Tortorella won't sing the blues
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published August 6, 2005
TAMPA - Nik's gone, so get over it.
That was pretty much the attitude coach John Tortorella put forth when discussing the Lightning's future without Nikolai Khabibulin.
"I'm not going to say, "Oh, god, where are we going from here?' " Tortorella said. "I think we have good people in this organization. The reason why you win is your team, and I think we're trying to get a lot of the major parts back here to compete again."
The main parts are forwards Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, defenseman Dan Boyle, each unsigned, and a goalie.
Someone wondered if Tampa Bay could have won the Cup without Khabibulin.
"The goaltender will always be the focal point come playoffs and Nik was the best come playoff time last year," Tortorella said. "But I'm not going to disrespect the organization or Nik's teammates by saying that. I've seen how the supporting cast has come along."
Still, nothing is certain until the entire cast is in place.
"He was a big piece of the puzzle," St. Louis said of Khabibulin. "But we have a lot of big pieces. I hope all the pieces that are left are going to be here."
"In a perfect world, you'd like to keep your team together and take another whack at this," Tortorella said. "I'll put it to you this way. We will have 44 people in camp Sept. 12. We will have 44 people who want to be part of the Lightning."
VINNY WANTS IN: Lecavalier, who could be an unrestricted free agent after this season, said he wants a long-term contract.
"That's my preference," he said.
Feaster and agent Kent Hughes are expected to talk early next week. Neither side expects to file for arbitration.
"We're comfortable where a one-year deal might be and feel we can devote time to what a long-term deal will be," Hughes said.
PRATT SIGNS: Defenseman Nolan Pratt signed a two-year deal paying $625,000 each season.
Pratt displaced Brad Lukowich during the playoffs.
"I think our system here lends itself to Pratter," Tortorella said. "He's a guy who could have filed for free agency but he likes it here and likes his teammates and chose to come along with us."
MORE SIGNINGS: The team announced it signed enforcer Mitch Fritz, 24, to a one-year contract. The 6-foot-8, 258-pounder played 45 games last season for AHL Springfield and had 179 penalty minutes.
The Lightning also signed three defensemen: Timo Helbling for one season, Brady Greco for two and Brandon Elliott for three.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING: Tortorella said struggling teams, such as the Blackhawks, stripped their rosters in anticipation of the salary cap.
"But we couldn't do that," he said. "We were at the pinnacle of our development."
And an apparent victim of market forces.
"It's absolutely ridiculous what's going on in the market," Tortorella said. "I respect the way Jay Feaster is going about it. He's handled a tough situation with the pressure after winning a Cup and trying to get this thing together again. But the players have to help too."