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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 5, 2001
GOALIES
35 NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN
PRONOUNCED: hah-bee-BOO-lihn.
AGE: 28.
HT/WT: 6-1, 203.
THE SKINNY: Khabibulin played just two NHL games in two seasons because of a contract dispute with the Coyotes. But if he returns to elite status, his three-plus-season, $14.75-million contract that with incentives and an option year could go to $23.25-million (the richest in Lightning history), will be a bargain. Khabibulin works with a minimum of movement. He is almost always square to the shooter and his glove is quick. He sometimes appears slow going side-to-side but he always seems to get there.
SALARY: $3.5-million.
AGE: 26.
HT/WT: 6-0, 211.
THE SKINNY: The Lightning could not have asked anything more of Weekes during training camp. In great shape and with a healthy attitude, it appears he is willing to accept his backup role. General manager Rick Dudley has said the plan is for Weekes to play 32 games. If he performs as well as he did at the end of last season, the Lightning could have one of the best No. 2 goalies in the league and a welcomed security blanket in case Nikolai Khabibulin falters. Athletic and acrobatic, Weekes made great strides in not allowing soft goals and disrupting passes through the crease.
SALARY: $1.25-million.
5 JASSEN CULLIMORE
AGE: 28.
HT/WT: 6-5, 244.
THE SKINNY: Cullimore took a huge step forward last season and was unquestionably the team's best defenseman as the back line tried to compensate for the loss of Petr Svoboda. Cullimore gives an all-out effort whenever called upon and does not try to overextend himself. Though not a big hitter, he is a consistent checker and had a team-high 186 hits.
SALARY: $1.044-million.
PRONOUNCED: koo-BEE-nuh.
AGE: 24.
HT/WT: 6-4, 242.
THE SKINNY: The former seventh-round pick has star potential, if he could get one thing straight. He is a defenseman. That's not to say Kubina should always stop at the blue line, but forays forward should be taken with care. And he has to take better care of the puck. On the upside, he led the team last season with an average ice time of 24:06 and blocked a team-high 131 shots. His skating is much improved and his slap shot, which helped produce six power play goals, is as big as ever.
SALARY: $760,000.
PRONOUNCED: KOO-drawch.
AGE: 20.
HT/WT: 6-6, 255.
THE SKINNY: If Kudroc pins you to the boards, you have no chance of escape. If he checks you into the boards, you become part of them. He is raw and makes mistakes (like wrapping his arms around opponents, prompting holding calls) but Kudroc has the makings of a dominating defenseman. His awareness is good and his height and reach make him tough to get around.
SALARY: $1-million.
AGE: 39.
HT/WT: 6-2, 197.
THE SKINNY: Ledyard played 14 games for the Lightning last season before being traded to the Stars. But he made such an impression with his preparedness and willingness to work with the team's youngsters, general manager Rick Dudley felt he was important to re-sign. Don't expect much offense out of Ledyard. Steady, positional play is his forte, and don't underestimate the effect a word or two from a veteran player can have on a young back line and in the locker room.
SALARY: $370,000.
PRONOUNCED: NEHTS-kahsh.
AGE: 25.
HT/WT: 6-1, 214.
THE SKINNY: Thought to be no more than a throw-in as part of the deal that scored goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, Neckar proved to be a capable, sturdy and rugged defender. A stay-at-home type, which is just what the Lightning needs, Neckar knows his role and does it with energy and without fear of body contact. Perpetually sore knees are always a concern, but they have not been a problem since he came to Tampa Bay.
SALARY: $900,000.
AGE: 26.
HT/WT: 6-3, 200.
THE SKINNY: Acquired in trade from the Avalanche, Pratt is another stay-at-home type who is expected to bring some muscle to his position. He was part of the trade that sent Sandis Ozolinsh from the Hurricanes to the Avs, but ice time became an issue and he asked for a trade. He was benched during the playoffs and did not participate in Colorado's Stanley Cup victory over the Devils.
SALARY: $500,000.
PRONOUNCED: SAHR-ihch.
AGE: 23.
HT/WT: 6-3, 204.
THE SKINNY: If the preseason was any indication, Sarich is ready to start throwing more of the crunching body checks that should be a major part of his repertoire. Credit a better sense of his own game and knowing when a big check won't take him out of the play. The Lightning sees star quality, but before that happens, Sarich must improve on his dismal plus/minus and a defense-high 71 giveaways.
SALARY: $650,000.
PRONOUNCED: Svah-BOH-duh.
AGE: 35.
HT/WT: 6-2, 198.
