The mysterious Khabibulin: breaking down the game of the Lightning's enigmatic weapon

Sporting News, The, May 17, 2004

Nikolai Khabibulin's career has been hard to figure out--he's a great talent one moment, a frustrating underachiever the next, Sure, he has guided the Lightning to the Eastern Conference final against the Hyers, but a year ago he was rumored to be trade bait after a subpar playoffs. G.M. Jay Feaster stuck with him, and his team is reaping the benefits. "He has answered the challenge," coach John Torterella told reporters earlier in the playoffs. "We need him at the top of his game, and that's where he has been."

Khabibulin, 31, has been pushed, knowing that Tortorella won't hesitate to pull him in favor of capable backup John Grahame, as he did in Game 5 of the second round against the Devils last season. Khabibulin's strong play is owed, in large part, to Tortorella, who knows how to motivate Khabibulin to play his best.

During the Lightning's sweep of the Canadiens, Montreal winger Alexei Kovalev told the Montreal Gazette that Khabibulin was playing well even when he was screened. "He's tough to beat because he's seeing the puck," Kovalev said," and when he doesn't see it, he gets into position to stop the puck."

"(He's) positionally very' sound and a pretty good reader of the play," says former NHL goalie Glenn Healy, now an analyst on Canadian TV. "You don't often see it where players have wide-open nets with Khabibulin."

Healy and an Eastern Conference scout further dissect Khabibulin's game:

Weakness

Khabibulin has shown a lack of focus and concentration at times, including at big moments, giving up soft goals. But this has been less of an issue in the playoffs.

Healy: "(His mental game) is getting stronger all the time. I think the way the mental game is enhanced is by winning; it builds confidence."

Scout: "His knock has been his inconsistency, but he hasn't been inconsistent in these playoffs and he's proven I he can steal games."

Strength

A quick glove hand keeps Khabibulin and his butterfly ways, from being consistently vulnerable up high.

How to score on Khabibulin

Healy: "You've got to go to the from of the net and pay' a price and get one of those rebounds he tends to kick out. When you go down with that butterfly with your pads down, when the puck hits your pad, it's pretty tough to control it."

Scout: "Traftic is a must. That's a no-brainer. And you've got to make him move side to side. You're going to score by making cross-ice passes, make him adjust. His angles are solid, and he reads the play well, but with all goalies, make them move and you've got a better chance."

Strength

At 6-1. 213, Khabibulin doesn't expose a lot of net. His acrobatic ability allows him to reach any part of the net he isn't blocking with his--Kara Yorio and Prod Grant

Weakness

He can't handle the puck like Martin Brodeur or Marty Turco, but Khabibulin has worked hard on improving his puck-handling. The Lightning, however, wants him tending the net, not playing behing it or in corners trying to be a third defenseman.

Strength

Fundamentally a butterfly goalie, Khabibulin rarely leaves a lot of space between his pads, getting his stick in the way when his knees aren't down in the ice.