Wright exceeding early expectations with Lightning

For a guy who's living at the Embassy Suites because he might be back in juniors next week, 19-year-old James Wright has attained a rather lofty status with the Lightning.

The rookie forward from Saskatchewan, Canada, can't even draw an NHL paycheck yet because he lacks a U.S. social security number. But when the Sharks visit on Thursday night, he'll probably be on the first line with Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis.

"I think he's surprised himself," center Steven Stamkos said. "He obviously has had the talent all the way. He just got here a lot quicker than he expected."

Wright, who is paying his expenses with a loan from his parents, admits he never imagined playing on a line with the team's two biggest stars so soon.

"I mean, what can I say there?" he said. "They're unbelievable hockey players. Just to be wearing the same jerseys as them out there is pretty special. To be on their same line is awesome."

Wright came to Tampa Bay's rookie camp six weeks ago as little more than an extra body, unmentioned among the most notable players on a team press release announcing the rookie roster.

But the 2008 fourth-round pick impressed coaches and teammates with his skating and tenacious play, and on Sept. 26 the Lightning signed him to a three-year entry-level contract.

That gave the Lightning up to nine regular-season games to keep Wright or send him back to his Western Hockey League junior team, the Vancouver Giants. Thursday is Wright's eighth game.

"I think it depends really on how I play these next two games - I hope so, anyway," Wright said. "I hope I can prove to them with my play that I deserve to be here."

That Wright has no points while averaging 13:09 minutes of ice time is fine with coach Rick Tocchet. As long as Wright continues to earn his keep with his forechecking, puck-dogging and overall work ethic, he'll continue to hold the team's interest.

"The offensive stuff will come with maturity," Tocchet said.

Veteran center Jeff Halpern, on whose line Wright played through the first seven games, says he has been impressed with Wright since even before his first preseason game Sept. 21 against Ottawa in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The two played together for the first time the next night against Phoenix in Everett, Wash.

"Every time I picked my head up, he was there to support me, and he was in the right spot," Halpern said. "So he kind of proved there that he's easy to play with. He has continued to perform like that - being in the right spots, being reliable. As a center, it makes it very easy to play with someone like that."

Part of Wright's job is to help get Lecavalier going - no small responsibility. The four-time all-star has not scored a goal in his past 14 games dating to last season, and Tocchet has shuffled the lines, moving St. Louis up and dropping Alex Tanguay down.

Wright's new role is something of an experiment.

"I'm not an overly skilled guy, obviously," he said. "Those two players (Lecavalier and St. Louis) are. I think what I can do to help both of them and our line be successful is just keep doing what I'm doing.

"I mean, they're obviously the skilled guys who we want to have the puck. So when I have it, I'll be looking for them most of the time, trying to get pucks in deep and get in on their 'D' man, trying to get the puck back for them and going to the net hard."

NOTE: Beaten by a combined score of 11-2 in their past two games, the Lightning relieved some tension Tuesday by ending practice with a game of "naked shootout." Players had to shed pieces of gear when they missed a shot, and while no one got anywhere near naked, St. Louis was wearing sandals when he finally scored. "I think my next piece would have been my stick," St. Louis said. "I would have tried to score with my feet."