From: wilson@cs.ucf.edu (tom wilson)
Subject: LIGHTNING NEWS: Newspaper Article on Expansion
Keywords: TB, Ott, SJ
Organization: University of Central Florida, Orlando
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 03:47:43 GMT

* Lightning must brace for some growing pains

An expansion team is a lot like that little 9-year-old right fielder with
the hat pulled down to his eyes, the one who gets into the lineup only when
the game is out of hand and a few outs remain.

He's hardly noticeable at the end of the bench. But once in a while, he
provides an element of surprise: a funny line, a shoe-string catch, an
occasional hit off the end of his bat.

Expect little from him; be happy when he delivers. And believe he'll grow to
be something special.

Beginning this week, NHL fans in Ottawa and Tampa Bay will experience something
similar. Hockey returns to Ottawa and debuts in Tampa.

Tampa Bay led the Norris Division preseason standings (6-2-1) but don't be
fooled by the Lightning's early showing. At times, this venture could get
ugly.

Although Tampa Bay and Ottawa parted with $50 million each to join this
fraternity on ice -- one year after San Jose did the same -- they will start
with little.

Being an NHL expansion team means growing pains. There are no shortcuts. The
74-75 Washington Capitals, for instance, won 8 of 80 games and finished with
21 points. It took the franchise 8 seasons to make the playoffs in a sport in
which nearly every team makes them.

If success is to arrive, it is most likely to arrive through years of selecting
quality players in the entry draft, a good development program and beneficial
trades. In the meantime, patching up the holes in the franchise presents a
considerable challenge, as well as several avenues for options.

The Ottawa Senators' blueprint to success is geared toward youth. San Jose,
after finishing 17-58-5 in its inaugural season, has decided to try a different
angle and now leans toward a youthful approach. Tampa Bay made obtaining
"character players" a priority.

"Our first priority was not even talent, but character," Lightning President
and General Manager Phil Esposito said. "It's a word often used in sports, but
my feeling is -- and maybe I'll be dead wrong -- that this team will set the
tone for the Tampa Bay franchise forever.

"No, we're not going to win the Stanley Cup this season. But we're going in
there thinking we are."

The Lightning will build around veterans much as the Orlando Magic pursued
Reggie Theus to help get their basketball team off the ground. Lightning
players Basil McRae, 31, and Rob Ramage, 33, not only have 24 seasons of
experience between them, but they have proven themselves as leaders in other
cities.

By obtaining Ramage, Joe Reekie, Doug Crossman, and Peter Taglianetti in the
expansion draft and by investing in the future by taking Czechoslovakia's
Roman Hamrlik with the first overall pick in June's entry draft, Tampa Bay
decided to stock up at the blue line. Defense should be a strength.

"These guys have been through the wars, and having a veteran defensive corps
could be one of our saving graces," Tampa Bay coach Terry Crisp said. "That's
going to hold us in there on nights the roof is crashing down and the water
is coming in that boat faster than you can bail 'er out."

Ottawa may have drafted the better offensive mix. Sylvain Turgeon and Andy
McBain, for instance, have been 30-goal scorers in other cities -- Turgeon
scored 45 goals for Hartford in 85-86 -- and, along with linemate Neil Brady,
24, are former first-round draft picks. Turgeon and McBain are 27.

"We targeted players ages 23 to 27 and tried to get as many as we could in
that range," Ottawa GM Mel Bridgman said. "Other than two or three players,
all of our players will be younger than 30.

"We scouted for depth in the minor leagues, looking for prospects with
potential. We looked at the reasons why some players didn't fit in where they
were. Sometimes it was just numbers. A guy like Brady hasn't been given an
opportunity to develop into an NHL player. Given the chance here, he might
develop into an excellent hockey player."

Chuck Gillo, San Jose's vice president and director of player personnel, said
if he could offer advice to franchises in Ottawa and Tampa Bay, it would be to
test the organization's young players at the NHL level.

"We had success at the gate and with our marketing group, and we were
competitive in our own building [14-23-3 at home], but we weren't totally
satisfied with the year we had," Gillo said. "We didn't play enough of our
young players...and that wasn't smart on our part.

"We weren't winning on the road [3-35-2], our players were an average of 28
years old, and we were in last place in the NHL. It's very hard to improve a
28-year-old hockey player. So we decided we had to go younger. I think you're
going to see our average age drop considerably, and at the same time, you're
going to see a more skilled team."

If San Jose taught its brothers in expansion anything, it's that regardless
of records, both can step into the league and be competitive. Thirty of the
Sharks' 58 losses came by two or fewer goals.

"Every day is a new day and every day is a work day," said McRae, who played
for Minnesota the past five seasons. "We have to keep going foward. We need to
develop an identity in Tampa, and that means a lot to me. When you put that
sweater on, you have to feel good about yourself and walk around with your
head up.

"Those who don't have good attitudes aren't going to be around here very long."

Welcome to the NHL, Ottawa and Tampa Bay. There's an opening in right field.
Grab your glove and get in the game.

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How Expansion Teams Fared

TEAM          Entered   Record    1st .500 season
Los Angeles    67-68   31-33-10   73-74            ---+
Minnesota      67-68   27-32-15   71-72               !
Oakland        67-68   15-42- 7   -                   ! played in the
Philadelphia   67-68   31-32-11   72-73               ! same division
Pittsburgh     67-68   27-34-14   74-75               !
St. Louis      67-68   27-31-16   68-69            ---+
Buffalo        70-71   24-39-15   72-73
Vancouver      70-71   24-46- 8   74-75
Atlanta        72-73   25-28-15   74-75
NY Islanders   72-73   12-60- 6   74-75
Kansas City    74-75   15-54-11   87-88 (as New Jersey)
Washington     74-75    8-67- 5   82-83
Edmonton       79-80   28-39-13   81-82            ---+
Hartford       79-80   27-34-19   85-86               ! came from
Quebec         79-80   25-44-11   81-82               ! WHA
Winnipeg       79-80   20-49-11   81-82            ---+
San Jose       91-92   17-58- 5   -

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Tom