Posted by Scott Burnside
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Had an interesting chat with
Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach and goaltending expert Cap Raeder about the dynamics of having three goaltenders all of whom are different ages and at different stages in their and have different goaltending styles.
"These are three good goalies," Raeder said of Olaf Kolzig, Mike Smith and Karri Ramo. "We have no trouble with the work ethic. They all compete. They've been very consistent, that's what we're looking for."
Ramo, the youngest at 22, will likely start the season in the American Hockey League with the Lightning's affiliate in Norfolk, where Raeder will visit periodically throughout the season. The longtime assistant coach and goaltending expert in San Jose said he has been careful not to try and force a different style on the trio.
"Be the best goaltender you can be," he said.
Raeder's also looking for something his old colleague in San Jose, legendary goalie coach Warren Strelow who died in April 2007, liked to talk about -- rebounding. Not controlling pucks, but how a goalie rebounds from a bad goal, a bad game.
"Do you have the personality to bounce back the next day?" Raeder said.
Or do you have the personality to rebound from a good outing or a good stretch and treat each game as a new event and not take things for granted, he added.
Has he seen enough from his trio of goaltenders to make a determination?
"It's way too early. That's a process, too," said Raeder.
Here comes the Commish
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will be in Prague today to take in a couple of open practices involving the New York Rangers and the Lightning. The Rangers were scheduled to fly into Prague this morning after their preseason game against Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the inaugural Victoria Cup in Bern, Switzerland, on Wednesday, a game won 4-3 by the Rangers.
Off day
The Lightning took the day off Wednesday after their final preseason game in Bratislava on Tuesday evening. That doesn't mean it was a day off, though. A handful of players, David Koci, a native of Prague, Vladimir Mihalik, who hails from Slovakia, Ryan Craig and Mike Lundin visited a local school for the mentally and physically handicapped. The players played bocce with the students and wheelchair hockey. The Mayor of Prague was on hand, too, and played some hockey, as well.
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