THE SKINNY: The veteran anchor of Tampa Bay's defense until he sustained a concussion against the Coyotes in December, Svoboda is not expected to regain active status any time soon. Before even considering playing, Svoboda needs a symptom-free month and about six weeks of conditioning. Teammate and friend Pavel Kubina has said Svoboda is not considering retirement and Svoboda's agent Doug Messier has said his client wants to play for the Czech Republic in the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City.
SALARY: $2.5-million.
PRONOUNCED: ZYOO-zin.
AGE: 23.
HT/WT: 6-1, 219.
THE SKINNY: The last player left in the trade that netted Zyuzin, Bill Houlder, Shawn Burr and Steve Guolla from the Sharks, though general manager Rick Dudley has said he is the most important part. The 1996 first-round draft pick has offensive skills to burn. The trick is getting them to come out consistently. He has shown flashes during preseason such as when he scored two goals against the Capitals off excellent game-flow reads. A great skater who needs an injury-free season.
SALARY: $850,000.
15 NIKITA ALEXEEV
PRONOUNCED: Al-LEX-ee-ev.
AGE: 19.
HT/WT: 6-5, 210.
THE SKINNY: Alexeev is still young but shows signs of future stardom. An excellent skater, the left wing has demonstrated an ability to stickhandle in close quarters. And he is confident. Asked if he was ready for the NHL, he emphatically said yes. The only issues, he said, are the speed of the game and learning the tendencies of his teammates. Alexeev had 31 goals, 41 assists and 45 penalty minutes in 64 games last season for the IHL's Detroit Vipers.
SALARY: $1.075-million.
PRONOUNCED: AN-druh-chuhk.
AGE: 38.
HT/WT: 6-4, 220.
THE SKINNY: Andreychuk's most-pronounced effect might be on the power play. His 236 goals with the man advantage are tied for second all-time with Brett Hull and are 13 behind Phil Esposito. Andreychuk's 572 goals are fourth all-time among left wings. Beyond the statistics, Andreychuk's presence on the ice and in locker room should be a calming influence on what is still a very young team. He is not a rah-rah guy, but enjoys counseling teammates one-on-one. He played last season for the Sabres.
SALARY: $850,000.
AGE: 28.
HT/WT: 6-0, 189.
THE SKINNY: Things got a lot more interesting last season after Barnaby was acquired from the Penguins. Three times Barnaby brawled -- twice with Boston's Andrei Nazarov and once with Boston's Bill Guerin -- less than seven seconds into games. Tampa Bay finally had an accomplished agitator, and many of its players felt safer with such a willing combatant on the team. A problem with giveaways notwithstanding, Barnaby can play. He can take a turn on the first line or muck around on the fourth. The Lightning brass thinks Barnaby can score 20. Maybe, maybe not. But goals are not how to measure his worth.
SALARY: $1.35-million.
PRONOUNCED: KLIGH-muhr.
AGE: 23.
HT/WT: 6-1, 199.
THE SKINNY: A switch from defense to right wing probably saved Clymer's future with the Lightning. Clymer did not make the team last season as a defenseman, but a turn at forward after a February call-up produced four goals in his last eight games. He has good hands and is a quick study as he and preseason linemates Vinny Prospal and Dave Andreychuk clicked almost immediately. Clymer does not look to fight but has a feisty streak and won't back down. He may see some duty on defense in a pinch.
SALARY: $650,000.
AGE: 23.
HT/WT: 6-3, 215.
THE SKINNY: Dwyer worked hard for a spot on the team, coming to camp in the best shape of his career. A fourth-line left wing, Dwyer gives you fearless, eager energy and honest effort with a thud. If preseason is any indication, he has learned to better control his emotions. No longer does simply breathing on Dwyer draw a punch in the mouth. A good shove ought to do it.
SALARY: $440,000.
AGE: 29.
HT/WT: 5-11, 190.
THE SKINNY: It took a while for Holzinger to find his niche after being acquired from the Sabres in March 2000, but last season's switch from right wing to center seemed to give him life. Holzinger is a great skater and a steady performer. The additions of Vinny Prospal and Tim Taylor may hurt his playing time, though no one has ruled out giving him occasional turns back at wing.
SALARY: $1.125-million.
PRONOUNCED: luh-kav-uhl-YAY.
AGE: 21.
HT/WT: 6-4, 205.
