's Web site for the team's all-time squad.

FIRST TEAM: Coach -- Terry Crisp. Goaltender -- Khabibulin. Forwards -- Brian Bradley, Rob Zamuner, Dino Ciccarelli. Defense -- Kubina, Roman Hamrlik. SECOND TEAM: Goaltender -- Daren Puppa. Forwards -- Lecavalier, Modin, John Tucker. Defense -- Jassen Cullimore, Petr Svoboda.