Only three teams had fewer victories last season than Tampa Bay's 24 -- the Islanders (21), Panthers (22) and Thrashers (23). Even through the Lightning lost eight of their final nine games in 2000-01, the season ended with one tremendous positive, namely the introduction of goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. After taking almost two seasons off, Tampa Bay acquired "The Bulin Wall" from Phoenix late in the season, and while shaking off the rust, Khabibulin went 1-1 with a 2.92 GAA and .913 save percentage in two starts. The other major positive from an otherwise dismal season was the emergence of center Brad Richards, who led the team with 62 points (21-41-62) in his rookie season. Unfortunately, Richards' emergence didn't coincide with further improvement from team captain and childhood friend Vincent Lecavalier. The 21-year-old center missed 24 games and totaled 16 fewer points than 1999-2000.

	2000-01 by the numbers
	Record: 24-47-6-5, 59 points (29th overall, 14th East, 5th Southeast) Man-games lost to injury: 269 (9th) Goals for: 201/2.45 (23rd) Goals against: 280/3.41 (28th) Differential: -79 (29th overall) 20-goal scorers: Fredrik Modin (32), Vincent Lecavalier (23), Brad Richards (21) 50-point scorers: Richards (61), Modin (57), Lecavalier (51)

Looking at next season
Although the Lightning still have some major holes to fill, there's potential for Tampa Bay to be one of the league's most improved teams in '01-02. The Lightning allowed 280 goals last season -- third worst in the league. But with Khabibulin and Kevin Weekes, the Lightning now have a goaltending tandem with potential to be at the top of the league. Khabibulin will need some time to get back into his All-Star form, and Weekes needs to be more consistent, yet both are talented and have the much-coveted ability to steal games on their own.

GM Rick Dudley made some nice moves this offseason, adding injury-prone but valuable Tim Taylor and Juha Ylonen to the center position, and Nolan Pratt on defense. The Lightning are deep -- no, that's not a typo -- at center with Lecavalier, Richards, Taylor and Ylonen -- to go along with Ryan Johnson and journeyman John Emmons. However, using the helicopter analogy, the Lightning don't have any wings. Actually, they have a few but depth is a major issue. Fredrik Modin's 32 goals and All-Star status confirm that the strapping left wing (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) has a bomb for a shot and a nose for the net. But after Modin, the next best left wing is Martin St. Louis (18-22-40), who finally received the opportunity to prove his worth at the NHL level, despite his 5-foot-9 frame. The right side is even more problematic -- Brian Holzinger (11-25-36) represents the biggest scoring threat. Beyond Holzinger, there's four-goal scorer Matthew Barnaby, whose productivity comes from his hands, but it's his fists and not his goal-scoring touch that make him valuable.

On defense, there's potential to be improved, but it's a young group. After 35-year-old Petr Svoboda, whose career may be over after a concussion in December cost him the rest of the season, Jassen Cullimore is the only blueliner over 25. The next-oldest blueliners are recently acquired Nolan Pratt and Stan Neckar, who are both 25. Pratt, who was a reserve on the Cup-champ Avs last season, will help out, and Pavel Kubina continued to make great strides while showing a scoring touch. The 6-foot-4 Czech native reduced his plus-minus by 20 from two years ago to minus-13 and scored 11 goals, including six on the power play. Even still, it's a big, but young, crop prone to making plenty of mistakes.

The best hope for Tampa Bay to find some scoring balance is to move one or two centers to wing -- especially if 2001 draft pick Alexander Svitov is ready to play in the NHL. Svitov, a 6-foot-3 center, could be a candidate for wing, as well. If Richards and Modin can maintain and even build upon last season's successes, and Lecavalier can have the breakout season people expected in 2000-01, Tampa Bay could have two solid offensive lines. However, the Lightning remain one of the league's youngest teams -- average age is less than 26 -- and it seems like Khabibulin and Weekes will have to be exceptional all season if the Lightning expect to win enough games to compete for a playoff spot.

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com.