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Wednesday, June 20, 2001
Tampa Bay Lightning
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First-round picks: No. 3
2000-01 record: 24-47-6-5, 59 points (29th overall)
What they need
Tampa Bay needs to focus on adding more balance at the forward position. They ranked 23rd last season with 201 goals. The club also needs to beef up on the blueline, after allowing 280 goals last season. Only the Thrashers and Rangers allowed more goals. The Lightning do appear to be set in goal. The addition of Nikolai Khabibulin late in the season. coupled with Kevin Weekes gives them a solid one-two punch.
In the system
Tampa is hoping that wingers Dimitry Afanasekov (72nd overall in '98) and Sheldon Keefe (47th overall in '99), will come into their own this season. In addition, last year's first-round pick (8th overall), right wing Nikita Alexeev, may be ready to make the jump to the NHL this season after spending the past three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League. On the blueline, it looks like the only player who might be ready to make an impact next campaign is Brett Scheffelmaier, who spent last season with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League.
Recent draft history
Tampa Bay will select in the top ten for the second year in a row, the fourth time in the last five years, and eighth time in the last 10. The club has selected a forward with its first pick in each of the last three drafts, dating back to Vincent Lecavalier in 1998. The Lightning could buck that trend by choosing a defenseman this year.
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