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From Russia with glove: after two years in limbo Nikolai Khabibulin has found a home—and success—in the crease for Tampa Bay - inside hockey - Interview

Hockey Digest,  May, 2002  by Tom Worgo

COMMON WISDOM IS THAT Lightning never strikes twice, and nowhere has that adage been more apparent than in the crease in Tampa Bay's Ice Palace.

In the lightning's decade-long existence, 20 different goalies have started games for the franchise including such forgettable netminders Mark Fitzpatrick, Pete Jablonski, and Bill Ranford. Entering the 2001-02 campaign, the Lightning played at least five different goalies for four consecutive seasons.

But after years of trying to build a foundation in the net, the team was found a stabilizing force in the "Bulin Wall." In Nikolai Khabibulin, Tampa appears to have finally found its franchise goalie. After missing virtually two seasons in a bitter contract dispute with his former employer, the Phoenix Coyotes, the 29-year-old Russian has helped Tampa Bay to what is shaping up to be its best season in five years.

Khabibulin almost most single-handedly kept the Lightning, who last played in the postseason in 1996, in the playoff hunt late into the season, ranking among the league leaders in shutouts, save percentage, and goals-against average.

"Coming to a team that needed big-time help at the position, I think he wanted to carry this team," Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella says. "He has done that for most of the year. Nikolai has been fantastic. You can't ask for much more from him. He gives you a chance to win every night."

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Khabibulin, a ninth-round pick in the 1992 entry draft and the Russian Olympic team's starting goalie in Salt Lake City, is certainly living up to the three-year, $14 million contract he signed with Tampa Bay after being acquired in a five-player deal in March 2001.

After a two-game stint for the Lightning at the end of last season, Khabibulin has picked up where he left off in 1998-99 when he finished third in the league in shutouts (eight), fifth in wins (32), and tied for fourth in save percentage (.923).

Khabibulin's current success can be attributed to his physical conditioning. The goalie quit smoking during his sabbatical, and though he still guzzles coffee, he showed up at Tampa's training camp last September with only 9% body fat, the lowest of his career. As a result, Khabibulin, who in Phoenix relied more on talent than conditioning, regained his elite form faster than expected.

"He surprised me how quickly he got back to that level and he even went beyond [the level he was at] when I was coaching in Phoenix," says Tortorella, a Coyotes assistant coach from 1997-99. "This year compared to when he was in Phoenix, I think he is in so much better shape. In Phoenix, he wasn't a well-conditioned athlete at all."

Before the All-Star break, Khabibulin had already set a Tampa Bay record for shutouts in a season with six.

"He's played at least as good as any other goalie [this season]," says Philadelphia scout Ron Hextall, a Flyers goalie for 11 seasons. "Considering his long break, it is somewhat surprising."

Khabibulin's accomplishments have been that much more remarkable considering the defense in front of him. It's a mediocre group led by unheralded players such as Jassen Cullimore, Pavel Kubina, Stan Neckar, and Mathieu Biron. "He's with a team that's not as defensive as the team he used to be with," Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig says. "They do have some forwards up front that can do damage."

The problem is those forwards haven't been scoring as expected. Tampa Bay ranks among the worst offensive teams in the NHL. "We can't score," Tortorella says. "We simply can't finish. You can't be that perfect defensively."

Khabibulin, though, doesn't worry about playing a perfect game every time. "I really can't put too much pressure on myself," he says. "You have to stick with what you have to do on the ice. Each player has certain responsibilities and mine is to stop pucks. I'm trying to do that as best I can and hopefully the results will follow."

They have. Khabibulin certainly made his presence felt in the 2002 All-Star Game, shutting out the North American team for the entire third period while the World team rallied with five goals for an 8-5 win in Los Angeles. He made 20 saves to join Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, and Kolzig as the only goalies to play a scoreless period in the last 14 All-Star games. Those 20 saves also tied him with Dominik Hasek for the record for the most saves by a goalie since the league starting using three goalies instead of two in 1992. But the game's MVP went to Chicago Blackhawks left wing Eric Daze, due in large part to the ballots being collected before the game ended so a winner could be named immediately following the contest.

Khabibulin was a natural choice to be in the nets for his native Russia during the Olympics. He was among the first eight players named to the Russian Olympic team last March. Being the starting goalie for his country put a lot of pressure on him. Khabibulin didn't play well in the games leading up to the two-week Olympic break. "He struggled and I think the Olympics played on his mind," Tortorella says.


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