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By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 20, 2001
Imagine Jaromir Jagr or Alexei Yashin in Lightning uniforms.
Dream on. It's not going to happen.
"I can say that at no time have the Tampa Bay Lightning discussed those players," general manager Rick Dudley said.
That's not to say the Lightning has not considered acquiring those players. But even if it has, management has come to the conclusion that, at this time, neither fits Tampa Bay's plans.
Jagr, whom the Penguins are almost sure to trade, will make $10-million next season. The Senators are expected to trade Yashin, a potential restricted free agent who likely will ask for $7-million to $10-million.
Does the Lightning have an extra $10-million? Probably not. Even if it did, such an expensive move does not make sense.
It's one thing if Tampa Bay was close to getting over the hump. But with so many holes to fill, that kind of hypothetical cash would be better spent on three or four top-notch players.
Still, that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from spitting out some beauties, like the deal that supposedly would swap Jagr for Vinny Lecavalier.
"I can promise you," Dudley said, "that Vinny is not part of a deal for anybody."
AFFILIATE SEARCH: With Palace Sports & Entertainment almost certain to shut down the IHL's Detroit Vipers, the Lightning has been scrambling to find a new minor-league affiliate.
Dudley said it appears likely Tampa Bay, also owned by Palace Sports, will share an affiliate next season. He said the AHL's Rochester Americans, with whom the Lightning was trying to forge a deal, apparently have patched up their financial differences with the Sabres.
A shared affiliate would have spots for 10-12 Lightning players. Dudley said that isn't bad.
"If a player can't be one of your (top) 10 players, he probably should be in the East Coast League anyway," he said.
Still, 22 players in the Lightning organization played at least 13 games for the Vipers last season, meaning some personnel decisions will have to be made if an affiliation is shared.
Dudley said it's possible Vipers coach Brad Shaw would not coach in that situation. But he was adamant Shaw, a Lightning assistant in 1999-00, would remain in the organization.
"He did a terrific job," Dudley said.
NO ROOKIE CAMP: The Lightning will not have a rookie camp next season. Dudley said it has nothing to do with last year's camp, which included the Canadiens, Senators and Panthers, and degenerated into a series of brawl-filled games.
Tampa Bay's regular camp will have about 40 players instead of the 61 it had last season, and fewer rookies and tryouts.
"We like the idea, but we don't have enough players who would be there," Dudley said.
SPEAKING OF JAGR: Through Saturday's Game 4, the player who scored 52 regular-season goals had two in the playoffs, and no points against the Devils. "What are you going to do?" he said. "I know if I'm scoring it will be a lot easier for this team, but I'm a human being. I'm not Superman. It looks like I lost confidence or something, but I don't give up. Hopefully, it's going to come."
Mario Lemieux said the Devils' staunch defense deserves some credit. Jagr said that shouldn't matter.
"Of course, they are a great team," he said, "but I still should be able to do something."
BULL'S-EYE: Blues defenseman Al MacInnis has one of the NHL's hardest shots. There will be no argument from Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy, who took a blast Wednesday square in the chest.
"It almost went through," Roy said. "I had to go inside my body to get it."
ODDS AND ENDS: Before they lost to the Devils 3-0 on Thursday, the Penguins had not been shut out at home in 89 playoff games. ... After Roy allowed the winning goal Wednesday in St. Louis' 4-3 double-overtime win, Blues fans pelted him with rally towels and other debris. Maybe he deserved it. The bum stopped 56 of 60 shots.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.