OTTAWA - It appears more likely that center Alexander Svitov and right wing Nikita Alexeev will start the season with the Lightning.
If they do, and nothing is official, they can thank Tampa Bay's dysfunctional minor-league system for providing an extra boost.
Both players were with the Lightning last season, in large part because the team was dissatisfied with the coaching situation at AHL Springfield, which it shared with the Coyotes.
With Tampa Bay this season sharing affiliates with the Avalanche (Hershey, Pa.) and Canadiens (Hamilton, Ontario), coach John Tortorella and general manager Jay Feaster said they would rather have their talented youngsters in the fold.
They don't want Svitov, 20, and Alexeev, 21, both of whom have steep upsides, learning another organization's system. And the Lightning wants to ensure playing time, which is difficult to guarantee at affiliates where Tampa Bay members are not the priority.
"Our minor-league situation stinks," Tortorella said. "And that is with total respect to the organizations we are sending players. They are quality organizations, but they are not our organizations. They're not teaching our concept.
"When you're dealing with some players you feel are going to be a big part of the core of your team, it's difficult for me to lose more time with them to where maybe it's a different message being sent.
"If the minor-league situation was different, some different things would be done here," Tortorella said. "But we have to make adjustments to what our world is right now."
All well and good. Yet how does that square with the message Tortorella and Feaster have stressed: that the team will be chosen on merit?
It is a relevant question because neither Svitov nor Alexeev has had impressive preseasons, though both played well in Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Senators.
In fact, center Eric Perrin is at Hershey despite outplaying Svitov, and right wing Shane Willis is exposed in today's waiver draft despite outperforming Alexeev.
"It's a difficult situation. It really is," Tortorella said. "But you can't get stubborn to a point where you're hurting the guys too by sending them somewhere you're not sure if the same message is coming across."
Feaster said: "The reality of it is that in Hershey there is not a head coach that's paid by Tampa Bay. There is not a head coach who is under any obligation to teach the Tampa Bay system. It's not a situation where I can go to the coach and say, "We have to get those guys going.' Those guys are very important players to us. We need to make sure we are doing everything we can to teach them and get them to understand how we need them and want them to play."
The same could be said of any player in the organization. But Feaster has said older, more mature players can better handle the minor-league mess.
But another word about merit. Feaster said it counts heavily that Svitov and Alexeev finished last season with Tampa Bay and were in the playoffs.
"In my mind, it is incumbent upon somebody to come in and take the job from somebody," Feaster said. "I don't think you do that on a points basis in a heavyweight fight. If you're going to take that NHL title away from somebody in a position, it better be convincing.
"We can all see the fight differently. But at this point, John and I are judging it and nobody has won it as a knockout and taken that job away. Quite frankly, the merit of it is really close."
How is that playing in a locker room? Captain Dave Andreychuk and fellow team leader Tim Taylor said they have no problem, including the minor-league situation in the equation. Concerning Svitov and Alexeev, Andreychuk said: "They finished the year here last year. That's where the merit is."
Penalty shot hurts
Peter Schaefer's penalty shot with 58.6 seconds remaining gave the Senators a 4-3 victory at the Corel Centre. Referee Brad Meier called goalie John Grahame for throwing his stick to disrupt Schaefer's breakaway.
Grahame, called for a similar penalty Sunday against the Panthers, said he lost his stick upon contact with Schaefer. "I hit the puck," Grahame said."
Ottawa improved its record to 7-0. Tampa Bay (4-2-1) lost its five-game unbeaten streak and plays its final preseason game Saturday against the host Panthers. The Lightning's Ben Clymer had two goals, and Chris Dingman and Marty Cibak had two assists each. But losing a 3-2 lead in the final 15 minutes and getting outshot 10-3 in the third period burned Tortorella.
"Our situational play stunk tonight," he said. "To me, that's a lack of concentration. We have a long way to go."
