Hoping magic can strike twice

Sporting News, The, July 28, 2003 by Kara Yorio

The Lightning won the Southeast Division and advanced a round in the playoffs last season, but that was with Vaclav Prospal leading the offense. Now, Prospal is gone--a big free-agent loss for a young team--and his production must be replaced. There is reason for hope, but for now, it's 1,500 miles north of the St. Pete Times Forum.

There are moments of magic in the late mornings this summer on the ice at Gutterson Fieldhouse at the University of Vermont. A click of recognition followed by the laughter of two friends remembering great times from the past and hoping for more in the future.

"I think we always have that little something," says center Eric Perrin of himself and Lightning star right winger Martin St. Louis.

That something is a chemistry that can't be taught. The Lightning hopes the magic can strike at the NHL level for the first time next season.

Perrin, 27, signed in June as a free agent after three seasons in the Finnish Elite League and three others in the IHL. He will go to an NHL training camp with a contract for the first time. He knows there will be pressure, and he's preparing as never before--but with a little help from his friend.

"Martin, he's like my adviser," says Perrin.

St. Louis also is Perrin's drill sergeant, helping him work out--along with the Vermont strength coach--five mornings a week. It's the program St. Louis was given by the Lightning, and while they work out, St. Louis is imparting knowledge. St. Louis, a speedy winger who is only 28, just hit the NHL's radar screen last season, but he has a lot of advice to offer.

"He's telling me a lot about the organization, the coach, things the coach likes, the systems and things I should be working on," says Perrin, who played with St. Louis from age 10 in Laval, Quebec, straight through college and into one season in the IHL. "Right now, I have a big, big advantage on some guys coming in blind."

Lightning general manager Jay Feaster is counting on that. He has wanted to get St. Louis and Perrin together since 1997, when the two graduated from college and Feaster wanted to bring them to his Hershey Bears. That didn't work out, but Feaster is hoping this will. It's a small risk for Feaster and the Lightning. He gave Perrin a two-way contract--paying him one salary if he's in the AHL and another if he's in the NHL. Feaster hopes Perrin is a guy determined to prove he belongs and that Perrin can boost St. Louis a bit, too.

The two always have worked well together. In four years as teammates at Vermont, they combined for 198 goals and 325 assists. Perrin left school ranked first all-time in games played (142), goals (107) and game winning goals (18). He is second in assists (149) and points (256). St. Louis is first in assists with 176 and points with 267.

College was a long time ago, but chemistry doesn't go away and both have become better, more complete players over the years. The magical moments aren't coming as often during their ice time this summer, but Perrin has an explanation: "After my workouts with him, my legs are tired."

Soon, though, Perrin will have adapted to the most structured workout summer of his career, and he'll be ready for camp.

"He's played really well in Europe the last three years and earned himself a chance to get back over here," St. Louis said in a Lightning web chat this month. "I'm excited for the chance he'll get and that he'll be a bigger part of my life. He knows the contract is the first step, and the second step is making the team. Eric is a gifted player, and he has all the tools. Now he just has to prove to people that he belongs in the NHL."

St. Louis knows the feeling. Both players are 5-9 and roughly 180, and players that size often get passed over. But both are feisty and willing to prove people wrong. St. Louis already has done it, and now it's Perrin's turn. Three seasons in Finland have prepared him well for the opportunity.

"In the Finnish Elite League, there's a large emphasis placed upon individual skill development," says Bill Zito, Perrin's agent. "It's a great place for skating and conditioning. There's a balanced training they go through.... We've had a lot of success jump-starting guys' careers by going to the Finnish League."

One of those guys was Devils defenseman Brian Rafalski, another player who is 5-9 and was overlooked by the NHL. When the Devils signed Rafalski as a free agent in June 1999, it wasn't very big news. Four years later, he has played on two Stanley Cup winners and is one of the best two-way defensemen in the game. Perrin calls Rafalski and goalie Tim Thomas his motivators.

"They gave me that example--to never give up," he says.

He didn't, and now he gets his chance.

Find out which free agents received qualifying offers from their teams and which didn't at www.sportingnews.com/nhl.> M@IL BONDING

KARA YORIO ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

I heard a move is under way to make the nets larger. What is your opinion on that?

Bill Chlero, Antioch, Calif.

Bill: The idea of making the nets bigger was proposed by commissioner Gary Bettman during the season, but it is not something the league has decided to do. It's just an idea and, as far as I'm concerned, not a very good one. The net needs to stay the same size; the goaltenders' equipment is what must be made smaller, and the league took a good first step last week by limiting the height of the goalie pads to 38 inches.