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Tuesday, October 24
Tampa Bay has turned into a competitive franchise

By Al Morganti
Special to ESPN.com

Despite more than a year of strife at about every level imaginable, the Tampa Bay Lightning have found some solid footing with new ownership, management, coaches, and commitment in the locker room.

"I think a lot of people are sort of just looking past us," said goalie Kevin Hodson, an addition from a pretty good program in Detroit. "I think what you've got to do here, is look past some of the statistics, and just look at how this team is playing the game, look at the way we compete."


	Chris Gratton has become a solid leader for the Lightning.

But you can also take a peek at some statistics. Last year the Bolts went into their Christmas holiday with just 19 points. This season, they arrived at Christmas week with 28 points -- a number they didn't accumulate until mid February of last season.

More importantly, under GM Rick Dudley and coach Steve Ludzik, they have an entirely new attitude. By making a series of early-season trades to ship out those won't buy into the program, Tampa Bay has become a tough team to play against. You can see proof of that in the fact that six times already they have come back from two-goal deficits to either win or tie games in the third period.

Captain Chris Gratton has become the team leader Tampa had hoped for in his first tour of duty with the Lightning, while Dan Cloutier and Hodson give the Lightning the dependable goaltending they'll need as they develop.

Maybe they're not a blue chip stock just yet, but the Bolts certainly have better fundamentals.

A few pennies for Mario's coffer
In addition to getting a new coach, Herb Brooks, the Pittsburgh Penguins recently got something which might be more important -- a new influx of money. It's not exactly a partner for Mario Lemieux, but the team will benefit from the $18 million over 10 years that the Mellon Financial Corp. paid for the naming rights to the Igloo.

Let's see, $18 million over 10 years. That's $1.8 million per year -- that's about a second-line left winger.

To operate or not, that is the question
On first review, it sounds like good news for the Florida Panthers, who learned that goalie Trevor Kidd will not require surgery to repair his damaged shoulder.

Well, at least he won't need it right away. The plan calls for Kidd to try to rehabilitate the shoulder and get back in the lineup within eight weeks.

The downside is that if the rehab does not work, it will mean surgery later than anticipated, and Kidd will be gone for the season. In that case, the goalie chores are left to Mikhail Shtalenkov -- or expect a trade for a goalie at the March trade deadline.

If you want to make a case for an MVP at the Christmas break, how about the Panthers record of 13-1-1 when Pavel Bure scores a goal -- their first loss being Monday night against Toronto.

Is it bad that San Jose cannot beat Detroit?
The Red Wings have already beaten the San Jose Sharks three times this season, which should put a damper on those who think the Sharks are a real threat to win the Stanley Cup. The latest was a 4-3 loss at San Jose on Monday night, and the Wings have now outscored the Sharks, 14-8.

But you can also look at that from another angle: When the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 1996, they won the first game of the season against the Red Wings, and then lost the next three against Detroit, including a 7-0 blitzing at the end of the season.

The Avalanche then went on to beat Detroit in the playoffs, and win the Stanley Cup. The other good news for the Sharks is that Owen Nolan popped in a couple of goals during the most recent loss, so he has some confidence against the Wings.

Canucks may make more moves
The trade which brought Felix Potvin to the Vancouver Canucks might be the start of other changes in Vancouver. GM Brian Burke might not think of Garth Snow as a top-line goalie, but Snow is at the point of his career where he wants to be the top dog, and he could be moved along quickly.

The more bizarre aspect of the trade is from the Islanders side of the picture. If general manager Mike Milbury isn't so sure that 20-year-old goalie Roberto Luongo is ready to carry a team just yet, wouldn't it have made more sense to get a veteran goalie (Snow?) rather than Kevin Weekes?

Then again, the Isles stocked up further on younger talent with Bill Muckalt and Dave Scatchard.

The Islanders had been hoping to move Potvin since the start of the season, and were hopeful that Chicago would make a bid in addition to the Canucks.

No Peca-for-Primeau deal
Before they finally move free agent center Keith Primeau, you can expect the 'Canes to check back with the Buffalo Sabres about captain Michael Peca -- and then expect the Sabres to quickly say "no way."

Although Peca has struggled, general manager Darcy Regier recently said Peca was one of those special athletes who is more important to a team than his stats.

"I think there is a real bond between Michael and the fans, too," said Regier. "I think he sort of symbolizes the way we have to play the game."

Regier would not refer to Peca as "untouchable," but he made it very clear that it would take a lot more than Primeau to make him think about trading the team captain.

On the other hand, Regier is likely to have to make a trade-deadline decision on goalie Dominik Hasek, who recently made some comments in Prague that he could play another season. With this season fractured by a groin injury (Hasek could be back around the All-Star break), Hasek is hinting that he may want his final season to be more of a complete circuit, and he does have another year left on his contract.

Blend into that situation, the strong play of rookie goalie Martin Biron, and you can understand why there is likely to be a flurry of deadline offers for Hasek. The Sabres would likely have to make a "conditional" trade based on whether or not Hasek plays the following season, but all of this is setting up a wild few weeks of rumors around the March 14 trade deadline.

More 'Cane talk
Back to the Hurricanes. You want to talk about mixed messages, consider this:

Carolina is reportedly interested in acquiring Petr Nedved from the New York Rangers as part of a deal which would transfer Primeau's rights to New York. No deals can be made until the Christmas freeze is over on Dec. 27, and no deal will be made unless the Rangers include Manny Malhotra or draft pick Jamie Lundmark.

But Nedved would be part of any such transaction.

Think about this -- Carolina wants to send a strong message that Primeau cannot get what he wants by holding out, so they might trade for Nedved -- a player who has made a career out of absences because of contract squabbles, one lasting more than a full season.

Sometimes it's just too weird.

Three who have no problem with the sophomore jinx
Milan Hejduk of the Colorado Avalanche already has 18 goals -- four more than last season. Marian Hossa of the Ottawa Senators, and Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning, are both on pace to more than double their offensive production from last season.

Al Morganti covers the NHL for ESPN.


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