THE SKINNY: When will Lecavalier's holdout end? No one can tell. Publicly, neither the Lightning nor Lecavalier's agent, Kent Hughes, are talking about an end point. Too bad because Tampa Bay has a real chance to make an improvement this season. It would have been nice for the team to have its most-skilled and most-popular player in the lineup. It's not that Lecavalier doesn't have shortcomings. He did not play well last season while overcoming injuries and dealing with coach John Tortorella's insistence he play defense. But that doesn't negate the center's huge (and we mean huge) upside. Many think he can be a superstar. He can't prove it without a contract.
SALARY: Unsigned.
PRONOUNCED: MEH-troh-poh-LIHT.
AGE: 27.
HEIGHT: 5-11.
WEIGHT: 185.
THE SKINNY: Metropolit made a big splash in his first Lightning game, getting a goal and an assist in the preseason finale against the Panthers. But Metropolit wasn't acquired for his scoring but his versatility (he can play any forward position), energy and grit. The report from Washington, where he played last season before being claimed by Tampa Bay in the waiver draft, is he did not provide enough defense. Metropolit, whose name has Ukranian origin, said he never was given a consistent chance. He should get it with the Lightning.
SALARY: $450,000.
PRONOUNCED: moh-DEEN.
AGE: 27.
HT/WT: 6-4, 225.
THE SKINNY: Modin is a 40-goal scorer waiting to happen. The left wing, who had a team-high eight power play goals last season, is big, strong and extremely sturdy on his skates. More to the point is the 102.1 mph slap shot he used to win the hardest shot competition at last season's All-Star game. Much is expected of the World All-Star, especially considering the high level of play he and linemates Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis are supposed to generate. Modin is quietly assuming a leadership role in the locker room, but goals, lots of them and in big situations, are how Modin's worth will be measured.
SALARY: $1.275-million.
PRONOUNCED: OL-ve-stahd.
AGE: 21.
HT/WT: 6-1, 189.
THE SKINNY: Olvestad provides lots of energy and coach John Tortorella said he loves the right wing's smarts. He also isn't afraid to stick his nose into the fray, all of which helped Olvestad find a place on a team that needs as much grit as it can find. Olvestad played last season in Sweden for Djurgarden and had seven goals, eight assists and 79 penalty minutes in 50 games. He also played in the World Championships.
SALARY: $450,000.
PRONOUNCED: PRAWS-pahl.
AGE: 26.
HT/WT: 6-2, 195.
THE SKINNY: Prospal, a good skater who's creative with the puck, did everything right in training camp. That after a season in which he did everything wrong. The center was equally bad in stints with the Senators and the Panthers, which is why Prospal, traded to Tampa Bay over the summer, looks at this season as a fresh start. Look for him on the second line and on the power play, and his 52.32 win percentage on faceoffs is a bonus. The Lightning wants to see the Prospal of two seasons ago, when he scored 22 goals for Ottawa. Likes to be called Vinny.
SALARY: $825,000.
AGE: 21.
HT/WT: 6-1, 197.
THE SKINNY: There is a case to be made that Richards should have been voted NHL rookie of the year over San Jose goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. But Richards was hurt by the national perception of the Lightning, which finished 29th out of 30 teams and was on ESPN only once. Had the voters been able to watch, they would have noticed Richards' great passing skill and vision as he set Tampa Bay rookie records for goals, assists and points and was second on the team with seven power play goals. Like many young, offensive threats, he needs to concentrate on defense and not be complacent. He took care of one need by bulking up about 15 pounds over the summer.
SALARY: $975,000
PRONOUNCED: san loo-EE
AGE: 26.
HT/WT: 5-9, 185.
THE SKINNY: Probably the league's biggest free agent bargain last season, St. Louis provided a spark bigger than anyone expected. A great skater with matching stick-handling skills, the right wing demanded more playing time last season and delivered way past his career highs of three goals and 15 assists. A tireless worker who masterfully avoids getting caught up with the big bodies around the league. One problem last season: his inability to finish breakaways. Has looked exceptional during training camp.
SALARY: $250,000.
AGE: 32.
HT/WT: 6-1, 189.
THE SKINNY: It seemed like the Lightning couldn't win a big faceoff last season. Enter Taylor, whose 59.24 percent winning percentage was sixth among players with at least 200 draws. The center also should be an audible presence in the locker room, where he should be able to refocus his teammates. That's something the Lightning sorely lacked last season, especially when things started going wrong during games.
SALARY: $1.55-million.
PRONOUNCED: YOO-hah YOO-lih-nehn.
AGE: 29.
HT/WT: 6-1, 185.
THE SKINNY: Another defensive-minded player who adds to the Lightning's grittiness meter. A likely third-line player and penalty killer, he is labeled for the left wing but also can play center. He is a steady performer, who knows his role and doesn't try to get too far beyond it.
SALARY: $750,000