By MARK EVERSON

March 20, 2003 -- If Lou Lamoriello isn't punishing Oleg Tverdovsky for seeking a second medical opinion, he's receiving the same effect, anyway.

"First of all, every time I sit out, it's very embarrassing for me. I don't like it at all," said Tverdovsky, enough of a star to represent Russia in the 1997 World Cup and the 2002 Olympics.

While Lamoriello should have been spending his time trading for a goal-scorer who would actually come to New Jersey, it appears the Object of Much Adoration Elsewhere was accomplishing nothing, expending too much energy on making an example of Tverdovsky.

It wasn't the first time. Krzysztof Oliwa, who may still be owed 300G in unpaid bonuses, was shipped out after seeking his second opinion and undergoing knee surgery.

"If I'm being punished, I'm being punished," Tverdovsky said. "I can't control these things. At that point, I was trying to take care of myself. Somebody in my shoes would understand my actions.

"If you'd experienced one day of what was going on in my life, we'd see what decision you'd make."

It fits the OMAE's MO that Tverdovsky is believed to have been offered, with Scott Gomez, in the deal that fell through for Teemu Selanne.

But while that deal at least had purpose, the other one that was nearly made was nothing but a punishment banishment, and where have we heard that phrase this season, Mike Danton?

It has been known since deadline day that Tverdovsky was also offered for Patrice Brisebois, being booed out of Montreal, and making $4 million per for three more years.

It would have been Lamoriello cutting off his nose to spite everyone else, but not Tverdovsky. Tverdovsky is better, younger and cheaper, and the deal only fell through because Brisebois wisely wouldn't turn his back on millions of the upcoming money he is guaranteed.

Lamoriello would only take on $2.5 million of Brisebois' annual salary, and Habs GM Andre Savard wouldn't absorb the other $1.5 million while also receiving Tverdovsky, who will have to be qualified at $3.6 million this season. Savard would have been paying a total of $5.1 million next year for Tverdovsky's services, and Lamoriello would have been saving $1.1 million by taking Brisebois.

Tverdovsky must compete with Richard Smehlik, Tommy Albelin and Ken Daneyko for a spot in the lineup these days, and there's little question that he is among the top two of that group. He was out there on the power play when Gomez scored the only goal in New Jersey's 1-0 victory in Montreal Tuesday night.

"When I play, all I have to do is play safe, make sure I don't get scored against," said Tverdovsky, in what seems a shackling of a player whose talents run towards creating offense the Devils sorely lack.

He just doesn't know whether he'll play again tomorrow night when the Penguins visit the Meadowlands. If he's being punished, it won't be hard to tell. He can just look at the lineup sheet.