Remember the 2005-06 season when the Blackhawks came to town and all the fanfare about Nikolai Khabibulin facing his former teammates for the first time since leaving as a free agent after the 2004 Cup season? Remember how Khabibulin convinced then-coach Trent Yawney to let him sit out the game because the atmosphere would be too much of a distraction?

Pretty disappointing at the time, and kind of hard to figure. Why wouldn't Nik want to show his former employers they made a mistake in not signing him?

He gets that chance Wednesday when the Lightning visits the Blackhawks at the United Center. Reporters who cover the team said Nik is scheduled to play but because, as one said, "He's been surly lately,'' they had not spoken to him about facing his former team.

Really, though, after three years, does it really matter? Chicago reporters were much more interested Tuesday with the return to the lineup of Martin Havlat. As another said when asked if he had spoken to Nik about facing the Lightning: "I hadn't even thought about it till you mentioned it.''