From the 1998 draft to Game 7 of the Cup final, Vinny Lecavalier has experienced ups and downs.
By TOM JONES
Published June 7, 2004
TAMPA - The Lightning drafted him specifically for this day, this game, this chance.
Back on June 27, 1998, one of the worst teams in the history of hockey took a lanky French-Canadian named Vincent Lecavalier with the first overall pick in the draft. He was to be the face of the franchise, its savior, the kid who someday would liberate the sad-sack Lightning to the top of the NHL mountain where Lord Stanley's Cup would be waiting.
Though it often seemed as if it would never happen, someday is here.
After six enigmatic seasons full of thrills, skills, disappointments, controversy, trade demands and squabbles, Lecavalier has the Lightning here: one victory from the Stanley Cup.
"It's hard to realize where we are at," Lecavalier said. "It's exciting. I'm anxious to start. It's kind of a weird feeling. It's what I've been waiting for my whole life. When you play in the streets as a kid, that's what you think about: Game 7 for the Stanley Cup."
Lecavalier stood outside the showers of the St. Pete Times Forum, wearing only a towel around his waist and a smile on his face, a smile mixed with disbelief, excitement and awe. He no longer is a boy, but a man of 24.
He was reminded of the past six seasons, being tagged the Michael Jordan of hockey, the weight of being a No. 1 pick, the run-ins with his coach, being stripped as team captain. He was reminded of another French-Canadian, Mario Lemieux, who was heavily nagged as being a failure until he took the Penguins from bottom-feeders to a Stanley Cup.
The moment Lemieux lifted the Cup over his head, perceptions of him changed. And now Lecavalier might be a victory away from legitimizing his career.
"No one can ever take it away from you if you win a Stanley Cup," Lecavalier said. "Your name is on that trophy the rest of your life. But it's a team effort. If we win, it will validate everybody's career."
No one, though, more than Lecavalier. His career stuttered and stalled through coaches Jacques Demers, Steve Ludzik and now John Tortorella. When Tortorella took over more than two seasons ago, the Lightning appeared no closer to a Cup than the day Lecavalier was drafted. Lecavalier had no reason to believe he would someday play for a Stanley Cup, at least with the Lightning.
"I say no, but, it's just that it seemed far away," Lecavalier said. "Four or five years ago, we were last in the league. It was tough to think about. It was tough to even think about the playoffs."
Ironically, Lecavalier did all he could to get his team to the final, but it has been his teammates who have picked him up to get to tonight's Game 7. Lecavalier has struggled, at least on the scoresheet, with no goals, two assists and a minus-2 rating in six games. Could he have had the zip knocked out of his game in a fight with Jarome Iginla in Game 3? Could he be suffering aftereffects from the Ville Nieminen elbow to the head in Game 4?
Lecavalier insists he is healthy.
"I expect his best game," Tortorella said. "He has fought it a bit."
Tortorella gave Calgary credit for paying special attention to the Lightning's special player but added the first six games were yesterday. One game is left, and he is expecting Lecavalier to be a "big part" of it.
"He hasn't had the final he has wanted, but it can all change in one game," teammate and longtime friend Brad Richards said. "I'm sure that's how he is looking at it. You can throw out whether you played good or bad in the past. We'll all have one of our best games. I'm sure that's what he's trying to work for."
It's what he and the Lightning have been working for since June 27, 1998.
