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Montreal has inquired about the restricted free agent. But GM Rick Dudley says he will not make any deals.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 14, 2001
The Canadiens want Vinny Lecavalier to come home.
Montreal has called the Lightning at least once about trading for Tampa Bay's captain, who is a native of Ile Bizard, Quebec, a Montreal suburb. But the Lightning slammed the door.
Lecavalier is wildly popular in Montreal, which is trying desperately to rekindle interest in a team that has missed the playoffs three consecutive seasons.
Lightning general manager Rick Dudley said Monday that the 21-year-old superstar-in-waiting is not on the block.
"I can say unequivocally we have no intention of trading Vinny," Dudley said. "We value him a great deal and want him to be a part of the Tampa Bay Lightning for a long time."
Lecavalier wants to stay put.
"Of course I want to stay," he said from Boston, where he is working out with Mike Boyle, a trainer to many NHL stars. "I've become very attached to the Lighting club and the players. I think we have a great future. I love Tampa, and I love the people."
With the trade route closed, the Canadiens would have to make (and Lecavalier would have to accept) a qualifying offer to have a shot at the No. 1 pick of the 1998 draft, who is a restricted free agent. The Lightning is on record saying it would retain Lecavalier's rights by matching any such offers.
Such considerations would be moot if Tampa Bay and Lecavalier can come together on a new contract. There are indications negotiations with agent Kent Hughes are about to heat up.
"The next move is ours," Dudley said. "You can't say Kent has dragged his feet because he hasn't. We said we were going to send him something, and we haven't. We're trying to figure out exactly where we want to go."
Here is the starting point:
It is believed the Lightning wants to sign Lecavalier to a contract similar to the three-year, $5.35-million deal the Bruins gave Joe Thornton. The model for Lecavalier's camp: the two-year, $6.3-million contract the Canadiens gave Saku Koivu.
All aspects are up for negotiation, including the number of seasons.
It is safe to assume any deal exceeding two years would include escalating salaries because it would encroach on Lecavalier's arbitration rights. Those rights kick in after five professional seasons. For Lecavalier, that would be after 2002-03.
Tampa Bay believes it has to be careful in these negotiations. It is dealing with an important part of the team and arguably its most popular player. It also is setting a precedent it can point to when it tries to re-sign rookie star Brad Richards after his three-year contract is up after 2002-03.
Lecavalier's camp believes the Lighting already has set a precedent by naming him captain and marketing him as a franchise player.
Despite the divide, Dudley is not sounding any alarms.
"There are no black clouds right now," he said. "Every discussion I've had with Kent has been an amiable one."
Said Hughes: "Our objective is to have Vince in training camp, assuming we come to terms on a reasonable contract. There seems to be rumors out there he will be attending training camp even though he doesn't have a contract. We haven't even discussed that."
It doesn't matter. The Lightning does not allow players without contracts to participate in camp.
"And this is a very important camp for this hockey team and for him," Dudley said.
Lecavalier missed a good portion of last season's camp with a hyperextended elbow. He struggled with injuries, including a broken foot, and conditioning for the rest of the season.
Despite that, he had 23 goals and 28 assists in 68 games in the final season of a three-year contract that paid a base salary of $2.925-million.
"There hasn't been much negotiation yet," Dudley said. "Right now, I'm hopeful we can get through this and still be friends."
BLACKHAWKS: The team signed goalie Craig Andersson to a multiyear contract. He was the MVP at this year's Canadian Hockey League All-Star series.
COYOTES: Center Daymond Langkow was awarded a two-year contract worth $4.2-million by an arbitrator. Langkow will receive $1.95-million for the next season and $2.25-million the following season.
ISLANDERS: Defenseman Kenny Jonsson re-signed for two years. The 26-year-old finished second among the team's defensemen last season in goals with eight and points with 29 in 65 games.
KINGS: Los Angeles re-signed forward Brian Smolinski to a two-year contract. Smolinski had 27 goals and 32 assists in 78 regular-season games last season, splitting time at center and left wing.
MAPLE LEAFS: Alyn McCauley re-signed after splitting last season with Toronto and its AHL team in St. John's. Terms were not disclosed. The center had one goal in 14 games with the Maple Leafs and 16 goals and 28 assists in 47 games with St. John's.
PENGUINS: Center Robert Lang will nearly triple his salary next season after he was awarded a one-year contract worth $2.9-million by an arbitrator. Lang made $1.025-million last season, when he had a career-high 32 goals and 48 assists.
-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.