By TOM JONES, Times Staff Writer
Published September 4, 2005
The Lightning's defense of the Stanley Cup begins Tuesday.
Okay, so names such as St. Louis, Lecavalier and Richards won't be on the ice, but the 2005-06 Lightning season officially kicks off with a rookie camp in Traverse City, Mich.
It's doubtful anyone in Traverse City will be with the Lightning this season, though it is possible. The Lightning is searching for a sixth defenseman and it will take a long look at Andy Rogers, the team's top pick in the 2004 draft. But the feeling is Rogers could use a little more seasoning before he is ready to step into the NHL.
The other big name (emphasis on big) in the rookie camp will be 6-foot-7 defenseman Vladimir Mihalik, the Lightning's top pick (30th overall) in the 2005 draft. Mihalik is expected to play junior hockey this season in Red Deer of the Western Hockey League for coach Brent Sutter.
Twenty-three Lightning prospects are expected to show, however only a few will then move on to Lightning's regular camp, which begins Sept. 12.
However, it is a chance for young players to make an impression on general manager Jay Feaster in an environment where they're playing against equal competition. The Lightning rookies will play four exhibition games against rookies from the Thrashers, Blue Jackets, Wild and Red Wings.
The camp wraps up Friday.
SUPER SIDNEY: Add Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman to the list of Sidney Crosby believers.
Crosby, selected first in the NHL draft by the Penguins, is considered one of the best prospects ever and Bowman understands why.
"I saw him play a few times last season and this kid can play," Bowman said. "A lot of kids that age can shoot, but you don't find kids that often who can pass the puck like Crosby does. Every pass he makes is right on the mark. When you see that, you know you have a special player."
Bowman compared Crosby to one of his former players - Hall of Famer Gilbert Perrault, the ex-Sabres star. He also tossed out the name of the Lightning's Brad Richards as a comparison.
"He's going to be a good player in this league," Bowman said of Crosby. "Real good."
ICEFEST: IceFest, the Lightning's hockey festival designed to celebrate the start of the season, will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the St. Pete Times Forum.
Lightning players Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and new goalie Sean Burke (as well as the Stanley Cup) are scheduled to appear.
There will be FanLand games, live entertainment and merchandise specials. Hot dogs and sodas will be sold for $1.
Lightning broadcasters will host a question-and-answer session with St. Louis to discuss the NHL rule changes. Fans also can step on the ice to take a shot on net or have their picture taken on the Zamboni.
GROUNDED: Sure enough, the new salary cap is causing problems for the one of the league's big spenders. With camp soon approaching, the Red Wings have been unable to re-sign their two best young stars: Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.
"We're nowhere near a deal with either player," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told the Associated Press late last week. "We've made a number of offers and they've made offers, but we still have a long way to go to reach deals."
Datsyuk has given the Red Wings a deadline of Monday to reach a deal or else, he said, he will sign with Moscow Dynamo of the Russian League.
"If the Red Wings are unable to sign a contract with Datsyuk by then, than we would have to postpone the negotiations with Detroit until next spring," Datsyuk's agent, Gary Greenstin, told Soviet Sport newspaper.
ICE CHIPS: Both Lightning at Toronto games this season will be on CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada." Meantime, both Toronto at Lightning games will be nationally televised in Canada on TSN. ... Devils goalie Martin Brodeur told the Newark Star-Ledger that he thinks defenseman Scott Stevens will retire. Stevens is 41 and hasn't played since January of 2004 because of post-concussion syndrome. ... Linesman Kevin Collins, who worked 1,964 regular season and 296 playoff games during his 28-year career, is stepping off the ice to join the NHL's Officiating Department as an Officiating Manager. ... Devils assistant Bobby Carpenter is going to sit out the season for personal reasons. His father recently suffered a stroke and is facing several surgeries in the coming months.
