TAMPA, FLA.— Some things just don't change, so it should come as no surprise that former Wild winger Stephane Veilleux is the Tampa Bay Lightning's reining pingpong champion.
Veilleux tops the power rankings with Plymouth resident Ryan Malone "a close No. 2."
"I'm almost there. It's not like he's undefeated against me, but if it's two out of three, Steph's winning," said Malone, the former St. Cloud State standout. "Usually when I feel like I have him on the ropes, he just stands back and slams it in on me."
The one thing that has changed is Veilleux, a staple on the Wild checking line for most his six seasons in Minnesota, is playing on Tampa Bay's second line with Lightning leading scorers Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos .
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Veilleux entered Thursday's game against the Wild with no goals and two assists, but coach Rick Tocchet wants him to keep doing what he's known for: providing energy and being a pest.
"Just because you're on a top line doesn't mean you're a top-six forward. He's got to play his style," Tocchet said.
Last summer, Veilleux turned down a two-year deal in San Jose to sign for one in Tampa Bay because Lightning General Manager Brian Lawton told him he'd be a top-six forward. He felt he owed it to himself for the first time in his career to give playing on a scoring line a try.
But it was risky because in San Jose, Veilleux would have played for a coach -- Todd McLellan -- who loved him while coaching him in Houston.