Training camp is over, which means it is time to see how our 10 little dramas played out.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published October 5, 2003
Will Nikolai Khabibulin regain world-class form?
The goalie has said he doesn't take his performance or statistics seriously until the regular season begins. As for the rest of us, well, we like to watch. Khabibulin had played superbly entering Saturday's preseason finale. He was 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.
Can Cory Stillman replace Vinny Prospal?
For the umpteenth time, Stillman is not the same type of player as Prospal, and the Lightning does not want him to be. It wants Stillman to play his own game. It has come in drips and drabs, but the full package has yet to be seen. The left wing is smart. You can see it by his positioning and his awareness of his teammates on the ice. But he and center Vinny Lecavalier have not clicked, though six games may not be enough time to judge. Complicating matters: Prospal is tearing it up for Anaheim.
How much heat will John Tortorella bring?
Maybe it is the high standard the coach already has set on the ornery meter, but things don't appear much different from last season. Tortorella pushed harder when it came to conditioning. And judging by the grimaces on the players' faces, the heat was turned up a little.
How much does Dave Andreychuk have left at age 40?
He skates hard. He shoots whenever he can and continues to work special teams. Add a still-commanding presence in the locker room, and there is no doubt the captain, who turned 40 on Monday, again will be a major contributor.
Is Dan Boyle a one-hit wonder?
Impossible to tell. The defenseman had one assist in two games before sustaining a bruise under his collar bone. Boyle, who was expected to play Saturday, has the tools to repeat last season's 13 goals and 40 assists. He also is committed to further improvement on defense. After signing a two-year, $5-million contract, he better be.
Will Martin St. Louis and Eric Perrin rekindle their collegiate magic?
Perrin had an outstanding camp and deserves a quick call-up. In three games the center had three assists and appeared to outplay Alexander Svitov and Martin Cibak, with whom he competed. But Perrin got caught in the mess that is the Lightning's minor-league situation. Perrin lacks NHL experience (he spent the past three seasons in Finland) but it was his age, 27, and maturity that made him a better risk to play for another organization's minor-league team than a younger, more-impressionable player.
Who will be the fourth-line center?
It was down to Svitov and Cibak entering Saturday's game, which was like a one-game tryout. Svitov is hugely talented, has a steeper upside and played with the team last season. But he still is raw. Cibak does not have the same offensive potential but is defensively responsible and does not try to play outside his game.
Can Janne Laukkanen's left hip take the strain?
The defenseman's arthritic joint did not appear to be a problem. His level of play was another story. Laukkanen admitted he did not play well, which means the player, who was expected to win the final starting job on the blue line, was exposed in the waiver draft and is fighting to make the team.
Is Eero Somervuori the hot shot he was made out to be?
Yes and no. The right wing showed the shot, passing ability and defensive awareness expected. But he is not quite ready for the NHL. Even Somervuori admitted the speed of the game was a bit overwhelming, and getting used to the smaller North American rink takes some doing.
Is this team better than last season?
The Lightning has not lost its scrappy edge. Slow starts by Lecavalier and Stillman, and even St. Louis, are a concern but nothing, yet, about which to panic. If Khabibulin plays the way he did in the preseason, this team will be better.
