No more excuses, Lightning declares

Coach John Tortorella said the atmosphere in the locker room has changed going into tonight's season opener at Florida.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 10, 2002

SUNRISE -- Lightning players have heard all of the excuses: They are too young, too inexperienced, and the payroll is too small to acquire the players needed to field a playoff team.

But this season, they reject them. "In the past, it was useful for general managers and coaches to make excuses to keep jobs," center Tim Taylor said. "With the optimism this team has and the experience, there are no more excuses.

"Making excuses is for losers. Excuses for why we lose are done. We want to know why we won."

Is it possible the Lightning, which starts its 11th season tonight on the road against the Panthers, is starting to grow up?

There are signs.

Coach John Tortorella said the locker room has changed from a "country club" with little player-to-player or player-to-coach accountability to one in which players take "a business approach."

Defenseman Jassen Cullimore said he relishes a coaching staff that is "not going to settle for someone not playing to their potential and not playing the way they can play."

And center Brad Richards said it is a breath of fresh air to have so little turnover from last season and that players are being given a chance to mature.

"I've been here three years," Richards said. "I'm not sick of the team, but we're sick of excuses and changing personnel, new teammates and new linemates."

So has the team grown up?

"I think we're in the midst of it," Tortorella said. "I don't think you can say this team knows how to win yet consistently. That is the challenge ahead of us. We're on the cusp, but which way do we go?"

If the Lightning is to push for a playoff spot, it must increase last season's 69 points to at least the mid 80s.

It would be a substantial increase but not impossible considering goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, the addition of Ruslan Fedotenko and the expected resurgent seasons from Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Fredrik Modin that should drastically increase last season's 178 goals.

Tampa Bay's six-season playoff drought is tied with Calgary for the NHL's longest. But Tortorella refuses to play along with the media-hyped possibility it could end.

Defenseman Brad Lukowich said Tortorella spoke only once to the team about the playoffs, just before training camp.

"The coaching staff put expectations on this team," Tortorella said. "But that will stay in the locker room."

That has set up a tug of war with the Lightning brass, which wants to beat the drums of a possible playoff drive.

"For him as a coach, it's trying to make sure people are realistic," general manager Jay Feaster said. "At the same time, from management's perspective and ownership's perspective, we are excited.

"We do feel we have the right pieces in place. But I don't begrudge (Tortorella) the fact he wants to keep it on an even keel."

Tortorella apparently has gotten through to his players.

Lukowich said the playoffs shouldn't even be on the radar screen ... yet. He gives the coach credit for focusing the players on, in order, training camp, preseason games and the season opener.

"If you're going to worry about the playoffs in the first game, you're going about it in the wrong way," Lukowich said. "The guys in here have the attitude that they are winners, that we have the right chemistry here, that we are a successful team. That's the first step."

But what about the team's youth, relative inexperience and puny payroll?

"They're gone," Tortorella said. "We're not looking behind. We're looking ahead to the challenges.

"There will be bumps in the road. It's how you find the answers and not look the other way to find out why this is happening."

In other words, no excuses.

TONIGHT: LIGHTNING VS. PANTHERS

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30; Office Depot Center, Sunrise.

TV/RADIO: Sunshine; WDAE-AM 620.

THE SKINNY: This is the season opener for both teams. ... Tampa Bay is 4-4-2 in season openers. It is 2-8-0 in road openers. ... The Panthers defeated the Lightning 4-1 to open the 1998-99 season, the only other time the teams have met to start a season. ... Florida defeated Tampa Bay 4-2 in the Lightning's 1994-95 road opener. ... The Lightning faces the Panthers three consecutive times in Sunrise before Florida visits Tampa. ... Nikolai Khabibulin is expected to start in net for the Lightning. Roberto Luongo is expected to start for the Panthers. ... Former Panthers D Dan Boyle was tied for the Tampa Bay lead last season with four points (one goal, three assists) against Florida. ... The Panthers will be without forward Kristian Huselius (knee) and tough guy Paul Laus (wrist). Enforcer Peter Worrell is expected to play. ... The Lightning trails the series 12-24-7-2 and is 5-12-3-2 on the road. ... Tampa Bay has won three in a row in Sunrise, two last season and the final meeting of 2000-01.

-- Compiled by Damian Cristodero.