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Kubina gets the call, and it goes his way

The Lightning defenseman heard his phone ring and thought for sure he was traded. Wrong! He's an All-Star.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Don't answer that telephone.

That was the first thought that went through the mind of Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina.

When general manager Jay Feaster called him at 11:30 Thursday night, Kubina, sitting on the team bus after a game against Nashville, thought about chucking the cell phone out the window.

"I thought for sure I had been traded," Kubina said. "Why else would the GM call a player at 11:30 at night? I figured it was a bad call."

Feaster had a different take: "It was one of the best calls I've ever made in my life."

Nope, Kubina hadn't been traded. Feaster was calling to tell Kubina he had been named to replace Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden (flu) in Sunday's NHL All-Star Game.

"I couldn't believe it," said Kubina, who, in his seventh season, will be making his first trip to the All-Star Game. "It really is a dream come true. I never thought something like this would happen."

But he used to dream about it. Kubina, 26, remembers watching his first All-Star Game on television in Celadna, Czech Republic, 10 years ago. He remembers watching the 1994 game that had players such as Wayne Gretzky, Joe Sakic, Pavel Bure and even a veteran named Dave Andreychuk.

He never imagined he would someday be asked to play in the game even after he spent a few up-and-down seasons in the league.

"My career hasn't always been easy, but I just tried to keep my head up," Kubina said. "The thing I'm thinking most about today is how the Lightning gave me a chance and stuck with me through everything."

Often criticized by fans and even by coaches, Kubina wondered if he even belonged in the league, let alone the All-Star Game.

"Kuby has had to endure so much in his career and that's what makes this so special and why I'm so proud and happy for him," Feaster said. "When (Steve Ludzik) was here coaching, he was down on Kuby and didn't want to play him. He had it rough, but never gave up."

Feaster, though, credits former general manager Rick Dudley for not giving up on Kubina or trading him, though he had plenty of chances to do so. After Feaster took over for Dudley, calls from other general managers continued to pour in, yet Feaster said he has never once considered trading Kubina.

"I've said all along that he is one of our core guys," Feaster said. "He's the type of guy you build your team around."

While Kubina showed flashes of being a top-notch defenseman during his first five seasons, the turning point came last season. He helped the Lightning into a playoff appearance, then exceled in the postseason.

"That's when I started getting my confidence," Kubina said. "Then I had a good start

this season and it has kept going and going."

NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell called Feaster Thursday night and asked one question: "Is Pavel Kubina an All-Star?"

Seconds later, Feaster put in the call that Kubina almost didn't answer.

Kubina first called his parents, Vaclav and Jigka, and woke them up at 5:30 a.m. Czech time. They were supposed to come to Florida for two weeks starting Monday, but they were able to get a flight to the Twin Cities and will make it in time for tonight's skills competition and Sunday's game.

Meantime, Kubina had to unpack his bathing suit and pack his overcoat. He had planned a three-day trip to the Bahamas.

"I wanted to go to the Bahamas," Kubina said, "but I think this might be a better trip after all."