Nine Lightning players, seven of whom can't be demoted without going through waivers, are competing for four spots.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published September 13, 2003
BRANDON - Lightning coach John Tortorella considered the word "glut" as it pertains to the number of players competing for four roster spots at right wing and shook his head.
Well, then, how about "logjam" or "bottleneck" or ... oh, heck, why not just let Tortorella quantify it?
"I don't look at it as a glut," he said. "I'm not a good enough coach to forecast where the glut is and who is fighting for it. I want them to make the decisions for me. You give them the opportunity to show you before you start putting the pieces in."
Right wing is wide open and terribly crowded. Nine players are in the mix: Martin St. Louis, Sheldon Keefe, Ben Clymer, Shane Willis, Ruslan Fedotenko, Nikita Alexeev, Jimmie Olvestad, Eero Somervuori and, to a lesser extent, Andre Roy, who played most of last season at left wing.
The only sure thing is St. Louis, who last season scored 33 goals and will play with center Brad Richards or Vinny Lecavalier.
The rest of the mix is eclectic. Somervuori is a rookie. Willis and Keefe hope to avoid trades or demotions to the minors. Fedotenko and Clymer seek breakout seasons. Roy wants redemption after last season's falling out with Tortorella.
Alexeev wants to stick after bouncing the past two seasons between the NHL and the minors. And Olvestad needs to regain the jump he showed in 2001-02, when he was a Tortorella favorite.
Most also can play left wing. But with that side the domain of players such as Cory Stillman, Fredrik Modin and Dave Andreychuk, finding a spot there would be even harder.
"It certainly is a situation in which we have a lot of guys battling for a very few spots," general manager Jay Feaster said. "It's the battle not only for the position but where you play within the lines. There will be some real good competition."
"There are only so many jobs, and guys are going to fight for them," Clymer said. "That's okay. That means we're getting better as a club."
A first look will come during intrasquad scrimmages that begin today at the Ice Sports Forum.
Tortorella said he does not make player determinations during these games because there is little hitting and the intensity is less than in preseason games played against "someone you're not having lunch with later that day."
But scrimmages indicate talent. Can forwards, especially those who want to play on the top two lines, score and make a play? They get a chance to really prove themselves in preseason games.
"I can only control what I do," Keefe said. "I want to have a good camp, and then when the exhibitions start, then step it up. I think I can bring a different element than some of the other players."
Keefe has not put up big numbers but is feisty, is not afraid to agitate in front of the net and can play any forward position. Tortorella last season occasionally used him at center. Keefe even took a pay cut in his new contract to be more attractive to Tampa Bay (or another team) as a third- or fourth-line player.
Compare that to Willis, who has a terrific shot, skates well and also took a pay cut. But Willis plays exclusively on the right and because of some defensive deficiencies must play on the top two lines.
Willis, who spent all last season in the minors, said he is "a little bit more prepared" and has a better understanding of what it will take to make the team.
Said Fedotenko: "Like any camp, it's do or die for a lot of guys to show what they have. I never look at right wing or left wing. It's not that way. It's more of what you can bring to the table."
Even that might not be enough. Among the right wings only Alexeev and Somervuori can be sent to the minors without clearing waivers. That can tip the balance when decisions are difficult.
"From that standpoint, there are a lot of factors to look at," Feaster said. "But at the end of the day I think we showed last year that we'll make the decision based on who wins the job."
And who breaks the glut, uh, the logjam, the ... oh, forget it.
