...Jeff Vinik said long-term vision is more important than short-term hurdles and that Yzerman "is doing a great job" and "has my support 100 percent."

 Vinik mentioned the way Yzerman, in the fourth year of a five-year contract, has transformed the organization's minor league system and how players from that system are starting to contribute to the big club. Vinik also said his vision aligns with Yzerman in that one must be patient to grow a consistent winner "because there's no other way to do it."

I think Steve is doing a great job, yes. ... I couldn’t be more pleased with the job Steve Yzerman is doing. I think he's put together the best, or one of the best, staffs in all of hockey. I think they’ve done a great job in drafting and developing young players. I think he’s made a lot of good moves over the years. My general manager has my support 100 percent. ... Again, Steve has my full supprt. I think I said it the day at the first press conferece … He was at Detroit for, like, 19 years. I hope he's with this organization for 19 years, too.

Vinik on patience in building a winning franchise: There’s no other way to do it. We want to win the Stanley Cup this year. Do we hava shot at winning the Cup this year? We absolutely do and I hope we do, and three years ago we almost did. So, there’s no predicting. But the way to develop a program that’s going to be in the top of the NHL year after year after year is to draft young players and have them develop in the system and be contributors over time. It takes patience, but we’re getting there. These players are coming up and making a difference right now.

As for how Labrie has performed at camp, "Really well," Cooper said. "He's been shooting it hard and hitting the net." Actually, Cooper joked, "I'm trying not to look. I don't want him to walk in and say, 'Did you see that? I want to be on the power play.' "

Not to worry, Labrie said, "I just want to be in every game helping my team."

You would never know it watching the first few days of Lightning training camp, but Pierre-Cedric Labrie said he used to "skate like a moose."

But the big left wing also assured, "We took care of that."

Indeed, watching Labrie on the ice at the Tampa Bay Times Forum has been like watching a controlled whirlwind. His jersey flapping in the breeze during line rushes, the 6-foot-3, 236-pounder — whom coach Jon Cooper called "just a bear out there" — beat opponents to pucks along the boards and snapped off wrist shots that consistently went top shelf. By a very rough estimate, he is the team's top goal scorer.

It is just practice, but it is difficult to identify a player putting more effort into his roster fight.

"That's what I do," Labrie, 26, said Friday. "It's practice, game energy, forecheck, backcheck, always go as hard as I can. Every shift I give 100 percent. That's the way I am."

Labrie had a message for his cheering section: "I can hear. I love it."

And Labrie had something to say, too, for those keen on the rougher aspects of the game: "There will be change."

Labrie cited the way teams he was apart of under Cooper in NOR and SYR handled agitators: "There's gonna be five guys defending each other."

Labrie: "Even one slash [after the whistle, we're not taking that."

Labrie didn't say TB would necessarily fight more often but he clearly indicated he believes the team will be more confrontational.

"Cooper and I have a good relationship,” Connolly said. “I’m very happy he’s here and that I can work with him now. He’s a great coach and he was the best thing for me last year.”

Brett Connolly on training camp: "My confidence is the highest it's ever been...hopefully things will go according to plan." #BoltsCamp