Veteran looks on from new angle

Little-used defenseman Luke Richardson started his new job Tuesday as the Lightning's eye in the sky.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published February 14, 2007

TAMPA - Little-used defenseman Luke Richardson started his new job Tuesday as the Lightning's eye in the sky.

Coach John Tortorella said barring injuries, he will go with the same six defensemen the rest of the season. Richardson, scratched for 14 straight games, will watch from the pressbox and offer analysis.

"He's out of his mind because all he does is drills," Tortorella said.

"I want to get him involved in some ways to give him something to sink his teeth into."

"I still believe I can contribute in this league," Richardson said. "You just got to get your opportunity. Staying focused is sometimes a challenge. This is an opportunity to keep fresh."

Richardson, 37 and in his 19th NHL season, was signed last summer as a free agent. But the emergence of Doug Janik pushed him down the depth chart.

Tortorella approached Richardson with the scouting idea.

"I'm not a warm and fuzzy guy when it comes to sitting people, but with Luke it's a little different story," Tortorella said. "He's one of the best pros I've seen with how he's handled this situation. He's an experienced guy. We're going to try to get him involved."

Richardson, fifth among active players with 1,339 games, said Tortorella has been up front about "what he thinks his lineup is. He's very honest. There are no mind games and you respect that. Hopefully I can throw in a few ideas here and there that will help the team."

FRIENDLY ENEMIES: Coyotes goal- ie Mikael Tellqvist and Tampa Bay's Johan Holmqvist have been friends since meeting nine years ago in their native Sweden.

"I knew he was a great goaltender," Tellqvist said. "He had never really been given a chance to play. All the best to him - except Tuesday. Win or lose we'll be good friends after the game."

BLOW IT UP: Tortorella had nothing good to say about an NHL schedule that rarely matches East and West. He said the "three-year cycle" the league says it must finish before changes are made is for the birds.

"They should blow the schedule up," Tortorella said. "We played Calgary in Game 7 of the (2004) Stanley Cup, we haven't seen them since. It's stupidity. And what's this three-year cycle? Get rid of the three-year cycle, end it at two (after this season) and get, augh, (expletive)."

ODDS AND ENDS: Ruslan Fedotenko's two assists gave him 200 career points. ... Center Blair Jones was a healthy scratch.

[Last modified February 14, 2007, 07:37:06]