Sports: Svitov comes in from the cold

As a 7-year-old in the Siberian town of Omsk, about 1,700 miles from Moscow, Svitov already was a bit of an outdoorsman. He loved the snow -- still does -- and Svitov and his parents, Nikolai and Natasha, were in a constant tug-of-war.

Inside and outside.

Back then, soccer was Svitov's favorite sport -- that and snowball fighting. But when a local hockey coach held tryouts, Svitov, who could skate but had never played the game, was the only boy asked to return.

"It was all maybe by chance," Svitov said Saturday while sitting in the Lightning's suite at National Car Rental Center after Tampa Bay drafted him third overall.

"I just liked hockey more than the others. It's more dynamic."

What could be more dynamic than a 6-foot-3, 198-pound bruiser who as an 18-year-old played in the prestigious Russian Elite League and who can stir things up in front of the net, win faceoffs and even score a little bit?

It was a no-brainer for the Lightning, which selected Svitov, the No. 2-ranked European prospect behind the sensational Ilja Kovalchuk, with the expectation he will play next season on the third or fourth lines.

"He's big," general manager Rick Dudley said. "He's tough, and he can skate."

But Svitov has many hurdles to overcome.

The Elite League is stellar and includes former NHL players. Still, playing in North America, with its smaller rinks, red lines and enforcers, is a step as wide as the Atlantic Ocean.

Just as daunting will be living away from home for an extended period in a new country, and with a lot of money. This year's rookie salary cap is about $1.2-million.

Svitov doesn't speak much English. He did his interviews Saturday with the help of Tampa Bay's Russian scout Yuri Yanchenkov.

Nikolai Svitov, a factory worker who was an amateur volleyball player, said his son will not be overwhelmed by circumstances away from the rink.

"Alex doesn't feel money is the most important thing in the world," Nikolai said through Yanchenkov. "He finds the most important thing is his profession."

As for circumstances at the rink, the Lightning said all the tools are there. Svitov needs just fine tuning and experience.

"He can help because he is sound defensively," said Lightning head scout Jake Goertzen, who saw Svitov play 15 times and has repeatedly read the 90 reports filed on him by Tampa Bay's Russian scouts.

"The coaches can put him in regularly simply because he's so responsible defensively. He's a strong kid. He has played against men the last few years, so he has the feeling of how hard you have to work to play with a winner."

Give Svitov credit. He knows the best European players do not rest on their skills in the NHL.

"As far as my style, it's a combination of Russian artistic hockey and the North American physical style," he said.

Svitov eventually must adapt to west-central Florida, not easy for a person who likes cold weather.

Svitov said temperatures in Siberia regularly fall to 22 degrees below zero in winter, and sometimes 40 below. When asked what he likes most about living in Omsk, he said the snow. When informed there was no snow in Tampa, Svitov laughed and said, "I will bring some from Russia. We don't have as much water as you do, but we have more snow."

But he will do it only after securing a spot with the Lightning.

If nothing else, Svitov is pragmatic. When asked if he will bring his parents or girlfriend, Julia, to live in Tampa, he said, "I don't want to force what will happen. My first goal is to make the team."

He gave basically the same answer when asked if he would mind playing another year in Russia or in the minors, and about his first purchase after signing his contract.

A good guess for the purchase would be lots of Coke, which is one of the few English words Svitov knows. Dudley said the language barrier hindered the development of Russian and former Lightning forward Alexander Kharitonov, who was traded last week to the Islanders. He said he expects Svitov and Tampa Bay's other Russian-speaking draft selections to buckle down and learn the language.

Svitov is a quick study, and already he can deliver a punch line with North American flair.

Asked if he was nervous waiting to be drafted, he said, in English and with a big smile, "Like ice."

Dudley's doings

Tampa Bay's Sunday trades:

A third-round selection in 2002 to the Flyers for a fourth-round pick (123rd overall) that became left wing Aaron Lobb, a fifth-round pick (138) that became defenseman Paul Lynch and a seventh-round pick (219) that became left wing Dennis Packard.

A fifth-round pick (152) to the Kings for sixth-round picks No. 184 and 188. The 188th pick became defenseman Art Femenella.

Pick No. 184 went to the Avalanche for defenseman Nolan Pratt.

A seventh-round pick in 2002 for an eighth-round pick (252) that became center Jean-Francois Soucy.

A ninth-round pick in 2002 to the Avalanche for a ninth-round pick (289) that became defenseman Henrik Bergfors.

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