Bolts' Conacher small in stature, big on talent

Glancing across to his opposite-side wing on Wednesday, Marty St. Louis peered into a younger version of himself in 21-year-old Cory Conacher, who suited up for his first NHL preseason game and played alongside the 2004 MVP.

Just like St. Louis did 14 years ago, Conacher entered his first training camp this season as an undersized, undrafted player coming out of college. Conacher, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound forward from Canisius College, hopes the comparisons don't end there.

Conacher has been one of the biggest surprises of training camp and earned his way into the lineup Wednesday for Tampa Bay's preseason game against St. Louis at Amway Center. Conacher has been such a presence to this point, he was rewarded by skating alongside center Steven Stamkos and St. Louis, a boyhood idol.

"He's the exact same player as me, I guess you could say. He's small, he's got a powerful stride, he's quick, he's smart and he's played so many years in the NHL, so it's clear how good of a player he is and I look up to a guy like that,'' Conacher said.

So seeing a little bit of himself in Conacher, St. Louis has offered advice to the 21-year-old, offering tips on how to go about his business, how to handle himself on the ice and on being in the right place without worrying about his size.

"You don't have to show you can hit and this or that, you just have to show you can play hockey and he's shown that,'' St. Louis said. "He's a good little hockey player. This is his first training camp and you see similarities obviously in the size. He's a quick guy and looks pretty hungry out there."

Conacher is in camp as a free-agent invitee who is signed to minor-league contract with Tampa Bay's farm team in Norfolk, Va. Should he continue to impress, as he has since reporting for rookie camp Sept. 9, he could earn himself an NHL contract before the end of camp.

"It's a possibility, and it's early, but he's going to get a good opportunity here in the preseason. I think he's earning the right to play in preseason games and we'll see what he does on those,'' Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said.

"You can see he keeps up with the play, he's got skill and can skate. I think he's strong. He's not a big guy, but he's strong and we are encouraged by what we see in him.''

Conacher scored a goal Wednesday night, crashing the net and tapping in a pass from Brett Connolly in the third period.

Coming off a four-year career at Canisius, where he scored 62 goals to go with 85 assists in 129 games, Conacher earned tryouts at the end of last season with Rochester and Milwaukee in the American Hockey League, scoring four goals in five games between the teams.

By making a name for himself in such a short time with the Lightning, Conacher is well on his way to establishing himself, just as a young St. Louis did 14 years ago. And though Conacher's career path may not wind up the same as his idol's, things are starting off in the right direction, though he doesn't want to get ahead of himself.

"My dad keeps me pretty calm, and I talk to my mom and dad every day, and it's something you try to keep in the back of your head and not lose focus, just keep playing the way you are playing,'' Conacher said. "I'm still just the little guy and trying to make a name for myself, and I do that by working hard.

"My size is a disadvantage, but I just try to come back with speed, intensity and what the coach likes is relentlessness … and I think that is what is going to open the eyes of the coaches.''