Grahame no longer sees Bulin Wall ahead of him
The Lightning goalie will still have competition, but he also has his best shot at being the team's No. 1.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published August 6, 2005
TAMPA - John Grahame believes he is a No. 1 goaltender. Now all he has to do is prove it.
With Nikolai Khabibulin Chicago-bound, Grahame has an opportunity to finally get the top job he so covets. But it won't be handed to him.
General manager Jay Feaster said another goaltender will be brought in, either by trade or through free agency, to compete.
Grahame shrugged.
"It's been like that for me forever," he said. "Nothing has ever been handed to me. I've always had to work for it. It's not going to be anything new. I'm ready for that."
Grahame played only 29 games in 2003-04, but was 18-9-1 with a 2.06 goals-against average, a shutout and a .913 save percentage.
He went 10-1 from Jan. 8 to Feb. 14, an enormous help as Khabibulin, from Nov. 23 to Feb. 10, languished in a 7-12-5 slump.
At 6 feet 2, Grahame covers a lot of ground, is athletic and a fierce competitor. He even had an opportunity in March to overtake a still-inconsistent Khabibulin for the No. 1 job but failed when he played poorly in what was, basically, an audition game against the Islanders.
Grahame handles the puck so well, he sometimes tries to do too much and puts himself in difficult positions. He also lost the Bruins' No. 1 job in 2002-03 before a trade to the Lightning in January of that season.
Feaster said he "loves the roller coaster aspect of Johnny. It's a thrill."
But Grahame, who played one game (33 minutes) in relief of Khabibulin during the Stanley Cup run and turns 30 on Aug. 31, said he has worked for stability.
"I just think through the past couple of years I perfected my game," he said. "I've made it a lot more simple. I can make the big saves, be consistent, the mental makeup, the aggressiveness, willing to fight, willing to battle. I think I have those attributes and I'm ready to put them to use for a whole year."
A Nik-free environment may be the best thing for Grahame's development. As much as Grahame heard he had chances to pass Khabibulin, he said he didn't believe it was that cut and dried.
"A guy like Nik, he's earned that respect and a little bit of leeway," Grahame said. "So I knew I was pushing him but its tough to completely take that job over. It's tough to put a guy who has done so much on the bench."
"But now Nik's gone," Feaster said. "Now he understands what he's worked for his whole life is right in front of him, that the big spectre of Nikolai Khabibulin is not in the background. It's a little bit of a different opportunity."
Grahame's teammates gave a thumbs up.
"He's going to do a great job," center Vinny Lecavalier said. "Almost every game he played he played unbelievable. He's very determined."
"He did some good things for us when Habby wasn't playing well," center Brad Richards said. "The thing with Grammer, we have confidence in him but he's never been a No. 1 the whole season. It's going to be a big challenge for him."
Grahame said he understands. He said he will taper off weightlifting as he prepares for training camp and do more cardio to build stamina.
Goaltenders coach Jeff Reese said Grahame has helped himself with a work ethic "180 degrees since he came to the Lightning."
He has a good glove hand, and already uses a small glove that likely will not be affected by the new size requirements for pads. He wants to score a goal.
"He competes," Reese said. "That to me is his biggest asset. He hates to lose. He doesn't care if he wins 2-1 or 6-5. I don't think he cares about stats. He just cares about winning. To me that's the way to be."
"When anyone of Habby's caliber leaves, there's always going to be questions," Grahame said. "The only way those questions are answered are with good play. I'm at that point now where I want that responsibility and am able to thrive on it and take hold of it."
He just has to prove it.